Hosea 7 4

Hosea 7:4 kjv

They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened.

Hosea 7:4 nkjv

"They are all adulterers. Like an oven heated by a baker? He ceases stirring the fire after kneading the dough, Until it is leavened.

Hosea 7:4 niv

They are all adulterers, burning like an oven whose fire the baker need not stir from the kneading of the dough till it rises.

Hosea 7:4 esv

They are all adulterers; they are like a heated oven whose baker ceases to stir the fire, from the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.

Hosea 7:4 nlt

They are all adulterers,
always aflame with lust.
They are like an oven that is kept hot
while the baker is kneading the dough.

Hosea 7 verses

Hosea 7 4 Meaning

Hosea 7:4 describes the chosen people as adulterous in their hearts, consuming themselves like a baker’s oven that lies dormant but is ready to ignite at any moment. They do not seek the Lord, reflecting a state of spiritual decay and a turning away from God.

Hosea 7 4 Context

Hosea 7:4 takes place within the broader context of Hosea's prophecy against the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The prophet is delivering God's message of judgment due to Israel's persistent idolatry and unfaithfulness. Israel is depicted as having strayed from God, much like an unfaithful spouse. Chapter 7 specifically highlights their moral corruption and spiritual perversion, comparing their hearts to a baker’s oven filled with heat from sin, ready to erupt in judgment. Their kings and leaders are also implicated in this downfall, further exacerbating the nation’s apostasy.

Hosea 7 4 Word Analysis

• They are all
  • Hebrew: kulam (כֻּלָּם) - all of them. Emphasizes the pervasive nature of the sin affecting the entire nation.
• adulterers
  • Hebrew: mena'afim (מְנָאֲפִים) - adulterers, those who commit adultery. In this prophetic context, it refers to spiritual adultery—unfaithfulness to God by pursuing idolatry and other sins. This word carries strong connotations of betrayal and covenant breaking.
• like an oven
  • Hebrew: k'tnur (כְּתַנּוּר) - like an oven.
• heated by the baker
  • Hebrew: me'aphey (מְעַפֶּה) - one who bakes. The image is of an oven that, once heated, remains hot for a long time, suggesting a lingering and powerful corrupting influence or passion. It can also refer to a specific type of oven or the act of preparing it. The intense, controlled heat implies a readiness for action or destruction stemming from deep-seated sin.
• He lies dormant
  • Hebrew: yishbot (יִשְׁבֹּת) - he will cease, rest, desist. In this context, it means the oven rests or waits, but the potential for intense heat remains. It conveys a sense of potential, unexpressed energy or corruption lying just beneath the surface.
• from dividing
  • Hebrew: miqqum (מִקֻּם) - from the dough. The heat is present for the baking, waiting for the dough. The dormant state is preparatory for further action.
• the dough.
  • Hebrew: bayisah (בַּיִשָׂה) - the dough. The raw material is ready, the heat is ready, symbolizing Israel's readiness for their actions or for divine judgment due to their corrupted state.

Group Analysis: The phrase "like an oven heated by the baker; he lies dormant from dividing the dough" paints a picture of suppressed but potent sin. The baker prepares the oven, making it hot and ready, but then leaves it idle until the dough is brought. This latent heat is like Israel's disposition toward sin – always present, ready to flare up when the opportunity or temptation arises. They are essentially prepared for their own destruction through their ongoing unfaithfulness.

Hosea 7 4 Bonus Section

The "baker's oven" could also represent the intense spiritual heat generated by idolatrous practices and the subsequent readiness of the people for judgment or further sinful actions. The cessation of activity ("he lies dormant") does not indicate a cure but a temporary pause, similar to how Israel’s sinfulness was not eradicated but merely lay in wait. This latent "heat" is precisely what makes them susceptible to complete combustion when faced with the "dough" of opportunity or further enticement into sin. The desire is not to cease from sin, but to pause in its active expression while remaining fueled by its passions.

Hosea 7 4 Commentary

The verse paints a stark picture of Israel's spiritual condition. They are not merely careless but are characterized by deep-seated lusts and affections directed away from God. The "oven" metaphor vividly illustrates this; their hearts, like the baker’s oven, are kept heated by sin, lying dormant only until their sinful passions are fully ignited and enacted. This inner state is one of constant readiness for unfaithfulness, rather than seeking the Lord’s guidance or presence. It's a readiness for destruction that originates from their own choices to abandon God and embrace corrupt practices and idolatry. This is not a fleeting temptation but a deeply ingrained condition.