New Living Translation
Hosea 10:12
12I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’
Hosea 10:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.
- New International Version (NIV)Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the Lord, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.
Context of Hosea 10:12
10Now whenever it fits my plan, I will attack you, too. I will call out the armies of the nations to punish you for your multiplied sins. 11“Israel is like a trained heifer treading out the grain— an easy job she loves. But I will put a heavy yoke on her tender neck. I will force Judah to pull the plow and Israel to break up the hard ground. I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’ 13“But you have cultivated wickedness and harvested a thriving crop of sins. You have eaten the fruit of lies— trusting in your military might, believing that great armies could make your nation safe. 14Now the terrors of war will rise among your people. All your fortifications will fall, just as when Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel. Even mothers and children were dashed to death there.
Read all of Hosea 10Hosea 10:12 word by word
זִרְע֨וּ לָכֶ֤ם לִצְדָקָה֙ קִצְר֣וּ לְפִי־חֶ֔סֶד נִ֥ירוּ לָכֶ֖ם נִ֑יר וְעֵת֙ לִדְר֣וֹשׁ אֶת־יְהוָ֔ה עַד־יָב֕וֹא וְיֹרֶ֥ה צֶ֖דֶק לָכֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Sowזָרַעzâra‛ · to sowH2232
- to yourselves in righteousnessצְדָקָהtsedâqâh · righteousnessH6666
- reapקָצַרqâtsar · to reapH7114
- inפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
- mercyחֶ֫סֶדchêsêd · kindnessH2617
- break upנִירnîyr · to breakH5214
- your fallow groundנִירnîyr nir · fallow groundH5215
- timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
- to seekדָּרַשׁdârash · to seekH1875
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- till he comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- and rainיָרָאyârâh yârâ' · to shootH3384
- righteousnessצֶ֫דֶקtsedeq · righteousnessH6664
Cross-references for Hosea 10:12
- Hosea 8:7“They have planted the wind and will harvest the whirlwind. The stalks of grain wither and produce nothing to eat. And even if there is any grain, foreigners will eat it.
- Psalms 126:5Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy.
- Proverbs 11:18Evil people get rich for the moment, but the reward of the godly will last.
- Proverbs 18:21The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.
- Ecclesiastes 11:6Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both.
- Isaiah 32:20the Lord will greatly bless his people. Wherever they plant seed, bountiful crops will spring up. Their cattle and donkeys will graze freely.
- James 3:18And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.
- Jeremiah 4:3This is what the Lord says to the people of Judah and Jerusalem: “Plow up the hard ground of your hearts! Do not waste your good seed among thorns.
- Psalms 105:4Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him.
- Isaiah 31:1What sorrow awaits those who look to Egypt for help, trusting their horses, chariots, and charioteers and depending on the strength of human armies instead of looking to the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.
- Isaiah 55:6Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near.
- Jeremiah 29:12In those days when you pray, I will listen.
- Jeremiah 50:4“In those coming days,” says the Lord, “the people of Israel will return home together with the people of Judah. They will come weeping and seeking the Lord their God.
- Amos 5:4Now this is what the Lord says to the family of Israel: “Come back to me and live!
- Zephaniah 2:1Gather together—yes, gather together, you shameless nation.
- Luke 13:24“Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail.
Commentaries on Hosea 10:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Sow to yourselves in righteousness - Let the seed you sow be of the best kind, and in just measure. Reap in mercy - By the blessing of God on this ploughing, sowing, and harrowing, you may expect a good crop in harvest. Break up your fallow ground - Do not be satisfied with a slight furrow; let the land that was fallowed (slightly ploughed) be broken up again with a deep furrow. For it is time to seek the Lord - This should be immediately done: the season…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy - Literally, “in the proportion of mercy,” not in proportion to what you have sown, nor what justice would give, but beyond all deserts, “in the proportion of mercy;” i. e., “according to the capacity and fullness of the mercy of God; what becometh the mercy of God, which is boundless,” which overlooketh man‘s failings, and giveth an infinite reward for poor imperfect labor. As our Lord says, “Give, and it…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-15Verses 9-15 Because God does not desire the death and ruin of sinners, therefore in mercy he desires their chastisement. The children of iniquity still remained in Israel. The enemies would be gathered against them. It is just with God to make those know what hardships mean, who indulge themselves in ease and pleasure. Let them cleanse their hearts from all corrupt affections and lusts, and be a broken and contrite spirit. Let them abound in works of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12Using farming metaphors, God explained his requirements for his people and promised blessings if they obeyed (see Hosea 6:6; 8:7). Although Hosea announced God's judgment, he also gave Israel the chance to repent and receive blessings.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. Continuation of the image in Ho 10:11 (Pr 11:18). Act righteously and ye shall reap the reward; a reward not of debt, but of grace. in mercy--according to the measure of the divine "mercy," which over and above repays the goodness or "mercy" which we show to our fellow man (Lu 6:38). break ... fallow ground--Remove your superstitions and vices, and be renewed. seek ... Lord, fill he come--Though not answered immediately, persevere unceasingly "till He…Read the comment
Topics related to Hosea 10:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Hosea 10
- 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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