Hosea 9
17 verses
Exile looms as Israel's judgment for abandoning the LORD and whoring after other gods, transforming anticipated harvest celebrations into mourning as the people face deportation from their land and separation from the place of God's covenant presence. Prophets are called madmen and fools, reflecting society's rejection of Hosea's warnings and the deep spiritual sickness that renders Israel unable to recognize true prophecy and divine direction. Israel will go to Assyria where they cannot eat unclean food or pour drink offerings, signifying exile's rupture of covenantal worship and the loss of the land's holiness that enabled proper observance of Torah. Even in exile, however, the chapter hints that God will remember Israel; Hosea will not utterly destroy them as they deserve, for God's compassion restrains His wrath and prevents final annihilation. The chapter captures the imminent catastrophe of exile as both just punishment for covenant violation and the paradoxical space in which God's love and sovereignty persist beyond geographic displacement.
VERSES IN THIS CHAPTER
1
Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor.
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2
The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her.
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3
They shall not dwell in the Lord’s land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria.
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4
They shall not offer wine offerings to the Lord, neither shall they be pleasing unto him: their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted: for their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the Lord.
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5
What will ye do in the solemn day, and in the day of the feast of the Lord?
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6
For, lo, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tabernacles.
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7
The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred.
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8
The watchman of Ephraim was with my God: but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God.
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9
They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah: therefore he will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins.
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10
I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time: but they went to Baal–peor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as they loved.
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11
As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception.
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12
Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them!
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13
Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer.
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14
Give them, O Lord: what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.
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15
All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house, I will love them no more: all their princes are revolters.
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16
Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb.
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17
My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations.
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