Hosea

Hosea 8:4–7

⁴They set up kings, but not by Me.

They make princes, but without My approval.

With their silver and gold they make themselves idols,

to their own destruction.

⁵He has rejected your calf,^a O Samaria.

My anger burns against them.

How long will they be

incapable of innocence?

⁶For this thing is from Israel—

a craftsman made it, and it is not God.

It will be broken to pieces,

that calf of Samaria.

⁷For they sow the wind,

and they shall reap the whirlwind.

There is no standing grain;

what sprouts fails to yield flour.

Even if it should produce,

the foreigners would swallow it up.

Footnotes

a 8:5 Or calf idol; see 1 Kings 12:29|1KI 12:29.

Read all of Hosea 8

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Hosea 8:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
They	הֵ֤ם	hêm	Pronoun - third person masculine plural	H1992 they, them
set up kings	הִמְלִיכוּ֙	him·lî·ḵū	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural	H4427 be or become king, or queen, reign
but not	וְלֹ֣א	wə·lō	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
by Me	מִמֶּ֔נִּי	mim·men·nî	Preposition; first person common singular	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
They make princes	הֵשִׂ֖ירוּ	hê·śî·rū	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural	H7786 vanquish, rule
but without	וְלֹ֣א	wə·lō	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
My approval	יָדָ֑עְתִּי	yā·ḏā·‘ə·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H3045 know
With their silver	כַּסְפָּ֣ם	kas·pām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H3701 silver, money
and gold	וּזְהָבָ֗ם	ū·zə·hā·ḇām	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H2091 gold
they make	עָשׂ֤וּ	‘ā·śū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H6213 do, make
themselves	לָהֶם֙	lā·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural
idols	עֲצַבִּ֔ים	‘ă·ṣab·bîm	Noun - masculine plural	H6091 idol
to	לְמַ֖עַן	lə·ma·‘an	Conjunction	H4616 purpose, intent
their own destruction	יִכָּרֵֽת׃	yik·kā·rêṯ	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3772 cut off, cut down

Hosea 8:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He has rejected	זָנַח֙	zā·naḥ	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H2186 reject, spurn
your calf	עֶגְלֵ֣ךְ	‘eḡ·lêḵ	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person feminine singular	H5695 calf
O Samaria	שֹֽׁמְר֔וֹן	šō·mə·rō·wn	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H8111 Shomeron
My anger	אַפִּ֖י	’ap·pî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H639 nostril, nose, face, anger
burns	חָרָ֥ה	ḥā·rāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H2734 burn, be kindled
against them	בָּ֑ם	bām	Preposition; third person masculine plural
How long will they be	עַד־	‘aḏ-	Preposition	H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
incapable	לֹ֥א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
of innocence	נִקָּיֹֽן׃	niq·qā·yōn	Noun - masculine singular	H5356 innocency

Hosea 8:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּ֤י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
this thing	וְה֔וּא	wə·hū	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
is from Israel	מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל֙	mî·yiś·rā·’êl	Preposition-m; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3478 Israel
a craftsman	חָרָ֣שׁ	ḥā·rāš	Noun - masculine singular	H2796 graver, artificer
made it	עָשָׂ֔הוּ	‘ā·śā·hū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
and it	ה֑וּא	hū	Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
is not	וְלֹ֥א	wə·lō	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
God	אֱלֹהִ֖ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
It will be	יִֽהְיֶ֔ה	yih·yeh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
broken to pieces	שְׁבָבִ֣ים	šə·ḇā·ḇîm	Noun - masculine plural	H7616 fragment, ruin
that calf	עֵ֖גֶל	‘ê·ḡel	Noun - masculine singular construct	H5695 calf
of Samaria	שֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃	šō·mə·rō·wn	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H8111 Shomeron

Hosea 8:7

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּ֛י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
they sow	יִזְרָ֖עוּ	yiz·rā·‘ū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H2232 sow, scatter seed
the wind	ר֥וּחַ	rū·aḥ	Noun - common singular	H7307 breath, wind, spirit
and they shall reap	יִקְצֹ֑רוּ	yiq·ṣō·rū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7114 be short
the whirlwind	וְסוּפָ֣תָה	wə·sū·p̄ā·ṯāh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular; third person feminine singular	H5492 storm-wind
There is no	אֵֽין־	’ên-	Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
standing grain	קָמָ֣ה	qā·māh	Noun - feminine singular	H7054 standing grain
what sprouts	צֶ֚מַח	ṣe·maḥ	Noun - masculine singular	H6780 sprout, growth
fails	בְּלִ֣י	bə·lî	Adverb	H1097 wearing out
to yield	יַֽעֲשֶׂה־	ya·‘ă·śeh-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
flour	קֶּ֔מַח	qe·maḥ	Noun - masculine singular	H7058 flour, meal
Even if	אוּלַ֣י	’ū·lay	Adverb	H194 peradventure, perhaps
it should produce	יַֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה	ya·‘ă·śeh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
the foreigners	זָרִ֖ים	zā·rîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H2114 be a stranger
would swallow it up	יִבְלָעֻֽהוּ׃	yiḇ·lā·‘u·hū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural; third person masculine singular	H1104 swallow down, swallow up, engulf