Hosea 8:11

Hosea 8:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin.
• New International Version (NIV)“Though Ephraim built many altars for sin offerings, these have become altars for sinning.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, they have become to him altars for sinning.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Because Ephraim has made many altars for sin, They have become for him altars for sinning.

Context of Hosea 8:11

9For they have gone up to Assyria, Like a wild donkey wandering alone and taking her own way; Ephraim has hired lovers (pagan allies). 10Yes, even though [with presents] they hire allies among the nations, Now I will gather them up; And [in a little while] they will begin to grow weak and diminish Because of the burden imposed by the king of princes [the king of Assyria]. For Ephraim has constructed many altars for sin; They are altars intended for sinning [which multiply his guilt]. 12I wrote for him the ten thousand precepts of My law, But they are regarded as a strange thing [which does not concern him]. 13As for My sacrificial offerings, They sacrifice the meat [as a mere formality] and eat it, But the Lord is not pleased with them and does not accept them. Now He will remember and take into account their wickedness and guilt, And punish them for their sins. They will return [in captivity] to [another] Egypt [that is, Assyria].

Hosea 8:11 word by word

כִּֽי־הִרְבָּ֥ה אֶפְרַ֛יִם מִזְבְּחֹ֖ת לַחֲטֹ֑א הָיוּ־ל֥וֹ מִזְבְּח֖וֹת לַחֲטֹֽא׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Because Ephraimאֶפְרַ֫יִם'ephrayim · EphraimH669
• hath made manyרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
• altarsמִזְבֵּחַmizbêach · altarH4196
• to sinחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398

Cross-references for Hosea 8:11

• Hosea 10:1Israel is a luxuriant and prolific vine; He produces fruit for himself. The more his fruit, The more altars he made [to Baal]; The richer his land, The better he made the [idolatrous] pillars.
• Hosea 12:11Is there wickedness (idolatry) in Gilead? Surely the people there are worthless. In Gilgal [they defy Me when] they sacrifice bulls, Yes, [after My judgment] their [pagan] altars are like the stone heaps In the furrows of the fields.
• Isaiah 10:10As my hand has reached to the kingdoms of the idols, Whose carved images were greater and more feared than those of Jerusalem and Samaria,
• Deuteronomy 4:28And there you will serve [false and foreign] gods, the work of human hands, [lifeless images of] wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell [the offerings of food given to them].
• Jeremiah 16:13Therefore I will hurl you out of this land [of Judah] into the land [of the Babylonians] which neither you nor your fathers have known, and there you will serve other gods day and night, for I will show you no compassion.’

Commentaries on Hosea 8:11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11Many altars to sin - Though it does not appear that the Jews in Babylon were obliged to worship the idols of the country, except in the case mentioned by Daniel, yet it was far otherwise with the Israelites in Assyria, and the other countries of their dispersion. Because they had made many altars to sin while they were in their own land, they were obliged to continue in the land of their captivity a similar system of idolatry against their will. Thus they…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall indeed be unto him to sin - that is, they shall be proved to him to be so, by the punishment which they shall draw upon him. The prophet had first shown them their folly in forsaking God for the help of man; now he shows them the folly of attempting to “secure themselves by their great shew and pretences of religion and devotion in a false way.” God had appointed “one” altar at Jerusalem. There He…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-14Verses 11-14 It is a great sin to corrupt the worship of God, and will be charged as sin on all who do it, how plausible soever their excuses may seem to be. The Lord had caused his law to be written for them, but they cared not to know, and would not obey it. Man seems by the temples he builds to be mindful of his Maker, yet really he has forgotten him, because he has cast off all his fear; but none ever hardened his heart against God and prospered. So…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11Ephraim multiplied the altars for sin: As Israel increased its worship of other gods, the people also increased their religious activities in an attempt to remove their sin. Instead, these practices only added to their sin.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. God in righteous retribution gives them up to their own way; the sin becomes its own punishment (Pr 1:31). many altars--in opposition to God's law (De 12:5, 6, 13, 14). to sin ... to sin--Their altars which were "sin" (whatever religious intentions they might plead) should be treated as such, and be the source of their punishment (1Ki 12:30; 13:34).Read the comment

Topics related to Hosea 8:11

• Altar
• Ephraim
• Idolatry

In the dictionaries

• Ephraim
• Ephraim, Ephraimite
• Altar
• Calf, Golden
• Hosea
• Zechariah, Book of

Commentaries on Hosea 8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings