Hosea 8:6

Hosea 8:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For from Israel was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.
• New International Version (NIV)They are from Israel! This calf—a metalworker has made it; it is not God. It will be broken in pieces, that calf of Samaria.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For it is from Israel; a craftsman made it; it is not God. The calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For from Israel is even this: A workman made it, and it is not God; But the calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces.

Context of Hosea 8:6

4They crowned kings, but not by Me. They appointed princes I did not approve. Their silver and gold they made into idols— just so they would be cut down. 5Samaria! Your calf is thrown down! My anger is kindled against them! How long will they be incapable of innocence? For a craftsman from Israel made it, so it is no god. For the calf of Samaria will be splinters. 7“For they sow wind, and reap a whirlwind. There is no mature grain— the sprout yields no meal. Should it produce anything, strangers would swallow it up. 8Israel has been swallowed up! Now they are among the nations, like an ornament with no delight in it.

Hosea 8:6 word by word

כִּ֤י מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְה֔וּא חָרָ֣שׁ עָשָׂ֔הוּ וְלֹ֥א אֱלֹהִ֖ים ה֑וּא כִּֽי־שְׁבָבִ֣ים יִֽהְיֶ֔ה עֵ֖גֶל שֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• For from Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• it also: the workmanחָרָשׁ, חֲרָשִׁיםchârâsh · artificerH2796
• madeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• not Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• but the calfעֵ֫גֶל‛êgel · calfH5695
• of Samariaשֹׁמְרוֹןshômerôn · SamariaH8111
• shall be broken in piecesשְׁבָבִיםshâbâb · fragmentH7616

Cross-references for Hosea 8:6

• Psalms 106:19They made a calf in Horeb and worshipped a molten image.
• Psalms 115:4Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.
• Psalms 135:15The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands.
• Isaiah 44:9Those who fashion idols are empty. Their precious things do not profit. Their witnesses do not see or know, so they will be put to shame.
• Jeremiah 10:3The customs of the peoples are useless: it is just a tree cut from the forest, the work of the hands of a craftsman with a chisel.
• Habakkuk 2:18What use is an idol when its craftsman has carved it? Or a metal image—a teacher of lies? For a craftsman has trusted in the image that he created, to make dumb idols.
• Acts 17:29Since we are His offspring, we ought not to suppose the Deity is like gold or silver or stone, an engraved image of human art and imagination.
• Acts 19:26You see and hear that not only in Ephesus but also throughout all Asia, Paul has persuaded and perverted a considerable crowd, saying that handmade gods are not gods at all.
• Hosea 10:2Their heart became smooth. Now they will bear their guilt. He will break down their altars. He will destroy their sacred pillars.
• Jeremiah 43:12“I will also set fire to the houses of Egypt’s gods. He will burn them and carry them off. He will wrap himself up with the land of Egypt as a shepherd wraps himself up with his garment. Then he will depart from there victoriously.
• Jeremiah 50:2“Declare it among the nations and proclaim! Raise a banner, announce, hide nothing! Say: ‘Babylon will be captured, Bel put to shame, Merodach dismayed, her images disgraced, her idols shattered!’
• 2 Kings 23:15Moreover, the altar that was at Bethel and the shrine built by Jeroboam son of Nebat—who caused Israel to sin—that altar and the shrine he demolished, too. He burned the shrine and ground it to dust, and burned up the Asherah.
• 2 Chronicles 31:1When all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the towns of Judah and smashed the pillars, smashed the Asherah poles and demolished the high places and the altars throughout all Judah and Benjamin, as well as throughout Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all Bnei-Yisrael returned to their towns, each to their own property.
• 2 Chronicles 34:6In the towns of Manasseh, Ephraim, Simeon, and as far as Naphtali, with their surrounding ruins,

Commentaries on Hosea 8:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6The workman made it; therefore it is not God - As God signifies the supreme eternal Good, the Creator and Upholder of all things, therefore the workman cannot make Him who made all things. This is an overwhelming argument against all idols. Nothing need be added. The workman has made them; therefore they are not God.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6For - This verse may assign the reasons of God‘s displeasure, “mine anger is kindled;” or of Israel‘s impenitency, “How long will it be?” This indeed is only going a little further back, for Israel‘s incorrigibleness was the ground of God‘s displeasure. And they were incorrigible; because they had themselves devised it; “for from Israel was it also.” Those are especially incorrigible, who do not fall into error through ignorance, but who through malice…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-10Verses 5-10 They promised themselves plenty, peace, and victory, by worshipping idols, but their expectations came to nothing. What they sow has no stalk, no blade, or, if it have, the bud shall yield no fruit, there was nothing in them. The works of darkness are unfruitful; nay, the end of those things is death. The hopes of sinners will deceive them, and their gains will be snares. In times of danger, especially in the day of judgment, all carnal…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5-6your calf: Jeroboam I was the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel. He ruled from 931 to 910 BC. When he became king, he set up worship places in Dan and Bethel. He did this to prevent people from traveling to the temple in Jerusalem, the capital of the southern kingdom. At each site, he placed a gold calf for the people to worship (1 Kings 12:26–30).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. from Israel was it--that is, the calf originated with them, not from Me. "It also," as well as their "kings set up" by them, "but not by Me" (Ho 8:4).Read the comment

Topics related to Hosea 8:6

• Calf
• Idolatry

In the dictionaries

• God
• Israel
• Samaria
• Calf, Golden
• Hosea
• Pekahiah
• Worker; Workfellow; Workman
• Zechariah, Book of

Commentaries on Hosea 8

• 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