Tree of Life Version
Hosea 2:7
7For their mother has practiced prostitution. She who conceived them has been shameful. For she said, ‘Let me go after my lovers, who are giving me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, my oil and my drink.’
Hosea 2:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now.
- New International Version (NIV)She will chase after her lovers but not catch them; she will look for them but not find them. Then she will say, ‘I will go back to my husband as at first, for then I was better off than now.’
- English Standard Version (ESV)She shall pursue her lovers but not overtake them, and she shall seek them but shall not find them. Then she shall say, 'I will go and return to my first husband, for it was better for me then than now.'
- New King James Version (NKJV)She will chase her lovers, But not overtake them; Yes, she will seek them, but not find them. Then she will say, ‘I will go and return to my first husband, For then it was better for me than now.’
Context of Hosea 2:7
5Or else I will strip her naked and expose her as on the day she was born. Then I will make her like a wilderness. Yes, I will make her like desert land, and I will let her die of thirst. 6I will have no compassion for her children, for they are children of prostitution. For their mother has practiced prostitution. She who conceived them has been shameful. For she said, ‘Let me go after my lovers, who are giving me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, my oil and my drink.’ 8Therefore see, I will hedge her in with thorns, and I will build a wall around her so she cannot find her paths. 9Then she will chase after her lovers, but she will not overtake them. She will seek them, but not find. Then she will say: ‘Let me go and return to my first husband, for was it better for me then, than now.’
Read all of Hosea 2Hosea 2:7 word by word
וְרִדְּפָ֤ה אֶת־מְאַהֲבֶ֙יהָ֙ וְלֹֽא־תַשִּׂ֣יג אֹתָ֔ם וּבִקְשָׁ֖תַם וְלֹ֣א תִמְצָ֑א וְאָמְרָ֗ה אֵלְכָ֤ה וְאָשׁ֙וּבָה֙ אֶל־אִישִׁ֣י הָֽרִאשׁ֔וֹן כִּ֣י ט֥וֹב לִ֛י אָ֖ז מֵעָֽתָּה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And she shall followרָדַףrâdaph · to pursueH7291
- after her loversאָהֵב'âhab 'âhêb · to love: loverH157
- but she shall not overtakeנָשַׂגnâώag · to overtakeH5381
- them; and she shall seekבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
- them, but shall not findמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
- then shall she sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- I will goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- and returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- to my firstרִאשׁוֹןri'shôn ri'shôn · firstH7223
- husbandאִישׁ'îysh · man: husbandH376
- betterטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- with me than nowעַתָּ֫ה‛attâh · nowH6258
Cross-references for Hosea 2:7
- Hosea 5:13When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah his wound, Ephraim went to Assyria and sent envoys to a warring king. But he cannot heal you nor will he cure your wound.
- 2 Chronicles 28:20Tilgat-pilneser king of Assyria came against him and afflicted him instead of strengthening him—
- Isaiah 30:2who go down to Egypt, but did not consult Me, to take refuge in Pharaoh’s stronghold, to seek shelter in Egypt’s shadow.
- Isaiah 31:1Oy , those going down to Egypt for help. They are relying on horses, trusting in chariots since they are many, and in horsemen since they are very mighty, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel nor seek Adonai!
- Jeremiah 2:28Where are your gods that you made for yourself? Let them come—if they can save you when you are in trouble! For you have as many gods as y0u have cities, O Judah.
- Jeremiah 30:12For thus says Adonai: “Your hurt is incurable, and your wound is severe.
- Ezekiel 20:32What comes up in your mind will not happen at all, when you say, ‘Let us be like the nations, like the families of the countries, worshiping wood and stone.’
- Ezekiel 23:22“Therefore Oholibah, thus says Adonai Elohim, behold, I will stir up your lovers against you, from whom you turned in disgust. I will bring them against you on every side:
- Hosea 5:15I will go and return to My place until they admit their guilt. Then they will seek My face. In their distress they will seek Me earnestly:
- Hosea 6:1Come, let us return to Adonai. For He has torn, but He will heal us. He has smitten, but He will bind us up.
- Hosea 14:1Samaria will bear her guilt, for she has rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword, their infants dashed to pieces, their pregnant women ripped open.
- Psalms 116:7Return to your rest, my soul, for Adonai has been good to you.
- Jeremiah 3:22“Return, backsliding children! I will heal your backsliding.” “Yes, we will come to You for You are Adonai Eloheinu.
- Jeremiah 31:18For after I returned, I repented, and after that I was instructed, I struck my thigh— I was ashamed and also humiliated, for I bore the disgrace of my youth.’
- Jeremiah 50:4“In those days and at that time” —it is a declaration of Adonai— “the children of Israel will come, together with the children of Judah, weeping as they come, and will seek Adonai their God.
- Lamentations 3:40Let us examine and test our ways, and let us return to Adonai.
Commentaries on Hosea 2:7
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-13Verses 6-13 God threatens what he would do with this treacherous, idolatrous people. They did not turn, therefore all this came upon them; and it is written for admonition to us. If lesser difficulties be got over, God will raise greater. The most resolute in sinful pursuits, are commonly most crossed in them. The way of God and duty is often hedged about with thorns, but we have reason to think it is a sinful way that is hedged up with thorns. Crosses…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6-7Therefore: The initial Hebrew word of Hosea 2:6 (also of 2:9 and 2:14) introduces God’s judgment on Israel. Because of her idolatry, the Lord would limit Israel’s access to the Canaanite fertility gods. Like an aggressive prostitute, she will chase her lovers, but she will not find them. In the end, Israel will realize it is better to return to her rightful husband.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 6-76-7. thorns ... wall--(Job 19:8; La 3:7, 9). The hindrances which the captivity interposed between Israel and her idols. As she attributes all her temporal blessings to idols, I will reduce her to straits in which, when she in vain has sought help from false gods, she will at last seek Me as her only God and Husband, as at the first (Is 54:5; Jr 3:14; Eze 16:8). then--before Israel's apostasy, under Jeroboam. The way of duty is hedged about with thorns…Read the comment
Topics related to Hosea 2:7
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Hosea 2
- 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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