Hosea 5 7

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 verses

Hosea 5 7 meaning

Hosea 5:7 declares God's severe indictment against the northern kingdom of Israel (Ephraim). It states that they have acted with profound treachery against the LORD, engaging in spiritual harlotry that has resulted in a generation (or literal children born into their apostasy) alienated from God's covenant. Consequently, an abrupt and devastating divine judgment, perhaps associated with their corrupt religious festivals, will swiftly consume them and their possessions, stripping them of their very livelihood and security.

Hosea 5 7 Context

Hosea 5:7 is part of a larger oracle of judgment (Hosea 5:1-7) primarily directed at the religious and political leaders (priests, kings, and princes) of the northern kingdom of Israel (Ephraim), along with the general populace. The chapter opens with an emphatic call to hear this judgment, highlighting their egregious sins of rebellion and spiritual corruption, likened to a snare at Mizpah and a net spread on Tabor. Israel has become defiled by pagan practices (whoring, offering sacrifices on high places), abandoning the true knowledge of God despite their outward attempts to seek Him (5:6). The leaders themselves are deeply implicated, misleading the people into idolatry and covenant unfaithfulness. The historical context is the volatile 8th century BCE, a period of decline and political instability for Israel, where reliance on foreign alliances (like Assyria and Egypt) replaced trust in Yahweh, and syncretistic worship permeated the land. This verse directly links their profound spiritual betrayal with dire consequences, indicating that their infidelity has corrupted not only themselves but also their offspring, leading directly to imminent, comprehensive divine devastation.

Hosea 5 7 Word analysis

• כִּֽי-בָגְד֥וּ (ki-bhāḡəḏū): "for they have dealt faithlessly," "because they have betrayed."

  • כִּֽי (ki): This causal conjunction ("for," "because") introduces the reason for the impending judgment. It establishes a direct cause-and-effect relationship between Israel's actions and God's response.
  • בָגְד֥וּ (bhāḡəḏū): (Qal Perfect 3rd pl. from root בָגַד - bagad) The Hebrew verb bagad signifies acting treacherously, dealing faithlessly, betraying. It implies a deliberate violation of a trust or a covenant. This word is potent, often used for a spouse betraying a marriage (Jer 3:20) or a friend betraying trust, profoundly impacting the relationship with the covenant God, Yahweh. It emphasizes their conscious choice to abandon fidelity.

• בַֽיהוָ֖ה (bā-YHWH): "with the LORD."

  • בַֽ (ba): This preposition indicates "with" or "against."
  • יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH): The personal name of God, revealing His covenant relationship with Israel. By explicitly naming Him, the text underscores the personal nature of Israel's betrayal—they have directly affronted the very God who redeemed them and entered into a covenant with them.

• וּבָנִים זָרִים יָלָ֑דוּ (ūḇānîm zārîm yālāḏū): "and have borne illegitimate children" or "alien children."

  • וּבָנִים (ūḇānîm): "and children." This highlights the outcome of their actions.
  • זָרִים (zārîm): (pl. of זָר - zar) Meaning "foreign," "alien," "strange," or "unauthorized," often implying spiritual illegitimacy or defilement. These are not necessarily literal children born out of physical adultery (though that was certainly an issue), but more significantly, children who are spiritually estranged from God, who adopt pagan practices, or who continue the apostasy of their parents. They are "illegitimate" in the sense of being unfit heirs to God's covenant promises, rather inheriting the curses due to their unfaithfulness. Some interpretations also link this to children conceived in pagan rites or the spiritual offspring of idolatry.
  • יָלָ֑דוּ (yālāḏū): (Qal Perfect 3rd pl. from root יָלַד - yalad) "they have borne," "they have given birth." This emphasizes that the "illegitimate children" are a direct product and consequence of their faithlessness.

• עַתָּ֛ה יֹֽאכְלֵ֥ם חֹ֖דֶשׁ (ʿattāh yoʾḵəlem ḥōḏeš): "now a new moon shall devour them."

