New English Translation
Hosea 13:2
2Even now they persist in sin! They make metal images for themselves, idols that they skillfully fashion from their own silver; all of them are nothing but the work of craftsmen! There is a saying about them: “Those who sacrifice to the calf idol are calf kissers!”
Hosea 13:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves.
- New International Version (NIV)Now they sin more and more; they make idols for themselves from their silver, cleverly fashioned images, all of them the work of craftsmen. It is said of these people, “They offer human sacrifices! They kiss calf-idols!”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And now they sin more and more, and make for themselves metal images, idols skillfully made of their silver, all of them the work of craftsmen. It is said of them, "Those who offer human sacrifice kiss calves!"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now they sin more and more, And have made for themselves molded images, Idols of their silver, according to their skill; All of it is the work of craftsmen. They say of them, “Let the men who sacrifice kiss the calves!”
Context of Hosea 13:2
1When Ephraim spoke, there was terror; he was exalted in Israel, but he became guilty by worshiping Baal and died. Even now they persist in sin! They make metal images for themselves, idols that they skillfully fashion from their own silver; all of them are nothing but the work of craftsmen! There is a saying about them: “Those who sacrifice to the calf idol are calf kissers!” 3Therefore they will disappear like the morning mist, like early morning dew that evaporates, like chaff that is blown away from a threshing floor, like smoke that disappears through an open window. 4But I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt. Therefore, you must not acknowledge any God but me; except me there is no Savior.
Read all of Hosea 13Hosea 13:2 word by word
וְעַתָּ֣ה׀ יוֹסִ֣פוּ לַחֲטֹ֗א וַיַּעְשׂ֣וּ לָהֶם֩ מַסֵּכָ֨ה מִכַּסְפָּ֤ם כִּתְבוּנָם֙ עֲצַבִּ֔ים מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה חָרָשִׁ֖ים כֻּלֹּ֑ה לָהֶם֙ הֵ֣ם אֹמְרִ֔ים זֹבְחֵ֣י אָדָ֔ם עֲגָלִ֖ים יִשָּׁקֽוּן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And now they sinחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
- more and moreיָסַףyâsaph · to addH3254
- and have madeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
- them molten imagesמַסֵּכָהmassêkâh · molten metalH4541
- of their silverכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
- idolsעָצָב‛âtsâb · idolH6091
- according to their own understandingתְּבוּנָהtâbûn tebûnâh tôbûnâh · understandingH8394
- all of it the workמַעֲשֶׂהma‛ăώeh · deed: workH4639
- of the craftsmenחָרָשׁ, חֲרָשִׁיםchârâsh · artificerH2796
- they sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- of them, Let the menאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- that sacrificeזָבַחzâbach · to sacrificeH2076
- kissנָשַׁקnâshaq · to kissH5401
- the calvesעֵ֫גֶל‛êgel · calfH5695
Cross-references for Hosea 13:2
- Numbers 32:14Now look, you are standing in your fathers’ place, a brood of sinners, to increase still further the fierce wrath of the Lord against the Israelites.
- 2 Chronicles 28:13They said to them, “Don’t bring those captives here! Are you planning on making us even more sinful and guilty before the Lord? Our guilt is already great and the Lord is very angry at Israel.”
- 2 Chronicles 33:23He did not humble himself before the Lord as his father Manasseh had done. Amon was guilty of great sin.
- Isaiah 1:5Why do you insist on being battered? Why do you continue to rebel? Your head has a massive wound, your whole body is weak.
- Isaiah 30:1“The rebellious children are as good as dead,” says the Lord, “those who make plans without consulting me, who form alliances without consulting my Spirit, and thereby compound their sin.
- Romans 2:5But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourselves in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed!
- 2 Timothy 3:13But evil people and charlatans will go from bad to worse, deceiving others and being deceived themselves.
- Hosea 2:8Yet until now she has refused to acknowledge that I was the one who gave her the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil; and that it was I who lavished on her the silver and gold – which they used in worshiping Baal!
- Hosea 8:4They enthroned kings without my consent! They appointed princes without my approval! They made idols out of their silver and gold, but they will be destroyed!
- Hosea 10:1Israel was a fertile vine that yielded fruit. As his fruit multiplied, he multiplied altars to Baal. As his land prospered, they adorned the fertility pillars.
- Psalms 115:4Their idols are made of silver and gold – they are man-made.
- Isaiah 46:6Those who empty out gold from a purse and weigh out silver on the scale hire a metalsmith, who makes it into a god. They then bow down and worship it.
- Jeremiah 10:4He decorates it with overlays of silver and gold. He uses hammer and nails to fasten it together so that it will not fall over.
- Habakkuk 2:18What good is an idol? Why would a craftsman make it? What good is a metal image that gives misleading oracles? Why would its creator place his trust in it and make such mute, worthless things?
- Hosea 11:6A sword will flash in their cities, it will destroy the bars of their city gates, and will devour them in their fortresses.
- Psalms 135:17and ears, but cannot hear. Indeed, they cannot breathe.
Commentaries on Hosea 13:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2And now they sin more and more - They increase in every kind of vice, having abandoned the great Inspirer of virtue. Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves - This was the test. If there be a Jew that pretends to sacrifice, and whose conversion is dubious, let him come openly and kiss the calves. This will show what he is; no real Jew will do this. If he be an idolater, he will not scruple. This was the ancient method of adoration. They kissed the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2And now they sin more and more - Sin draws on sin. This seems to be a third stage in sin. First, under Jeroboam, was the worship of the calves. Then, under Ahab, the worship of Baal. Thirdly, the multiplying of other idols (see 2 Kings 17:9-10), penetrating and pervading the private life, even of their less wealthy people. The calves were of gold; now they “made them molten images of their silver,” perhaps plated with silver. In Egypt, the mother of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2The Hebrew word for idols is the same as the one used for the golden calf (Exodus 32:4, 8; see also Hosea 10:5–6; Amos 5:5–6). Kiss the calves!: Canaanite religious ceremonies involved kissing images of Baal (1 Kings 19:18).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. according to their own understanding--that is, their arbitrary devising. Compare "will-worship," Col 2:23. Men are not to be "wise above that which is written," or to follow their own understanding, but God's command in worship. kiss the calves--an act of adoration to the golden calves (compare 1Ki 19:18; Job 31:27; Psa 2:12).Read the comment
Topics related to Hosea 13:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Hosea 13
- 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
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