Hosea 8 5

Hosea 8:5 kjv

Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?

Hosea 8:5 nkjv

Your calf is rejected, O Samaria! My anger is aroused against them? How long until they attain to innocence?

Hosea 8:5 niv

Samaria, throw out your calf-idol! My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of purity?

Hosea 8:5 esv

I have spurned your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence?

Hosea 8:5 nlt

"O Samaria, I reject this calf ?
this idol you have made.
My fury burns against you.
How long will you be incapable of innocence?

Hosea 8 5 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Hosea 8:6The calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.Israel's idolatry
Exodus 20:4You shall not make for yourself an image...Prohibition of idols
1 Kings 12:28So he consulted with himself, and the king made two calves of gold.Jeroboam's calves
Jeremiah 10:14Every man is brutish and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols.Futility of idols
Isaiah 44:9-20Detailed description of idol making and its worthlessness.Warning against idolatry
Psalm 115:4-8Description of idols as silver and gold, the work of men's hands.Idols lack power
1 Corinthians 6:19-20Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.True worship is in the body
1 Corinthians 10:14Therefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.Fleeing idolatry
John 4:24God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.True worship
Romans 1:21-23They exchanged the truth about God for a lie...Consequences of idolatry
1 Peter 4:3The time that is past may suffice for doing the will of the Gentiles...Turning from past ways
Leviticus 26:1You shall not make for yourselves idols...Commandment against idols
Deuteronomy 4:28And there you will serve gods made of wood and stone, the work of human hands...Punishment for idolatry
Amos 4:4Come to Bethel and transgress; to Gilgal and do multiply transgression!Northern kingdom's apostasy
1 Samuel 15:22To obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.Obedience over sacrifice
Jeremiah 17:1The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron...Deep-rooted sin
Romans 2:22You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?Hypocrisy in worship
2 Chronicles 11:15And Jeroboam appointed his own priests for the high places and for the demons and for the calves that he had made.Priesthood of calves
Isaiah 46:6Some weigh out gold in a pouch and measure silver into a scale.Idolatry involving wealth
Matthew 10:37Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me...Loyalty to God

Hosea 8 verses

Hosea 8 5 Meaning

The verse declares that God will shatter the silver and gold altars made by Israel. These altars are described as symbols of their idolatry and the false worship they offered, particularly to the calves at Bethel and Dan. God rejects these man-made objects and the worship associated with them, pronouncing judgment upon Israel for their apostasy.

Hosea 8 5 Context

Hosea 8 prophesies the impending judgment of God upon the northern kingdom of Israel. The people have forsaken the Lord, engaged in widespread idolatry, and formed alliances with foreign nations. They have adopted the religious practices of their neighbors, particularly the worship of Baal and golden calves set up by Jeroboam I at Bethel and Dan. This verse specifically addresses the altars Israel has constructed from silver and gold, representing their elaborate yet empty religious system that has led them away from God. The judgment is a direct consequence of their covenant unfaithfulness.

Hosea 8 5 Word Analysis

  • "Hē`alāh" (הָעֶלָה): "has caused to go up" or "has offered." This verb often refers to the offering of sacrifices or incense. Here, it is used sarcastically, as the "offering" is not to God but to idols.

  • "Zāhāḇ" (זָהָב): "gold." This refers to precious metal, emphasizing the valuable materials used to construct the idolatrous altars.

  • "Keṣeph" (כֶּסֶף): "silver." Another precious metal, again highlighting the wealth Israel spent on their false worship.

  • "Mizbēḥōwṯ" (מִזְבְּחֹת): "altars." Plural form of "mizbaḥ." These altars were not sanctioned by God for worship, but were instruments of their sin.

  • "Ma`ăśēh" (מַעֲשֵׂה): "work of" or "workmanship of." This emphasizes that these altars were human creations, devoid of divine sanction.

  • "Bĕrîyâh" (בְּרִיָּה): "vanity," "emptiness," or "thing of naught." It speaks to the utter uselessness and futility of these idolatrous objects and the worship directed to them. The Hebrew root carries the idea of being created but ultimately amounting to nothing in God's sight.

  • "Of Israel": The phrase indicates that these altars belong to the nation of Israel and are characteristic of their religious practice at this time, signifying their rejection of the Lord's prescribed worship.

Hosea 8 5 Bonus Section

The focus on gold and silver altars connects to the opulent worship systems often found in pagan religions of the ancient Near East, which sought to appease their gods with rich offerings and elaborate temples. Israel, by adopting these practices, was not only violating God's command but was also adopting a cultural mentality that sought material and visible appeasement rather than spiritual obedience. Hosea's prophecy is a stark reminder that God desires the heart and genuine devotion, not merely grand gestures or outward shows of religious observance built upon sin. The destruction of these altars signifies a purging of apostate practices, a prelude to greater judgment if repentance does not follow.

Hosea 8 5 Commentary

This verse encapsulates the divine condemnation of Israel's religious syncretism and idolatry. The Lord is not impressed by the elaborate altars made of gold and silver; in fact, He despises them because they are products of human invention and directed towards false gods. The very materials that signify wealth and status become symbols of their sin. The altars represent a corrupted covenant relationship where worship is misplaced. God's judgment means the destruction of these very objects of their misguided devotion, rendering their investments in false worship utterly meaningless. It underscores the biblical principle that true worship must be offered to the one true God, in ways He has ordained, not through man-made substitutes or syncretic practices.