Hosea 5:7 kjv
They have dealt treacherously against the LORD: for they have begotten strange children: now shall a month devour them with their portions.
Hosea 5:7 nkjv
They have dealt treacherously with the LORD, For they have begotten pagan children. Now a New Moon shall devour them and their heritage.
Hosea 5:7 niv
They are unfaithful to the LORD; they give birth to illegitimate children. When they celebrate their New Moon feasts, he will devour their fields.
Hosea 5:7 esv
They have dealt faithlessly with the LORD; for they have borne alien children. Now the new moon shall devour them with their fields.
Hosea 5:7 nlt
They have betrayed the honor of the LORD,
bearing children that are not his.
Now their false religion will devour them
along with their wealth.
Hosea 5 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Hosea 5:7 | They have dealt treacherously with the Lord, for they have borne to their fathers' gods alien children. Now the next new moon shall devour their fields. | Idolatry, National Judgment |
| Hosea 1:2 | The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the LORD.” | Spiritual Adultery, Consequences |
| Jeremiah 3:9 | Because of the lightness of her whoredom, she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and wood. | Idolatry as Adultery, Defilement |
| Ezekiel 16:17 | Moreover, you took your finely wrought numerous ornaments of gold and of silver, with which I had made you, and made for yourself images of a male and played the harlot with them. | Idolatry as Sexual Immorality |
| Psalms 73:27 | For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. | Consequences of Forsaking God |
| Deuteronomy 7:4 | For they will turn your son away from following me, that they may serve other gods. Then the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you, and he will quickly destroy you. | Warning Against Idolatry |
| 1 Corinthians 10:20 | No, I will sacrifice it to demons and not to God—to the gods that I do not know, you must not be sharers of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. | Associating with Idolatry |
| 1 Kings 12:28 | So the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold. And he said to them, “You have gone up long enough to Jerusalem. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” | Idolatrous Calf Worship |
| Isaiah 5:24 | Therefore, as the tongue of fire devours the stubble, and as the dry grass sinks down in the flame, their root will become rottenness, and their blossom will go up like dust; for they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts, and have spoken contemptuously of the Holy One of Israel. | Judgment by Destruction |
| Amos 5:5 | but do not seek Bethel, nor enter the cities of Gilgal, nor pass through Beersheba; for Gilgal shall surely go into exile, and Bethel shall come to nothing. | Condemnation of False Worship |
| Nahum 3:4 | because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the harlot, the graceful and alluring mistress, the mother of all of them. | Spiritual Harlotry as Cause of Fall |
| Romans 1:23 | and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, animals, and creeping things. | Idolatry as Exchange of Glory |
| Ephesians 5:3-5 | But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which belong less. But rather let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous, which is a form of idolatry, has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. | Immorality as Idolatry |
| Acts 17:29 | Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image wrought by human art and invention. | Rejection of Idols |
| Psalm 106:35-37 | but mingled with the nations and learned their ways, and served their graven images, which became a snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons. | Sacrifice to Demons |
| 1 Samuel 15:23 | For rebellion is the sin of divination, and slug-gishness is iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king. | Rebellion and Idolatry |
| Romans 2:13 | For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. | Obedience to the Law |
| Galatians 6:7 | Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. | Principle of Sowing and Reaping |
| Revelation 18:5 | for her sins are piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. | Accumulation of Sin |
| Deuteronomy 18:10 | There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead. | Prohibitions Against Idolatrous Practices |
| Hosea 1:2 | The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the LORD.” | Spiritual Adultery (as example) |
| Hosea 9:1 | Rejoice not, O Israel! Do not exult as other peoples do; for you have played the harlot, forsaking your God. You have loved wages of whoredom at every threshing floor. | Widespread Adultery and Idolatry |
Hosea 5 verses
Hosea 5 7 Meaning
Hosea 5:7 describes a spiritual betrayal. Israel, specifically the house of Jacob, has broken faith with the Lord by engaging in illegitimate offspring or idolatrous practices. This has led to their downfall and possession by foreign powers. The verse signifies a direct consequence of their covenant infidelity.
Hosea 5 7 Context
Hosea 5:7 is part of a larger oracle in Hosea chapter 5, where the prophet denounces the sins of the Northern Kingdom of Israel (also referred to as Jacob and Samaria). Israel, despite experiencing God's deliverance, has repeatedly turned away from Him to engage in idolatrous worship, particularly with surrounding nations. This verse follows the judgment declared upon Judah and then Samaria. The prophecy highlights the severe consequences of breaking the covenant relationship with Yahweh. The mention of the "next new moon" signifies an impending and unavoidable judgment that will impact their harvest, the source of their livelihood and prosperity. This particular verse focuses on the internal corruption and spiritual infidelity that has permeated the house of Israel.
