Hosea 2:7

Hosea 2:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now.
• New International Version (NIV)She will chase after her lovers but not catch them; she will look for them but not find them. Then she will say, ‘I will go back to my husband as at first, for then I was better off than now.’
• English Standard Version (ESV)She shall pursue her lovers but not overtake them, and she shall seek them but shall not find them. Then she shall say, 'I will go and return to my first husband, for it was better for me then than now.'
• New King James Version (NKJV)She will chase her lovers, But not overtake them; Yes, she will seek them, but not find them. Then she will say, ‘I will go and return to my first husband, For then it was better for me than now.’

Context of Hosea 2:7

5Yes, their mother is promiscuous; she conceived them and acted shamefully. For she thought, “I will follow my lovers, the men who give me my food and water, my wool and flax, my oil and drink.” 6Therefore, this is what I will do: I will block her way with thorns; I will enclose her with a wall, so that she cannot find her paths. She will pursue her lovers but not catch them; she will look for them but not find them. Then she will think, “I will go back to my former husband, for then it was better for me than now.” 8She does not recognize that it is I who gave her the grain, the new wine, and the fresh oil. I lavished silver and gold on her, which they used for Baal. 9Therefore, I will take back my grain in its time and my new wine in its season; I will take away my wool and linen, which were to cover her nakedness.

Hosea 2:7 word by word

וְרִדְּפָ֤ה אֶת־מְאַהֲבֶ֙יהָ֙ וְלֹֽא־תַשִּׂ֣יג אֹתָ֔ם וּבִקְשָׁ֖תַם וְלֹ֣א תִמְצָ֑א וְאָמְרָ֗ה אֵלְכָ֤ה וְאָשׁ֙וּבָה֙ אֶל־אִישִׁ֣י הָֽרִאשׁ֔וֹן כִּ֣י ט֥וֹב לִ֛י אָ֖ז מֵעָֽתָּה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And she shall followרָדַףrâdaph · to pursueH7291
• after her loversאָהֵב'âhab 'âhêb · to love: loverH157
• but she shall not overtakeנָשַׂגnâώag · to overtakeH5381
• them; and she shall seekבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
• them, but shall not findמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• then shall she sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• I will goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• and returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• to my firstרִאשׁוֹןri'shôn ri'shôn · firstH7223
• husbandאִישׁ'îysh · man: husbandH376
• betterטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
• with me than nowעַתָּ֫ה‛attâh · nowH6258

Cross-references for Hosea 2:7

• Hosea 5:13When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah his wound, Ephraim went to Assyria and sent a delegation to the great king. But he cannot cure you or heal your wound.
• 2 Chronicles 28:20Then King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria came against Ahaz; he oppressed him and did not give him support.
• Isaiah 30:2Without asking my advice they set out to go down to Egypt in order to seek shelter under Pharaoh’s protection and take refuge in Egypt’s shadow.
• Isaiah 31:1Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and who depend on horses! They trust in the abundance of chariots and in the large number of horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel, and they do not seek the Lord.
• Jeremiah 2:28But where are your gods you made for yourself? Let them rise up and save you in your time of disaster if they can, for your gods are as numerous as your cities, Judah.
• Jeremiah 30:12For this is what the Lord says: Your injury is incurable; your wound most severe.
• Ezekiel 20:32“‘When you say, “Let’s be like the nations, like the clans of other countries, serving wood and stone,” what you have in mind will never happen.
• Ezekiel 23:22“Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the Lord God says: I am going to incite your lovers against you, those you turned away from in disgust. I will bring them against you from every side:
• Hosea 5:15I will depart and return to my place until they recognize their guilt and seek my face; they will search for me in their distress.
• Hosea 6:1Come, let’s return to the Lord. For he has torn us, and he will heal us; he has wounded us, and he will bind up our wounds.
• Hosea 14:1Israel, return to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled in your iniquity.
• Psalms 116:7Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.
• Jeremiah 3:22Return, you faithless children. I will heal your unfaithfulness. “Here we are, coming to you, for you are the Lord our God.
• Jeremiah 31:18I have surely heard Ephraim moaning, “You disciplined me, and I have been disciplined like an untrained calf. Take me back, so that I can return, for you, Lord, are my God.
• Jeremiah 50:4In those days and at that time — this is the Lord’s declaration — the Israelites and Judeans will come together, weeping as they come, and will seek the Lord their God.
• Lamentations 3:40Let’s examine and probe our ways, and turn back to the Lord.

Commentaries on Hosea 2:7

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-13Verses 6-13 God threatens what he would do with this treacherous, idolatrous people. They did not turn, therefore all this came upon them; and it is written for admonition to us. If lesser difficulties be got over, God will raise greater. The most resolute in sinful pursuits, are commonly most crossed in them. The way of God and duty is often hedged about with thorns, but we have reason to think it is a sinful way that is hedged up with thorns. Crosses…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6-7Therefore: The initial Hebrew word of Hosea 2:6 (also of 2:9 and 2:14) introduces God’s judgment on Israel. Because of her idolatry, the Lord would limit Israel’s access to the Canaanite fertility gods. Like an aggressive prostitute, she will chase her lovers, but she will not find them. In the end, Israel will realize it is better to return to her rightful husband.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 6-76-7. thorns ... wall--(Job 19:8; La 3:7, 9). The hindrances which the captivity interposed between Israel and her idols. As she attributes all her temporal blessings to idols, I will reduce her to straits in which, when she in vain has sought help from false gods, she will at last seek Me as her only God and Husband, as at the first (Is 54:5; Jr 3:14; Eze 16:8). then--before Israel's apostasy, under Jeroboam. The way of duty is hedged about with thorns…Read the comment

Topics related to Hosea 2:7

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• Repentance

In the dictionaries

• Hedge
• Thorn
• Hosea
• Lover
• Song of Songs
• Zechariah, Book of

Commentaries on Hosea 2

• 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
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings