Hosea 10

Chapter context

What is happening in Hosea 10?

covenant loveidolatryjudgmentmercy

Hosea 10 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as judgment and healing promises. Hosea uses marriage, broken love, judgment, and healing to expose idolatry and proclaim God’s astonishing steadfast mercy. Read this chapter with the wider themes of covenant love, idolatry, and judgment in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.

¹ Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images. ² Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images. ³ For now they shall say, We have no king, because we feared not the LORD; what then should a king do to us? ⁴ They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field. ⁵ The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Bethaven: for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests thereof that rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, because it is departed from it. ⁶ It shall be also carried unto Assyria for a present to king Jareb: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel. ⁷ As for Samaria, her king is cut off as the foam upon the water. ⁸ The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us. ⁹ O Israel, thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah: there they stood: the battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not overtake them. ¹⁰ It is in my desire that I should chastise them; and the people shall be gathered against them, when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows. ¹¹ And Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn; but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to ride; Judah shall plow, and Jacob shall break his clods. ¹² Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you. ¹³ Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men. ¹⁴ Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people, and all thy fortresses shall be spoiled, as Shalman spoiled Betharbel in the day of battle: the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children. ¹⁵ So shall Bethel do unto you because of your great wickedness: in a morning shall the king of Israel utterly be cut off.

Study helps

Glossary

Beth-aven Place v. 5: House of nothingness; i. e., “of idols”, a place in the mountains of Benjamin, east of Bethel ( Josh. 7:2 ; 18:12 ; 1 Sam. 13:5 ). In Hos. 4:15 ; 5:8 ; 10:5 it stands for “Bethel”. Modern identification: Beitin.
Samaria Place v. 5, 7: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Samaria.
Assyria Place v. 6: Biblical region. Modern identification: Nineveh.
Aven Place v. 8: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Beitin.
Gibeah Place v. 9: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Tel el Ful.
Beth-arbel Place v. 14: House of God’s court, a place alluded to by Hosea (10:14) as the scene of some great military exploit, but not otherwise mentioned in Scripture. Modern identification: Tall Irbid.
Bethel Place v. 15: House of God. (1. ) A place in Central Palestine, about 10 miles north of Jerusalem, at the head of the pass of Michmash and Ai. It was originally the royal Canaanite city of Luz ( Gen. 28:19 ). Modern identification: Beitin.