Hosea 6:7 kjv
But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.
Hosea 6:7 nkjv
"But like men they transgressed the covenant; There they dealt treacherously with Me.
Hosea 6:7 niv
As at Adam, they have broken the covenant; they were unfaithful to me there.
Hosea 6:7 esv
But like Adam they transgressed the covenant; there they dealt faithlessly with me.
Hosea 6:7 nlt
But like Adam, you broke my covenant
and betrayed my trust.
Hosea 6 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Hos 6:7 | They like men have transgressed the covenant; there they dealt treacherously against me. | (Direct statement) |
| Gen 3:6 | And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. | (Adamic disobedience) |
| Rom 5:12 | Therefore, as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned— | (Sin and death through Adam) |
| Exo 19:5-6 | Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel. | (Covenant promise) |
| Deut 31:20 | For when I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I swore to their fathers, and they eat and are full and grow fat, they will turn to other gods and serve them, and mistreat me and break my covenant. | (Covenant breaking foreseen) |
| Jer 11:10 | They have turned back to the iniquity of their forefathers, who refused to hear my words. They have gone after other gods to serve them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers. | (Repeat of covenant breaking) |
| Ps 89:34 | but I will not remove from him my steadfast love, nor allow my faithfulness to fail. | (God's faithfulness despite sin) |
| Isa 24:5 | The earth also is defiled under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, and broken the everlasting covenant. | (Universal covenant breach) |
| Mal 2:7-8 | For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your teaching. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts. | (Priesthood’s failure) |
| John 15:1-2 | “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. | (Christ as true covenant) |
| Heb 8:9 | Not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them from the land of Egypt, because they did not continue in my covenant, and therefore I sent them away, says the Lord. | (New covenant comparison) |
| Gal 3:10 | For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not continue in all things written in the book of the law, and do them.” | (Law's condemnation) |
| Matt 5:17-18 | “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. | (Christ’s fulfillment of law) |
| 1 Cor 10:11 | Now these things occurred as examples for us, that we might not crave evil even as they craved. | (Examples for us) |
| 2 Cor 3:14 | But their minds were hardened. For until this day, when they read the old covenant, the same veil remains, unlifted, because it is taken away in Christ. | (Veil on Old Covenant) |
| Eph 2:10-12 | For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Therefore remember that formerly you were Gentiles in the flesh… remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. | (Gentiles outside covenant) |
| Rev 21:1-3 | Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God… And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them, as their God. | (New covenant fulfillment) |
Hosea 6 verses
Hosea 6 7 Meaning
Hosea 6:7 states that the people of Israel, like Adam, have broken the covenant, transgressing God's law. This verse highlights a fundamental betrayal of the relationship established between God and His people, characterized by disobedience and a disregard for divine commands. The comparison to Adam signifies a foundational sin that affects all subsequent generations, suggesting a deep-seated corruption within Israel.
Hosea 6 7 Context
Hosea chapter 6 addresses the people of Israel following periods of national distress, likely caused by Assyrian incursions or internal strife. God, through Hosea, calls them to repentance and a return to covenant faithfulness. The chapter begins with a plea for them to return to the Lord (v. 1) and promises healing and restoration if they do so. However, the prevailing theme is Israel's persistent sinfulness and spiritual adultery, particularly their reliance on outward rituals rather than sincere devotion and obedience. Verse 7 specifically highlights their deep-seated failure to uphold their covenant relationship with God, paralleling it with Adam's original sin of disobedience. This establishes a pattern of broken trust and betrayal that underpins the rest of the prophecy concerning Ephraim (Israel). The historical context involves a divided kingdom where northern Israel was often swayed by pagan worship and political alliances, a stark contrast to the covenant God had made with them at Sinai.
Hosea 6 7 Word Analysis
- כִּגְבָרִים (Kigvarim): "Like men" or "like mortals." This is a simile. The strength of the comparison lies in the universality of human fallibility, suggesting their transgressions are not isolated but part of a common, yet grave, human failing. It contrasts with their potential to be God's chosen people, set apart.
- אַדָּם (Adam): Refers to the first man. The comparison to Adam signifies their transgression as fundamental and foundational, mirroring the original act of disobedience in Eden. It implies a primal corruption of their nature and a departure from the original intent of God's creation.
- אַתָּה (Attah): "You" (singular, masculine). Though speaking to a people, God uses the singular here, possibly addressing Israel as a corporate entity, or perhaps underscoring a personal accusation against each individual within it.
- בָּטָה (Bat-ta): "You have transgressed" or "you have broken." This verb signifies a stepping over a boundary, a violation of what is established and rightful. It indicates a deliberate and wilful crossing of God's commands and covenant stipulations.
- בְּרִית (Berit): "Covenant." This is a crucial term in Hebrew theology, referring to a solemn agreement, a treaty or promise sealed with an oath. God's covenant with Israel (particularly at Sinai) was the foundation of their national identity and relationship with Him.
- בָּגָ֫דְתָּ (Bagadta): "You have dealt treacherously" or "you have acted faithlessly." This term denotes deceit, treachery, and perfidy. It speaks to a hidden betrayal, an unfaithfulness that is insidious and damaging, a violation of trust within a committed relationship.
- בִּ֫י (Bi): "Against me." This preposition emphasizes the personal nature of the betrayal. Their covenant breaking was not merely a breaking of rules but a profound rejection of God Himself and His presence among them.
Word-Group Analysis
- "Like Adam you have transgressed the covenant": This phrase powerfully equates Israel's actions with the foundational sin of humanity. Adam's disobedience in the Garden led to sin and death entering the world. Similarly, Israel's breaking of their covenant at Sinai, the "second Adam" moment for the nation, likewise resulted in judgment and alienation from God's favour. It signifies a systemic and inherited failure in the human relationship with the divine.
- "There they dealt treacherously against me": The "there" might refer to specific places or moments where their treachery was most evident. The combination of "transgressed" and "dealt treacherously" paints a comprehensive picture of their sin – they actively broke the covenant's boundaries and actively betrayed God’s trust within the framework of that covenant relationship.
Hosea 6 7 Bonus Section
The comparison of Israel's covenant breaking to Adam's sin is particularly potent because Adam represents all humanity, and his transgression introduced sin into the very fabric of human existence. For Israel, however, this parallelism carries an added weight: they were meant to be a distinct people, a renewed humanity called to a higher standard of faithfulness. Their failure to live up to the covenant, mirroring Adam's fall, suggests a deep corruption within the nation that necessitated prophetic warnings and eventual judgment, but also held out hope for a future restoration through a new covenant established in Christ. The phrase "dealt treacherously against me" underscores the personal and relational aspect of their sin; they were not just breaking divine law but violating a commitment made with their Creator and Redeemer.
Hosea 6 7 Commentary
Hosea 6:7 serves as a stark indictment of Israel's covenant infidelity. God likens their breach of the covenant to the primal disobedience of Adam. Just as Adam's single act brought sin and death, Israel’s repeated faithlessness—their treacherous dealings against God—also brought severe consequences. This verse is a lament over a broken relationship, highlighting that their transgressions were not mere errors but profound acts of betrayal against the God who had established a special covenant with them. Their sin was both a stepping over God's appointed boundaries and a deep personal perfidy, breaking the intimate trust that was meant to define their relationship with Him.