The Meaning of Hosea 6:9 Explained

Hosea 6:9

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.

YLT: And as bands do wait for a man, A company of priests do murder -- the way to Shechem, For wickedness they have done.

Darby: And as troops of robbers lie in wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way of Shechem; yea, they commit lewdness.

ASV: And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way toward Shechem; yea, they have committed lewdness.

Discover Hosea 6:9

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Hosea 6:9?

MEANING: What does Hosea 6:9 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Hosea 6:9 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Hosea 6:9?

What is the context of Hosea 6:9?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And as troops of robbers wait for a man, [so] the company of priests murder in the way by consent: for they commit lewdness.

What does Hosea 6:9 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Whether priests were really murdering travelers as they approached the Israelite town of Shechem is uncertain. Perhaps they were. Shechem was a major religious and political center in Israel. On the other hand, this may simply be another (hyperbolic) way of describing the perverse behavior of even those who should have been closest to God. Shechem and Ramoth-Gilead were cities of refuge where people could supposedly flee for safety (cf. Joshua 20:1-2; Joshua 20:7-8). Shechem stood on the route between Samaria and Bethel, so many pilgrims traveled through Shechem. The Hebrew word translated "crime," (zimmah) refers to the vilest sexual sins elsewhere (e.g, Leviticus 18:17; Leviticus 19:29; Judges 20:5-6; Job 31:9-11). Such behavior by priests, who should have been serving the people by leading them to Yahweh, was vile to God.

Context Summary

Hosea 6:1-11 - "let Us Return Unto The Lord"

How full Scripture is of tender invitations: Come, and let us return! This opening verse is closely connected with Hosea 5:15. The hand that smote was the Father's who waited to welcome the prodigal nation with healing and up-binding. When the sun seems to dip below the horizon, we begin to travel toward its rising again. Then we follow on, to behold the glorious dawn of the next day, which is prepared for us. Presently we catch the first glimpse, and soon come into its full splendor. The sun does not move toward us, but we toward it. So when the soul turns toward God, if only it is willing to do His will, it has begun to follow on toward the light of His countenance, which presently will be revealed in its full radiance. God's favor is also compared to the fertilizing rain, for its certainty and refreshment, Genesis 8:22.

While God's love is constant, our religious life is fickle and changeful. Emotion is evanescent as the morning clouds, which in Palestine vanish by nine or ten o'clock. Our Lord quoted Hosea 5:6 in Matthew 9:13; Matthew 12:7. The pomp of outward ritual, however ornate, counts less with God than one contrite sigh or tear. [source]

Chapter Summary: Hosea 6

¹ Exhortations to repent and hope in God
⁴ A lamentation over those who had sinned after conviction
⁵ Reproofs of obstinate sinners, and threats against them

What do the individual words in Hosea 6:9 mean?

And as lie in wait for a man bands of [robbers] [So] the company of priests on the way murder to Shechem surely lewdness they commit

וּכְחַכֵּ֨י אִ֜ישׁ גְּדוּדִ֗ים חֶ֚בֶר כֹּֽהֲנִ֔ים דֶּ֖רֶךְ יְרַצְּחוּ־ שֶׁ֑כְמָה כִּ֥י זִמָּ֖ה עָשֽׂוּ

וּכְחַכֵּ֨י	And as lie in wait for
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct Root: חָכָה Sense: to wait, wait for, await.
אִ֜ישׁ	a man
Parse: Noun, masculine singular Root: אִישׁ Sense: man.
גְּדוּדִ֗ים	bands of [robbers]
Parse: Noun, masculine plural Root: גְּדוּד Sense: a band, troop, marauding band.
חֶ֚בֶר	[So] the company
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct Root: חֶבֶר Sense: association, company, band.
כֹּֽהֲנִ֔ים	of priests
Parse: Noun, masculine plural Root: כֹּהֵן Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
דֶּ֖רֶךְ	on the way
Parse: Noun, common singular Root: דֶּרֶךְ Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
יְרַצְּחוּ־	murder
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine plural Root: רָצַח Sense: to murder, slay, kill.
שֶׁ֑כְמָה	to Shechem
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular, third person feminine singular Root: שְׁכֶם Sense: son of Hamor, the chieftain of the Hivites at Shechem at the time of Jacob’s arrival.
כִּ֥י	surely
Parse: Conjunction Root: כִּי Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
זִמָּ֖ה	lewdness
Parse: Noun, feminine singular Root: זִמָּה Sense: plan, device, wickedness, evil plan, mischievous purpose.
עָשֽׂוּ	they commit
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural Root: עָשָׂה Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.

What are the major concepts related to Hosea 6:9?

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Similar Scriptures for Hosea 6:9

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