The Meaning of Hosea 10:1 Explained

Hosea 10:1

KJV: Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images.

YLT: An empty vine is Israel, Fruit he maketh like to himself, According to the abundance of his fruit, He hath multiplied for the altars, According to the goodness of his land, They have made goodly standing-pillars.

Darby: Israel is an unpruned vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the abundance of his fruit he hath multiplied altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly statues.

ASV: Israel is a luxuriant vine, that putteth forth his fruit: according to the abundance of his fruit he hath multiplied his altars; according to the goodness of their land they have made goodly pillars.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Israel  [is] an empty  vine,  he bringeth forth  fruit  unto himself: according to the multitude  of his fruit  he hath increased  the altars;  according to the goodness  of his land  they have made goodly  images. 

What does Hosea 10:1 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Hosea compared Israel to a luxuriant (degenerate) vine; the people enjoyed great economic prosperity. The grapevine was a common figure for Israel. Yahweh had planted Israel in Canaan as a vine and had blessed it with fruitful prosperity (cf. Psalm 80:8-10; Jeremiah 2:21; Ezekiel 19:10-11). Yet the more the Lord blessed Israel the more the Israelites multiplied altars and sacred pillars to honor idols. They worshipped pagan gods in response to Yahweh"s blessing.

Context Summary

Hosea 10:1-15 - "break Up Your Fallow Ground"
Israel brought forth fruit, but not such as God could delight in. It was corrupt and evil. How great a disappointment to the Great Cultivator! The land was covered with obelisks and altars, the symbols of idolatry, and the Canaanites themselves had not been more shameless in sin. But notice the terrible judgments that must befall. There would be revolution, for when men say, We fear not the Lord, they will go on to say, We fear not the king. Beth-aven, the "house of vanity," would replace Beth-el, the "house of God." The golden calves would be carried off by the conqueror. The king would perish as foam upon the water. The yoke of conquest would be placed on Ephraim's fair neck. The fortresses of Israel would be carried by assault, with all the accompaniments of savage warfare. Is it not "an evil thing and bitter" to forsake the Lord!
Is it not time that we should look into our hearts and lives, break up the fallow ground, now covered with thorns and thistles, and begin to sow in righteousness? Let us ask God to drive the plowshares of deep soul-searching and conviction across the hard and sterile acres of our hearts, and sow them with His good seed. [source]

Chapter Summary: Hosea 10

1  Israel is reproved and threatened for their impiety and idolatry,
12  and exhorted to repentance

What do the individual words in Hosea 10:1 mean?

[his] vine empties Israel fruit He brings forth for himself According to the multitude of his fruit He has increased the altars According to the bounty of his land they have embellished [his] sacred pillars
גֶּ֤פֶן בּוֹקֵק֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל פְּרִ֖י יְשַׁוֶּה־ לּ֑וֹ כְּרֹ֣ב לְפִרְי֗וֹ הִרְבָּה֙ לַֽמִּזְבְּח֔וֹת כְּט֣וֹב לְאַרְצ֔וֹ הֵיטִ֖יבוּ מַצֵּבֽוֹת

גֶּ֤פֶן  [his]  vine 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: גֶּפֶן  
Sense: vine, vine tree.
בּוֹקֵק֙  empties 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בָּקַק 
Sense: to empty.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
פְּרִ֖י  fruit 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: פְּרִי  
Sense: fruit.
יְשַׁוֶּה־  He  brings  forth 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁוָה 
Sense: to agree with, be or become like, level, resemble.
לּ֑וֹ  for  himself 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
כְּרֹ֣ב  According  to  the  multitude 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular
Root: רֹב  
Sense: multitude, abundance, greatness.
לְפִרְי֗וֹ  of  his  fruit 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: פְּרִי  
Sense: fruit.
הִרְבָּה֙  He  has  increased 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הַרְבָּה 
Sense: be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous.
לַֽמִּזְבְּח֔וֹת  the  altars 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מִזְבֵּחַ  
Sense: altar.
כְּט֣וֹב  According  to  the  bounty 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
לְאַרְצ֔וֹ  of  his  land 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
הֵיטִ֖יבוּ  they  have  embellished 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָטַב  
Sense: to be good, be pleasing, be well, be glad.
מַצֵּבֽוֹת  [his]  sacred  pillars 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: מַצֵּבָה  
Sense: pillar, mastaba, stump.