  • עַתָּ֛ה (ʿattāh): "now." This adverb signifies immediate, abrupt action and a definitive turning point towards judgment. It implies a swift, undeniable consequence.
  • יֹֽאכְלֵ֥ם (yoʾḵəlem): (Qal Imperfect 3rd masc. sing. from root אָכַל - ʾākhal with 3rd pl. pronominal suffix) "it will eat them," "it will devour them." The verb "devour" is strong, depicting complete and destructive consumption, often used for a predatory animal (Hos 13:8) or consuming fire, symbolizing overwhelming divine wrath and destruction.
  • חֹ֖דֶשׁ (ḥōḏeš): "new moon," or "month." This is a highly significant and debated term.
    • One primary interpretation links it to the New Moon festival. While a legitimate observance in Israelite religion (Num 28:11-15), it had become corrupted by syncretism with Canaanite worship, where lunar deities were venerated. In this context, it suggests that judgment will be sudden, perhaps striking them even during their religious observances, mocking their corrupted worship (Isa 1:13-14) or coming by the means they used to try and manipulate deity.
    • Another interpretation understands ḥōḏeš metaphorically as "a month," implying that the destruction will happen within a short period, i.e., swiftly and completely, like a new cycle beginning.
    • Many scholars suggest it points to the immediacy and completeness of judgment connected to the time they themselves revered, implying the vanity of their religious practices will not avert God's swift justice.

• אֶת־חֶלְקֵיהֶֽם (ʾet-ḥelqêhem): "with their fields/portions."

  • אֶת־ (ʾet-): Preposition "with" or serving as a direct object marker for emphasis.
  • חֶלְקֵיהֶֽם (ḥelqêhem): "their portion," "their share," "their land," "their fields." This refers to their inheritance and source of sustenance—their material security and wealth tied to the land of promise. The judgment will not only consume the people but also everything they hold dear and rely on for survival, making the devastation comprehensive.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "for they have dealt faithlessly with the LORD": This phrase directly identifies Israel's primary sin: a profound breach of their covenant relationship with God. It characterizes their idolatry and seeking of foreign alliances as an act of personal betrayal against their divine Husband and King.
• "and they have borne illegitimate children": This reveals the consequences of their covenant breach—a corrupt legacy. These "illegitimate children" are a manifestation of their deep-seated spiritual apostasy, showing how their unfaithfulness perpetuates itself into the next generation, spiritually estranged from God and His covenant.
• "now a new moon shall devour them with their fields": This is the swift and devastating declaration of divine judgment. The imagery of the "new moon" suggests the sudden, possibly cyclical, and inevitable nature of the destruction, potentially mocking their pagan-infused lunar cults. The act of "devouring" implies total annihilation, not only of their lives but also of their very means of existence and inheritance, rendering their apostasy futile and catastrophic.

Hosea 5 7 Bonus section

• The theme of spiritual harlotry in Hosea is consistently reinforced by the prophet's own life and marriage to Gomer, who bore "children of harlotry." This prophetic sign profoundly illustrates the message of Hosea 5:7, showing how Israel's unfaithfulness directly produces spiritually estranged offspring, alien to God's covenant purposes.
• The choice of "new moon" as an agent of destruction subtly highlights a polemic against Israel's syncretistic worship. They likely engaged in pagan New Moon festivities alongside Yahwistic observance, hoping to secure prosperity from local deities. The verse suggests that the very object or time of their corrupted worship will become the instrument or harbinger of their destruction. This ironic judgment transforms their attempted security into their downfall.
• The progression from "faithlessness" to "illegitimate children" and then to "devouring" shows a spiritual cause-and-effect that spans generations, culminating in inescapable judgment. This emphasizes the profound impact of parental faith (or lack thereof) on future generations and the communal consequences of corporate sin.
• "Devour" is often used in the Old Testament to describe God's destructive judgment through wild animals (Lev 26:22), famine, disease, or invading armies, indicating the comprehensive and often violent nature of His wrath against rebellion.

Hosea 5 7 Commentary

Hosea 5:7 paints a grim picture of spiritual degeneracy and its catastrophic consequences for Israel. Their "faithlessness" (from bagad, signifying deep betrayal) against Yahweh is presented as an ultimate act of covenant violation, akin to a spouse's profound infidelity. This unfaithfulness has permeated the fabric of their society, manifesting in "illegitimate children"—offspring spiritually alienated from God, often following the apostasy of their parents, or symbolizing a corrupted spiritual state incapable of inheriting divine blessing. The result is not merely social or moral decay but a direct catalyst for God's impending wrath. The phrase "now a new moon shall devour them" vividly portends an immediate and all-encompassing judgment. "New moon" (ḥōḏeš) may refer to a time of swift, ritualistic destruction—perhaps ironic, occurring during what was intended to be a sacred observance but which Israel had perverted with pagan practices. The judgment is not partial; it will "devour" them and "their fields," eradicating their lives, livelihood, and inheritance, thereby nullifying the very basis of their covenantal blessings. The verse thus underscores that severe spiritual betrayal and generational apostasy incur an inescapable and comprehensive divine reckoning.