Hosea 9:8

Hosea 9:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)The prophet, along with my God, is the watchman over Ephraim, yet snares await him on all his paths, and hostility in the house of his God.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The prophet is the watchman of Ephraim with my God; yet a fowler's snare is on all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God.
• New King James Version (NKJV)The watchman of Ephraim is with my God; But the prophet is a fowler’s snare in all his ways— Enmity in the house of his God.

Context of Hosea 9:8

6Even if they escape without being destroyed, Egypt will capture them and Memphis will bury them. Weeds will grow over their silver treasures. Thorns will grow over their tents. 7The time for them to be punished will come. The time for them to pay for their sins will come. ⌞When this happens,⌟ Israel will know it. ⌞They think that⌟ prophets are fools and that spiritual people are crazy. They have sinned a lot, and they are very hostile. Prophets are God’s watchmen over Ephraim. Yet, traps are set on every prophet’s path, and people are hostile in the temple of their God. 9People have deeply corrupted themselves as they once did at Gibeah. God will remember their wickedness and punish them because of their sins. 10⌞The Lord said,⌟ “When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert. When I saw your ancestors, it was like seeing the first figs of the harvest. But they went to Baal Peor and worshiped shameful idols. They became as disgusting as the things they worshiped.

Hosea 9:8 word by word

צֹפֶ֥ה אֶפְרַ֖יִם עִם־אֱלֹהָ֑י נָבִ֞יא פַּ֤ח יָקוֹשׁ֙ עַל־כָּל־דְּרָכָ֔יו מַשְׂטֵמָ֖ה בְּבֵ֥ית אֱלֹהָֽיו׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The watchmanצָפָהtsâphâh · to watchH6822
• of Ephraimאֶפְרַ֫יִם'ephrayim · EphraimH669
• with my Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• the prophetנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
• a snareפַּחpach · snareH6341
• of a fowlerיָקוֹשׁyâqôsh · fowlerH3352
• in all his waysדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: journeyH1870
• hatredמַשְׂטֵמָהmaώţêmâh · hatredH4895
• in the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: templeH1004

Cross-references for Hosea 9:8

• Isaiah 62:6I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem. They will never be silent day or night. Whoever calls on the Lord, do not give yourselves any rest,
• Jeremiah 6:17I posted watchmen over you. Pay attention to the sound of the ram’s horn. But you said that you wouldn’t pay attention.
• Jeremiah 31:6There will be a day when watchmen on the mountains of Ephraim will call out this message: ‘Arise! Let’s go to Zion, to the Lord our God.’ ”
• Ezekiel 3:17“Son of man, I have made you a watchman over the people of Israel. Listen to what I say, and warn them for me.
• Ezekiel 33:7“Son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman for the people of Israel. Listen to what I say, and warn them for me.
• Micah 7:4The best of them is like a briar. The most decent person is sharper than thornbushes. The day you thought you would be punished has come. Now is the time you will be confused.
• Hebrews 13:17Obey your leaders, and accept their authority. They take care of you because they are responsible for you. Obey them so that they may do this work joyfully and not complain about you. (Causing them to complain would not be to your advantage.)
• 1 Kings 17:1Elijah, who was from Tishbe but had settled in Gilead, said to Ahab, “I solemnly swear, as the Lord God of Israel whom I serve lives, there will be no dew or rain during the next few years unless I say so.”
• 1 Kings 18:1A while later in the third year of the drought, the Lord spoke his word to Elijah: “Present yourself to Ahab. I will allow rain to fall on the ground.”
• 1 Kings 22:28Micaiah said, “If you really do come back safely, then the Lord wasn’t speaking through me. Pay attention to this, everyone!”
• 2 Kings 2:14He took the coat and struck the water with it. He asked, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” As he struck the water, it divided to his left and his right, and Elisha crossed ⌞the river⌟.
• 2 Kings 3:15But get me someone to play some music.” While the musician was playing, the Lord’s power came over Elisha.
• 2 Kings 4:1One of the wives of a disciple of the prophets called to Elisha, “Sir, my husband is dead! You know how he feared the Lord. Now a creditor has come to take my two children as slaves.”
• 2 Kings 4:43But his servant asked, “How can I set this in front of a hundred people?” “Give it to the people to eat,” the man of God said. “This is what the Lord says: They will eat and even have some left over.”
• 2 Kings 5:14So he went to dip himself in the Jordan River seven times, as the man of God had instructed him. His skin became healthy again like a little child’s skin.
• 2 Kings 6:17Then Elisha prayed, “Lord, please open his eyes so that he may see.” The Lord opened the servant’s eyes and let him see. The mountain around Elisha was full of fiery horses and chariots.

Commentaries on Hosea 9:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8The watchman of Ephraim - The true prophet, was with - faithful to, God. The prophet - The false prophet is the snare of a fowler; is continually deceiving the people, and leading them into snares, and infusing into their hearts deep hatred against God and his worship.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8The watchman of Ephraim was with my God - These words may well contrast the office of the true prophet with the false. For Israel had had many true prophets, and such was Hosea himself now. The true prophet was at all times with “God.” He was “with God,” as holpen by God, “watching” or looking out and on into the future by the help of God. He was “with God,” as walking with God in a constant sense of His presence, and in continual communion with Him. He…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-10Verses 7-10 Time had been when the spiritual watchmen of Israel were with the Lord, but now they were like the snare of a fowler to entangle persons to their ruin. The people were become as corrupt as those of Gibeah, Judg. 19; and their crimes should be visited in like manner. At first God had found Israel pleasing to Him, as grapes to the traveller in the wilderness. He saw them with pleasure as the first ripe figs. This shows the delight God took in…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8The watchman stood on the city wall to warn of any threat (for example, 1 Samuel 14:16). Similarly, a prophet was God's watchman. They warned Israel about her sins and the judgment that would follow (see Jeremiah 6:17; Ezekiel 3:17). Even though the prophet served the people, they responded to him with hostility.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. The watchman ... was with my God--The spiritual watchmen, the true prophets, formerly consulted my God (Jr 31:6; Ha 2:1); but their so-called prophet is a snare, entrapping Israel into idolatry. hatred--rather, "(a cause of) apostasy" (see Ho 9:7) [Maurer]. house of his God--that is, the state of Ephraim, as in Ho 8:1 [Maurer]. Or, "the house of his (false) god," the calves [Calvin]. Jehovah, "my God," seems contrasted with "his God." Calvin's view is…Read the comment

Topics related to Hosea 9:8

• Backsliders
• Church
• Minister, Christian

In the dictionaries

• Ephraim
• God
• Ephraim, Ephraimite
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Cornfloor
• Deeply
• Depart
• Fowler
• Mad
• Miscarrying

Commentaries on Hosea 9

• 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