Hosea 5 7 Word Analysis
- they (hem): Plural pronoun referring to the people of Israel/house of Jacob.
- have dealt treacherously (baghadu): From bāghad (בָּגַד). A strong verb indicating deceit, treachery, betrayal, acting faithlessly. It signifies a breach of trust and covenant loyalty. In the context of Israel's relationship with God, it points to their covenant infidelity.
- with the LORD (YHWH): The personal covenantal name of God, emphasizing the betrayal is directed at the covenant God of Israel.
- for (ki): Conjunction indicating the reason or cause for the treachery.
- they (hem): Again, referring to the people of Israel.
- have borne (yellidu): From yālad (יָלַד). To bear, bring forth, beget. In this context, it implies they have produced or fostered something as a result of their actions.
- to (l'-): Preposition indicating association or direction towards.
- their fathers' gods (elohi 'abothehem): “gods of their fathers.” Refers to the gods worshipped by their ancestors, likely indicating a perpetuation of pagan practices that were present even from the time of the patriarchs or those inherited from other nations. It suggests a deliberate choice to worship false deities, forsaking the true God.
- alien children (benim zarim): Literally "sons/children of a foreigner" or "strange children." This phrase is often interpreted in a few ways:
- Spiritual Progeny: The children born out of their spiritual adultery, meaning the results or fruits of their idolatrous practices are not of God.
- Children of Foreign Gods: They have produced offspring or dedicated children to foreign deities, a direct violation of the covenant.
- Metaphorical Bastardy: The phrase highlights their illegitimate status before God due to their unfaithfulness, like a child born from adultery or an illegitimate union.
- Now (עתta): Adverb of time, indicating the immediate or present consequence.
- the next (moledeth): Literally "birthplace" or "nativity," but here in context it refers to the monthly festival or new moon observance. The emphasis is on the recurring cycle of their false worship.
- new moon (hodesh): The monthly religious observance marking the beginning of a lunar month, often associated with festivals. This ties their judgment to their calendar of idolatrous celebrations.
- shall devour (y-khōl): From kālâ (כָּלָה) or kālā (כָּלָה) meaning to consume, devour, finish, complete. In the context of fields, it signifies utter destruction, possibly by enemies, blight, or famine, consuming their crops.
- their fields (sadheyhem): Their agricultural lands, the source of their sustenance. The destruction of their fields represents economic devastation and a loss of God's provision due to their sin.
Group/Phrase Analysis:
- "dealt treacherously with the LORD...borne to their fathers' gods alien children": This core phrase encapsulates Israel's spiritual harlotry. They have broken covenant faith with Yahweh and instead "given birth" to loyalty and devotion to false gods. This is a profound violation of the unique covenant relationship, which demanded exclusive devotion. The imagery is of a wife betraying her husband with other lovers, resulting in illegitimate offspring.
- "Now the next new moon shall devour their fields": This links the abstract spiritual betrayal to concrete, devastating consequences. The cyclical worship of their idols (associated with the new moon) will be replaced by a cyclical, total destruction of their agricultural produce. Their seasons of harvest and celebration will become seasons of ruin.
Hosea 5 7 Bonus Section
The concept of "alien children" (benim zarim) in Hosea 5:7 is rich in theological implications. It's not merely about biological children born out of wedlock, but about the spiritual lineage and heritage that Israel has adopted by turning from God. Just as physical offspring can inherit traits and covenants, Israel's embrace of idolatry meant they were fathering a spiritual generation devoted to demons, thus alienating themselves from the true lineage of faith in God. This resonates with Paul's teaching in 1 Corinthians 10:20, where associating with idols means partaking with demons. Furthermore, the choice to serve "their fathers' gods" reveals a generational sin, suggesting a cycle of rebellion that Hosea's ministry sought to break. The devastation of "their fields" also serves as a metaphor for the desolation that sin brings to the once-blessed life and spiritual fruitfulness of God's people.
Hosea 5 7 Commentary
Hosea 5:7 paints a stark picture of Israel's spiritual treason. Their allegiance has shifted from Yahweh to the gods of their ancestors and surrounding nations, an act akin to spiritual adultery. This infidelity is described as bearing "alien children," signifying that the fruits and results of their disloyalty are illegitimate in God's eyes. This deliberate turn to idolatry means they have actively participated in and fostered false worship. The consequence is swift and devastating: the Lord declares that their agricultural lands, their very sustenance, will be utterly consumed. This consumption is likely to come through invasion, famine, or some other form of divine wrath, coinciding with their festival seasons, thus turning their sacred calendar into a marker of judgment and loss. Their prosperity, formerly a sign of God's favor, will become the means of their ruin because it was attained and pursued through unfaithfulness. The verse underscores the inescapable principle that covenant violation leads to divinely ordained judgment, a theme woven throughout the entirety of Scripture.