God’s Word Translation
Hosea 5:6
6They go with their sheep and their cattle to search for the Lord, but they can’t find him. He has left them.
Hosea 5:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the Lord; but they shall not find him; he hath withdrawn himself from them.
- New International Version (NIV)When they go with their flocks and herds to seek the Lord, they will not find him; he has withdrawn himself from them.
- English Standard Version (ESV)With their flocks and herds they shall go to seek the Lord, but they will not find him; he has withdrawn from them.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“With their flocks and herds They shall go to seek the Lord, But they will not find Him; He has withdrawn Himself from them.
Context of Hosea 5:6
4“The wicked things that the people have done keep them from returning to their God. They have a spirit of prostitution, and they don’t know the Lord. 5The people of Israel’s arrogance testifies against them. Israel and Ephraim stumble because of their sins, and Judah stumbles with them. They go with their sheep and their cattle to search for the Lord, but they can’t find him. He has left them. 7They have been unfaithful to the Lord, because their children do not belong to him. Now their New Moon ⌞Festivals⌟ will devour them and their fields. 8“Blow the ram’s horn in Gibeah. Blow the trumpet in Ramah. Sound the alarm at Beth Aven, you descendants of Benjamin.
Read all of Hosea 5Hosea 5:6 word by word
בְּצֹאנָ֣ם וּבִבְקָרָ֗ם יֵֽלְכ֛וּ לְבַקֵּ֥שׁ אֶת־יְהוָ֖ה וְלֹ֣א יִמְצָ֑אוּ חָלַ֖ץ מֵהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Hosea 5:6
- Exodus 10:9Moses answered, “Everyone! We’ll be taking our young and old, our sons and daughters, our flocks and herds with us. For us it’s a pilgrimage festival in the Lord’s honor.”
- Proverbs 15:8A sacrifice brought by wicked people is disgusting to the Lord, but the prayers of decent people please him.
- Proverbs 21:27The sacrifice of wicked people is disgusting, especially if they bring it with evil intent.
- Jeremiah 7:4Do not trust the words of this saying, “This is the Lord’s temple, the Lord’s temple, the Lord’s temple!” It’s a lie.
- Micah 6:6What should I bring when I come into the Lord’s presence, when I bow in front of the God of heaven? Should I bring him year-old calves as burnt offerings?
- Proverbs 1:28“They will call to me at that time, but I will not answer. They will look for me, but they will not find me,
- Isaiah 1:11The Lord asks, “What do your many animal sacrifices mean to me? I’ve had enough of your burnt offerings of rams and enough fat from your fattened calves. I’m not pleased with the blood of bulls, lambs, or male goats.
- Isaiah 66:3Whoever kills a bull is like someone who kills a person. Whoever sacrifices a lamb is like someone who breaks a dog’s neck. Whoever offers a grain sacrifice is like someone who ⌞offers⌟ pig’s blood. Whoever burns incense is like someone who worships an idol. People have certainly chosen their own ways, and their souls delight in detestable things.
- Jeremiah 11:11This is what the Lord says: I’m going to bring a disaster on them that they can’t escape. Although they will cry out to me, I won’t listen to them.
- Lamentations 3:44You covered yourself with a cloud so that no prayer could get through it.
- Ezekiel 8:18So I will take action because I’m angry, and I won’t have compassion for them or feel sorry for them. Even if they shout in my ears, I won’t listen to them.”
- Amos 5:21I hate your festivals; I despise them. I’m not pleased with your religious assemblies.
- Micah 3:4Then you will cry to the Lord, but he will not answer you. He will hide his face from you at that time because you have done evil things.
- John 7:34You will look for me, but you won’t find me. You can’t go where I’m going.”
- Luke 5:16But he would go away to places where he could be alone for prayer.
Commentaries on Hosea 5:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6They shall go with their flocks - They shall offer many sacrifices, professing to seek and be reconciled to the Lord; but they shall not find him. As they still retain the spirit of their idolatry, he has withdrawn himself from them.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6They shall go with their flocks - “They had let slip the day of grace, wherein God had called them to repentance, and promised to be found of them and to accept them. When then the decree was gone forth and judgment determined against them, all their outward shew of worship and late repentance shall not prevail to gain admittance for them to Him. He will not be found of them, hear them, nor accept them. They stopped their ears obstinately against Him…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6-7People might believe they can earn God's favor with sacrifices. However, Hosea warned them that they would not find him. God had left them to face the consequences of their sins.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. with ... flocks--to propitiate Jehovah (Is 1:11-15). seek ... not find--because it is slavish fear that leads them to seek Him; and because it then shall be too late (Pr 1:28; Joh 7:34).Read the comment
Topics related to Hosea 5:6
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Hosea 5
- 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries