Hosea 7:9 kjv
Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not.
Hosea 7:9 nkjv
Aliens have devoured his strength, But he does not know it; Yes, gray hairs are here and there on him, Yet he does not know it.
Hosea 7:9 niv
Foreigners sap his strength, but he does not realize it. His hair is sprinkled with gray, but he does not notice.
Hosea 7:9 esv
Strangers devour his strength, and he knows it not; gray hairs are sprinkled upon him, and he knows it not.
Hosea 7:9 nlt
Worshiping foreign gods has sapped their strength,
but they don't even know it.
Their hair is gray,
but they don't realize they're old and weak.
Hosea 7 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Hosea 7:11 | Ephraim is like a dove, easily deceived and without understanding. | Similar imagery |
| Psalm 72:12 | The poor cry out, and he will help them; he will not forget their cries. | Contrast of God's faithfulness |
| Psalm 106:13 | But they soon forgot what he had done and did not wait for his counsel. | Israel's forgetfulness |
| Jeremiah 2:36 | You are quick to roam and change paths; you will be put to shame by Egypt as you were put to shame by Assyria. | Shifting alliances |
| Jeremiah 5:22 | "Should you not fear me?" declares the LORD. "Should you not tremble before me?" | Lack of reverence |
| Isaiah 30:1-3 | "Woe to the rebellious children," declares the LORD, "who carry out a plan, but not from me, and form alliances, but not of my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin; who go down to Egypt without asking my counsel, to take refuge in Pharaoh's protection and to seek shelter in Egypt's shade; Egypt's protection will be to your shame, and shelter in Egypt's shade will be your disgrace." | Seeking help from Egypt |
| Isaiah 31:1 | Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, trusting in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the LORD! | Reliance on foreign powers |
| Ezekiel 16:26 | "You lusted after your neighbors, Egyptians, with your much sensual outcry, and multiplied your harlotry against them." | Idolatry and foreign alliances |
| Acts 7:42 | "But God turned away and gave them up to worship the host of heaven..." | Worship of heavenly bodies |
| Romans 1:23 | ...and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images and likenesses of perishable man and of birds and animals and creeping things. | Exchange God's glory |
| Galatians 3:3 | Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? | Foolishness and departing from God |
| 2 Peter 2:22 | The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, having washed, returns to wallowing in the mire. | Return to sinful practices |
| Hosea 5:4 | Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God. For the spirit of harlotry is in their heart, and they do not know the LORD. | Spirit of harlotry |
| Hosea 7:8 | Ephraim is a cake not turned. It is ruined. | Unconverted state |
| Psalm 50:16 | But to the wicked God says: "What right have you to recite my statutes or bear my covenant on your lips?" | Unrighteous are separated |
| Jeremiah 17:5 | Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm, whose heart turns away from the LORD." | Cursing of human reliance |
| Psalm 11:1 | The wicked bend the bow and set their arrows in the quiver to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart. | Hidden evil |
| John 8:44 | You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. | Parental influence |
| 1 Corinthians 10:21 | You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. | Dual allegiance |
| Hosea 1:2 | When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, "Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the LORD." | Fornicating wife analogy |
Hosea 7 verses
Hosea 7 9 Meaning
This verse describes Israel as being like a foolish dove. This foolishness leads to them departing from their God and seeking help from foreign nations, rather than relying on the Lord. Their actions are likened to a simple, easily trapped bird, highlighting their spiritual vulnerability and lack of wisdom in turning to idols and external alliances.
Hosea 7 9 Context
Hosea 7 describes the moral and spiritual decay of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The people have abandoned the Lord, engaging in idolatry and corrupt practices. They have become like a defiled cake, half-baked and ruined. Instead of seeking God's deliverance from their enemies (Assyria), they are looking to foreign alliances, particularly Egypt, which will ultimately lead to their shame and downfall. The chapter portrays a people deeply entrenched in sin, characterized by pride, deceit, and a profound lack of understanding and spiritual discernment. The reference to Ephraim (representing the Northern Kingdom) as a "foolish dove" underscores their easily exploited and misguided nature in their political and religious dealings.
Hosea 7 9 Word analysis
Foreigners (זָרִים, zarim): Strangers; those outside the covenant community. This highlights Israel's misplaced trust in external powers rather than in Yahweh.
Consuming his strength (אָכְלוּ־ב֣וֹ כֹּח֔וֹ, akhlu-vo kocho): Literally, "eating in him his strength." It signifies the depletion of Israel's vital energy and resources through reliance on alien support.
He knows it not (וְלֹֽא־יֵדַ֔ע, velo-yeda): A strong emphasis on ignorance and unawareness. Despite their actions depleting their strength, they remain oblivious to the cause and consequences.
The gray hairs (שֵׂיבָ֛ה, seivah): Indicates age, maturity, or a seasoned state. Here, it symbolizes the natural progression and depletion that should be recognized but is not.
Are scattered (זָרְפָ֖ה, zorfah): This Hebrew word can imply scattering or being sprinkled. In this context, it suggests the loss and dispersal of their vitality.
Upon him (עָלָ֑יו, alav): Refers back to Israel.
And he knows it not (וְלֹא־יָדַ֥ע, velo-yada): Repetition emphasizes the depth of their spiritual blindness and foolishness.
Group Analysis: The repeated phrase "and he knows it not" is crucial. It underlines the persistent blindness of Israel to their own self-destruction through misplaced trust and a departure from God. The imagery of scattered gray hairs signifies a natural, visible decline that they fail to perceive as a consequence of their sin.
Hosea 7 9 Bonus Section
The imagery of the "foolish dove" connects with other biblical passages where birds symbolize Israel's spiritual vulnerability or God's protective care. The dove in Scripture is often associated with gentleness and innocence, but here it highlights a fatal lack of wisdom. Hosea's prophecy uses relational and domestic imagery to illustrate the broken covenant relationship between God and Israel. Their sin is depicted as spiritual adultery and a perversion of natural order, leading to an unnatural decay that they fail to comprehend. The reference to gray hairs being scattered implies a process of aging and weakening that should naturally prompt reflection and change, but Israel's spiritual blindness prevents this.
Hosea 7 9 Commentary
Hosea condemns Israel for their foolishness. Like a simple bird, they are easily tricked into depleting their strength by relying on foreign nations instead of the Lord. This misplaced trust leads to their ruin, yet they remain unaware of their plight. Their condition is like scattered gray hairs, a visible sign of decline that they fail to recognize. Their actions demonstrate a deep spiritual immaturity and a failure to discern where true strength and salvation lie. They are chasing after help from those who will ultimately exploit and abandon them, bringing about their inevitable destruction because they have forsaken the source of their strength and protection.