New English Translation
Hosea 6:9
9The company of priests is like a gang of robbers, lying in ambush to pounce on a victim. They commit murder on the road to Shechem; they have done heinous crimes!
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
7At Adam they broke the covenant; Oh how they were unfaithful to me! 8Gilead is a city full of evildoers; its streets are stained with bloody footprints! The company of priests is like a gang of robbers, lying in ambush to pounce on a victim. They commit murder on the road to Shechem; they have done heinous crimes! 10I have seen a disgusting thing in the temple of Israel: there Ephraim practices temple prostitution and Judah defiles itself. 11I have appointed a time to reap judgment for you also, O Judah! Whenever I want to restore the fortunes of my people,
Read all of Hosea 6Hosea 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 7:1whenever I want to heal Israel, the sin of Ephraim is revealed, and the evil deeds of Samaria are exposed. For they do what is wrong; thieves break into houses, and gangs rob people out in the streets.
- Ezra 8:31On the twelfth day of the first month we began traveling from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from our enemy and from bandits along the way.
- Job 1:15and the Sabeans swooped down and carried them all away, and they killed the servants with the sword! And I – only I alone – escaped to tell you!”
- Proverbs 1:11If they say, “Come with us! We will lie in wait to shed blood; we will ambush an innocent person capriciously.
- Hosea 5:1Hear this, you priests! Pay attention, you Israelites! Listen closely, O king! For judgment is about to overtake you! For you were like a trap to Mizpah, like a net spread out to catch Tabor.
- Jeremiah 11:9The Lord said to me, “The people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem have plotted rebellion against me!
- Ezekiel 22:27Her officials are like wolves in her midst rending their prey – shedding blood and destroying lives – so they can get dishonest profit.
- Micah 3:9Listen to this, you leaders of the family of Jacob, you rulers of the nation of Israel! You hate justice and pervert all that is right.
- Zephaniah 3:3Her princes are as fierce as roaring lions; her rulers are as hungry as wolves in the desert, who completely devour their prey by morning.
- Mark 14:1Two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the chief priests and the experts in the law were trying to find a way to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.
- Luke 22:2The chief priests and the experts in the law were trying to find some way to execute Jesus, for they were afraid of the people.
- John 11:47So the chief priests and the Pharisees called the council together and said, “What are we doing? For this man is performing many miraculous signs.
- Acts 4:24When they heard this, they raised their voices to God with one mind and said, “Master of all, you who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and everything that is in them,
- 1 Kings 12:25Jeroboam built up Shechem in the Ephraimite hill country and lived there. From there he went out and built up 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
In the dictionaries
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
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