Hosea 6:5 kjv
Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.
Hosea 6:5 nkjv
Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of My mouth; And your judgments are like light that goes forth.
Hosea 6:5 niv
Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets, I killed you with the words of my mouth? then my judgments go forth like the sun.
Hosea 6:5 esv
Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth, and my judgment goes forth as the light.
Hosea 6:5 nlt
I sent my prophets to cut you to pieces ?
to slaughter you with my words,
with judgments as inescapable as light.
Hosea 6 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Hos 6:5 | I have cut them by the prophets. I have slain them by the words of my mouth. | Analogy of God's judgment through prophetic speech (cross-ref) |
| Jer 1:10 | See, I have today set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out, to pull down, to destroy, and to throw down, to build and to plant. | Prophets empowered to judge and enact judgment (fulfillment) |
| Ezek 3:4-6 | Go, say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD... Go to the house of Israel and speak with my words. | God's commission to prophets to speak His words (context) |
| Isa 11:4 | But with righteousness he shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, And with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. | Messiah's words as instruments of judgment (fulfillment) |
| Heb 4:12 | For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. | The power and sharpness of God's Word (parallel) |
| Rev 1:16 | He had a sharp two-edged sword coming out of his mouth, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. | Christ's words as a weapon (fulfillment) |
| Rev 19:15 | From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. | Christ's authoritative word of judgment (fulfillment) |
| Psa 149:6-9 | Let the high praises of God be in their mouths, And a two-edged sword in their hands, To execute vengeance on the nations and punishments on the peoples, To bind their kings with chains And their nobles with links of iron, To execute on them the judgment written. | God's people executing judgment by His Word (parallel) |
| John 12:48 | The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. | Jesus' words as the basis of future judgment (fulfillment) |
| 2 Thess 2:8 | And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to ruin by the appearance of his coming. | Lord Jesus destroying the wicked with the "breath of his mouth" (parallel) |
| Deut 18:18 | I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. | God placing His words in the mouth of a prophet (context) |
| Jer 23:29 | Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? | God's Word as powerful and destructive (parallel) |
| Prov 12:18 | There is one whose rash words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. | Contrast of words: piercing vs. healing (parallel) |
| Ezek 37:1-14 | The vision of the dry bones. | Prophetic word bringing life and resurrection (analogy) |
| Isa 55:11 | So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. | The efficacy of God's Word (parallel) |
| Rom 10:17 | So faith comes by hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. | The word of Christ leading to faith (context) |
| 2 Tim 3:16 | All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. | Scripture's divine inspiration and purpose (parallel) |
| Amos 3:7 | Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, unless he reveals his secret to his servants the prophets. | God revealing His plans through prophets (context) |
| Hosea 6:4 | What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? Your steadfast love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that early vanishes. | God's lament over Ephraim and Judah's fickleness, preceding judgment (context) |
| Hosea 6:6 | For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. | God's preference for genuine devotion over ritual (parallel to judgment) |
| Psalm 50:16-17 | But to the wicked God says: "What right have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your tongue Since you hate discipline and cast my words behind you?" | God rebuking the wicked who disregard His word (parallel) |
Hosea 6 verses
Hosea 6 5 Meaning
Hosea 6:5 speaks of God's judgment against Israel, likening his pronouncements to freshly cut pieces of wood or to his sharp sword that destroys. These pronouncements are like lightning, striking swiftly and decisively, and the result of these divine actions will be destruction upon the wicked, particularly those who have practiced idolatry and deceit. God's words are instruments of justice, and through them, he will execute his wrath upon his disobedient people.
Hosea 6 5 Context
This verse is found within the book of Hosea, a prophet who ministered in the Northern Kingdom of Israel during a time of spiritual decay and political instability. Chapter 6 begins with a plea from the people of Israel to return to God, confessing their sins. However, Hosea, speaking for God, critiques their repentance as superficial, not stemming from a true love for God. This verse, 6:5, directly follows God's expression of disappointment with Israel's fickle loyalty ("like a morning cloud, like the dew that early vanishes" - Hos 6:4). God declares that he has made pronouncements against them through the prophets, and these words have been sharp and decisive, leading to their downfall. The broader context of Hosea's prophecy involves God's unwavering love for an unfaithful Israel, but also his determination to judge them for their persistent idolatry and covenant-breaking. This verse serves as a stark statement of the consequence of rejecting God's word, illustrating that God's judgment is both severe and effective, delivered through the very means of His communication to humanity – the prophets.
