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

7But like Adam, you broke my covenant and betrayed my trust. 8“Gilead is a city of sinners, tracked with footprints of blood. Priests form bands of robbers, waiting in ambush for their victims. They murder travelers along the road to Shechem and practice every kind of sin. 10Yes, I have seen something horrible in Ephraim and Israel: My people are defiled by prostituting themselves with other gods! 11“O Judah, a harvest of punishment is also waiting for you, though I wanted to restore the fortunes of my people.

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“I want to heal Israel, but its sins are too great. Samaria is filled with liars. Thieves are on the inside and bandits on the outside!
• Ezra 8:31We broke camp at the Ahava Canal on April 19 and started off to Jerusalem. And the gracious hand of our God protected us and saved us from enemies and bandits along the way.
• Job 1:15when the Sabeans raided us. They stole all the animals and killed all the farmhands. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
• Proverbs 1:11They may say, “Come and join us. Let’s hide and kill someone! Just for fun, let’s ambush the innocent!
• Hosea 5:1“Hear this, you priests. Pay attention, you leaders of Israel. Listen, you members of the royal family. Judgment has been handed down against you. For you have led the people into a snare by worshiping the idols at Mizpah and Tabor.
• Jeremiah 11:9Again the Lord spoke to me and said, “I have discovered a conspiracy against me among the people of Judah and Jerusalem.
• Ezekiel 22:27Your leaders are like wolves who tear apart their victims. They actually destroy people’s lives for money!
• Micah 3:9Listen to me, you leaders of Israel! You hate justice and twist all that is right.
• Zephaniah 3:3Its leaders are like roaring lions hunting for their victims. Its judges are like ravenous wolves at evening time, who by dawn have left no trace of their prey.
• Mark 14:1It was now two days before Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The leading priests and the teachers of religious law were still looking for an opportunity to capture Jesus secretly and kill him.
• Luke 22:2The leading priests and teachers of religious law were plotting how to kill Jesus, but they were afraid of the people’s reaction.
• John 11:47Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high council together. “What are we going to do?” they asked each other. “This man certainly performs many miraculous signs.
• Acts 4:24When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God: “O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—
• 1 Kings 12:25Jeroboam then built up the city of Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and it became his capital. Later he went and built up the town of Peniel.

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