Hosea 6:9

Hosea 6:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way by consent: for they commit lewdness.
• New International Version (NIV)As marauders lie in ambush for a victim, so do bands of priests; they murder on the road to Shechem, carrying out their wicked schemes.
• English Standard Version (ESV)As robbers lie in wait for a man, so the priests band together; they murder on the way to Shechem; they commit villainy.
• New King James Version (NKJV)As bands of robbers lie in wait for a man, So the company of priests murder on the way to Shechem; Surely they commit lewdness.

Context of Hosea 6:9

7“Like Adam, you rejected the promise. You were unfaithful to me. 8Gilead is a city filled with troublemakers. It is stained with bloody footprints. The priests are like gangs of robbers who lie in ambush for a person. They murder on the road to Shechem. Certainly, they have committed a crime. 10“I have seen horrible things in the nation of Israel. Ephraim is acting like a prostitute, and Israel is unclean. 11“Yet, Judah, I have set a harvest time for you when I bring my people back from captivity.

Hosea 6:9 word by word

וּכְחַכֵּ֨י אִ֜ישׁ גְּדוּדִ֗ים חֶ֚בֶר כֹּֽהֲנִ֔ים דֶּ֖רֶךְ יְרַצְּחוּ־שֶׁ֑כְמָה כִּ֥י זִמָּ֖ה עָשֽׂוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And as troopsגְּדוּדgedûd · bandH1416
• of robbers waitחָכָהchâkâh · to waitH2442
• for a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• the companyחֶ֫בֶרcheber · spellH2267
• of priestsכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• murderרָצַחrâtsach · to murderH7523
• in the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: roadH1870
• by consentשְׁכֶםshekem · ShechemH7927
• by consentשְׁכֶםshekem · shoulderH7926
• for they commitעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• lewdnessזִמָּהzimmâh zammâh · wickednessH2154

Cross-references for Hosea 6:9

• Hosea 7:1“Whenever I want to heal Israel, all I can see is Ephraim’s sin and Samaria’s wickedness. People cheat each other. They break into houses and steal. They rob people in the streets.
• Ezra 8:31Then we left the Ahava River on the twelfth day of the first month to go to Jerusalem. God was guiding us, and he rescued us from our enemies and from ambushes along the way.
• Job 1:15men from Sheba attacked. They took the livestock and massacred the servants. I’m the only one who has escaped to tell you.”
• Proverbs 1:11If they say, “Come with us. Let’s set an ambush to kill someone. Let’s hide to ambush innocent people for fun.
• Hosea 5:1“Listen to this, you priests! Pay attention, nation of Israel! Open your ears, royal family! This is my decision about you. You set traps at Mizpah and spread out nets on Mount Tabor.
• Jeremiah 11:9The Lord said to me, “Conspiracy exists among the people of Judah and among those who live in Jerusalem.
• Ezekiel 22:27Your leaders are like wolves that tear their prey into pieces. They murder and destroy people to make excessive profits.
• Micah 3:9Listen to this, you leaders of the descendants of Jacob, you rulers of the nation of Israel. You despise justice and pervert everything that is right.
• Zephaniah 3:3Its officials are ⌞like⌟ roaring lions. Its judges are ⌞like⌟ wolves in the evening. They leave nothing to gnaw on for the morning.
• Mark 14:1It was two days before the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and the experts in Moses’ Teachings were looking for some underhanded way to arrest Jesus and to kill him.
• Luke 22:2The chief priests and the experts in Moses’ Teachings were looking for some way to kill Jesus. However, they were afraid of the people.
• John 11:47So the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the council. They asked, “What are we doing? This man is performing a lot of miracles.
• Acts 4:24When they heard this, they were united and loudly prayed to God, “Master, you made the sky, the land, the sea, and everything in them.
• 1 Kings 12:25Jeroboam rebuilt Shechem in the hills of Ephraim and lived there. Then he left that place and built Penuel.

Commentaries on Hosea 6:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9As troops of robbers - What a sad picture is this of the state of the priesthood! The country of Gilead was infamous for its robberies and murders. The idolatrous priests there formed themselves into companies, and kept possession of the roads and passes; and if they found any person going to Jerusalem to worship the true God, they put him to death. The reason is given: - For they commit lewdness - They are gross idolaters.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way by consent - Or (more probably) “in the way to Shechem.” Shechem too was a “city of refuge” John 20:7, and so also a city of Levites and priests John 21:21. It was an important city. For there Joshua assembled all Israel for his last address to them, and made a covenant with them 1 Kings 12:1, and was rejected by them. There Jeroboam after the schism, for a time, made his…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-11Verses 4-11 Sometimes Israel and Judah seemed disposed to repent under their sufferings, but their goodness vanished like the empty morning cloud, and the early dew, and they were as vile as ever. Therefore the Lord sent awful messages by the prophets. The word of God will be the death either of the sin or of the sinner. God desired mercy rather than sacrifice, and that knowledge of him which produces holy fear and love. This exposes the folly of those…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9Like raiders who lie in ambush, so does a band of priests: Hosea again condemns the religious leaders for their crimes (see Hosea 4:4–8).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. company--"association" or guild of priests. murder by consent--literally, "with one shoulder" (compare Zep 3:9, Margin). The image is from oxen putting their shoulders together to pull the same yoke [Rivetus]. Maurer translates, "in the way towards Shechem." It was a city of refuge between Ebal and Gerizim; on Mount Ephraim (Jos 20:7; 21:21), long the civil capital of Ephraim, as Shiloh was the religious capital; now called Naploos; for a time the…Read the comment

Topics related to Hosea 6:9

• Backsliders
• Minister, Christian
• Robbers
• Sin

In the dictionaries

• Consent
• Follow
• Robbery
• Company
• Enormity
• Hosea
• Lewd; Lewdness
• Money
• Murder
• Untoward

Commentaries on Hosea 6

• 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