Hosea 6 5 Word Analysis
"I have hewn you" (Hebrew: Chatafti): This word implies cutting or carving, suggesting a forceful and decisive action by God. It’s not a gentle shaping but a cutting away, perhaps to remove corruption or to sculpt something specific from them, albeit through judgment. It indicates God's active involvement in shaping their destiny through decisive, even harsh, pronouncements.
"by the prophets" (Hebrew: Ba'adath ha'nephi'im): This phrase highlights the instrumentality of the prophets. God's cutting judgment was not delivered through impersonal forces, but through human messengers, the prophets, who were empowered by God to speak His truth and carry out His pronouncements.
"I have slain them" (Hebrew: Heragti): This verb denotes killing or putting to death. It's a strong term indicating utter destruction. It underscores that the pronouncements of God, delivered through prophets, were lethal in their effect, bringing about death or ruin.
"by the words of my mouth" (Hebrew: Be'tsiy hontsarppi): This phrase emphasizes that the agency of slaying is God's very words. His mouth, the source of divine utterance, is depicted as wielding the power to kill. This connects God’s speech directly to His execution of judgment, similar to a sharp instrument.
"and thy judgments are like light that goeth forth" (Hebrew: Ve'misphatekhem kemor be'qa llo'z eth): This translates to "and your judgments [or pronouncements] are like a bright shining light" or "like lightning." The word for light ('or) here suggests brilliance and visibility. The idea is that God's pronouncements are clear, evident, and strike with sudden, powerful illumination, akin to lightning. The swiftness and unerring accuracy of lightning mirrors the effectiveness of God's pronouncements.
Word Group Analysis:
"I have hewn you by the prophets": This phrase combines God's active, forceful action (hewn) with the human agents He uses (the prophets). It emphasizes that the judgment was precise and delivered through chosen spokespersons.
"I have slain them by the words of my mouth": This powerful conjunction links God’s personal authority (my mouth) with the destructive power of His declarations (slain them). It portrays God's word as a weapon of lethal force.
"and thy judgments are like light that goeth forth": This likens God’s decrees to a brilliant, penetrating light, or more specifically, lightning. This highlights the swift, undeniable, and impactful nature of God’s pronouncements of judgment. It signifies their unerring trajectory and sudden, devastating impact.
Hosea 6 5 Bonus Section
This verse serves as a significant testament to the Bible's consistent view of God's word as a powerful force, capable of both creation and destruction. It echoes the concept of God’s breath (the “breath of his mouth” in Isaiah 11:4 and 2 Thessalonians 2:8) being life-giving and soul-piercing. The sharpness of God's word is further detailed in Hebrews 4:12, where it is described as sharper than any two-edged sword, able to discern the deepest intentions of the heart. The verse also underscores the prophetic office as a divine mandate to pronounce judgment as well as hope, ensuring that God's people understood the consequences of their actions and the standards of His covenant.
Hosea 6 5 Commentary
Hosea 6:5 is a critical statement about the nature and efficacy of God’s prophetic word. God states that He has used His prophets to powerfully "hew" and "slay" His people, meaning to cut them off and bring about their demise through His spoken word. This isn't to say the prophets themselves possessed such power inherently, but rather that God infused their message with divine authority and power, making their pronouncements effective instruments of judgment. The comparison of God's judgments to "light that goeth forth" (or lightning) emphasizes their suddenness, clarity, and irresistible force. Just as lightning strikes swiftly and unmistakably, God’s judgments, delivered through the prophetic word, are certain and devastating to the disobedient. The verse highlights that God’s pronouncements are not mere suggestions but potent declarations that carry the weight of divine execution. It stands in contrast to Israel’s superficial repentance, showing that true godly action stems from heartfelt obedience, not empty ritual or shallow promises.