Hosea 7:16 kjv
They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.
Hosea 7:16 nkjv
They return, but not to the Most High; They are like a treacherous bow. Their princes shall fall by the sword For the cursings of their tongue. This shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.
Hosea 7:16 niv
They do not turn to the Most High; they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword because of their insolent words. For this they will be ridiculed in the land of Egypt.
Hosea 7:16 esv
They return, but not upward; they are like a treacherous bow; their princes shall fall by the sword because of the insolence of their tongue. This shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.
Hosea 7:16 nlt
They look everywhere except to the Most High.
They are as useless as a crooked bow.
Their leaders will be killed by their enemies
because of their insolence toward me.
Then the people of Egypt
will laugh at them.
Hosea 7 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Hosea 7:16 | They turned back like a rútêr bow; their rulers fling themselves about in their pride, and their princes are haughty, and will be scorned in Egypt. | Exod 14:12 (Seeking Egypt) |
| Hosea 7:11 | “Israel is like a simple dove, without sense—calling to Egypt, going to Assyria. | Jer 2:36 (Relying on Egypt) |
| Jeremiah 37:7 | “Now when the Chaldeans’ army had gone away from Jerusalem because of the army of Pharaoh, | Isa 30:2 (Trusting Egypt) |
| Psalm 106:13 | They soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel, | Psa 78:42 (Forgetting God) |
| Deuteronomy 28:68 | And the LORD will bring you back to Egypt in ships, by the way which I said you should not see again. A terrible history of turning away. | Deut 17:16 (Going to Egypt) |
| 2 Kings 17:4 | When they found that אֶּל־חֳרִי אַּפִּ֑ךָfor Shalmaneser king of Assyria had attacked them, they sent messengers to Egypt, to So, king of that country, and paid no further tribute to the king of Assyria, as he used to do year by year. | 2 Kings 18:21 (Alliance with Egypt) |
| Isaiah 31:3 | The Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses are flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD stretches out his hand, both helper and helpless will fall, and all of them will perish together. | Jer 46:25 (False hope in Egypt) |
| Hosea 10:13 | You have cultivated evil; you have harvested injustice; you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you trust in your own ways, in the multitude of your warriors, | Prov 1:18 (Harvesting evil) |
| Proverbs 1:19 | So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain. It takes away the life of its owners. | Prov 28:12 (Greed for gain) |
| Jeremiah 8:5 | Why then has this people turned away in persistent rebellion? They hold fast to deceit; they refuse to return. | Jer 4:22 (Refusal to return) |
| Romans 6:16 | Do you not know that if you surrender yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, whether of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? | Rom 3:23 (Falling short) |
| 1 Corinthians 10:13 | No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide a way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. | 1 Cor 6:18 (Flee from sin) |
| Galatians 5:4 | You are severed from Christ, you who seek to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. | Gal 1:6 (Fallen from grace) |
| Matthew 7:13 | “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. | Matt 7:13 (Way of destruction) |
| John 14:6 | Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. | John 14:6 (Only way) |
| Hosea 6:4 | What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? Your love is like the morning cloud, like the dew that goes early away. | Hosea 6:4 (Fickle love) |
| Hosea 11:7 | My people are bent on turning away from me, and though they call me most high, none at all exalt me. | Hosea 11:7 (Bent on turning away) |
| Jeremiah 46:26 | I will give them into the hand of those who seek their life, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his army. | Jer 46:1 (Judgment on Egypt) |
| Isaiah 5:11 | Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may pursue strong drink, who tarry late into the evening as wine inflames them! | Isa 5:11 (Addiction to pleasure) |
| Nahum 3:2 | The noise of the whip, the rattling of wheels, the galloping horses, the jolting chariots! | Nahum 3:2 (Chariots of war) |
Hosea 7 verses
Hosea 7 16 Meaning
The people of Israel are returning to Egypt, not in faithful obedience but in a misguided pursuit of assistance from that foreign land, an act of turning away from God. This return signifies their unfaithfulness and their turning back to old, destructive patterns, like a foolish pigeon, easily tricked. They seek a confederacy with Egypt for protection, rather than relying on the Lord.
Hosea 7 16 Context
Hosea chapter 7 depicts the deep spiritual corruption and political instability of the northern kingdom of Israel. The people and their rulers are characterized by deceit, idolatry, and reliance on foreign alliances for security, rather than on the Lord. Verse 16 follows the critique of Israel’s fickle nature and misguided alliances. The prophet Hosea is calling Israel back to God, highlighting their unfaithfulness and the impending judgment. Their desire to return to Egypt signifies a relapse into their past relationship with that oppressive power, seeking temporal security over divine faithfulness.
Hosea 7 16 Word Analysis
- They turned back (Hebrew: yasubû) - Means to return, turn back, repent. Here it denotes a turning away from God.
- like a rútêr bow (Hebrew: ken qešet temîm)
- ken: like, as.
- qešet: bow.
- temîm: straight, true, simple, unerring.
- Analysis: This phrase signifies an improperly made or untrustworthy bow. Instead of being straight and true to shoot its arrow accurately, it is bent or defective. Israel is like such a bow, failing to fulfill its purpose and instead of being a vessel for God’s purposes, it is crooked and ineffective. This suggests their direction and aim are wrong, leading them away from God’s intended path.
- their rulers (Hebrew: sarêhem) - Their princes, chiefs, commanders. Refers to the leadership of Israel.
- fling themselves about (Hebrew: yitšoləlû) - To cast themselves, throw themselves, to be hurled. Implies uncontrolled or reckless action.
- in their pride (Hebrew: be'ezzem) - In their anger, strength, or wrath. It refers to their arrogant and self-willed defiance.
- and will be scorned (Hebrew: wayyâ'adû) - To be put to shame, be in reproach, be ashamed. This speaks of the inevitable consequence of their actions.
- in Egypt - Their turning to Egypt for help would ultimately bring them shame and reproach, not salvation.
Hosea 7 16 Bonus Section
The comparison to a "rútêr bow" can also be understood as a bow that is intentionally unstrung or improperly prepared, making it useless for its intended purpose of shooting accurately. This highlights not just a flaw but a complete failure to function as designed. Israel's deviation is so profound that they have rendered themselves incapable of fulfilling God’s plan for them. The phrase "fling themselves about in their pride" can be interpreted in various ways; some scholars suggest it refers to the frenzied movements of a wild ass in heat (as seen in Jer 2:24), a comparison emphasizing their unbridled lust for sin and foreign entanglements. Ultimately, this verse encapsulates the recurring theme of Israel’s disloyalty and the dire consequences of seeking help in the wrong places, a recurring temptation throughout their history and a relevant spiritual lesson for all believers.
Hosea 7 16 Commentary
Hosea 7:16 paints a vivid picture of Israel’s spiritual and political folly. Their turning back signifies a departure from God’s covenant. The metaphor of the "rútêr bow" powerfully illustrates their ineffectiveness and deviation from their intended purpose as God’s people. Their leaders are depicted as acting rashly and arrogantly, seeking alliances with Egypt out of pride and a misplaced sense of security. This pursuit of Egypt for help, instead of God, demonstrates a lack of faith and a preference for worldly solutions. The consequence is clear: they will not find help, but shame and reproach in Egypt, as their trust in human power and foreign nations is misplaced and ultimately leads to their downfall. This verse serves as a stark warning against abandoning divine trust for the ephemeral promises of the world.