The Meaning of Hosea 8:14 Explained

Hosea 8:14

KJV: For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.

YLT: And forget doth Israel his Maker, and buildeth temples, And Judah hath multiplied cities of defence, And I have sent a fire into his cities, And it hath consumed their palaces!

Darby: For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.

ASV: For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and builded palaces; and Judah hath multiplied fortified cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the castles thereof.

Discover Hosea 8:14

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Hosea 8:14?

MEANING: What does Hosea 8:14 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Hosea 8:14 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Hosea 8:14?

What is the context of Hosea 8:14?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.

What does Hosea 8:14 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Both Israel and Judah had forgotten that Yahweh had made her what she had become. Instead of continuing to trust and obey Him, the people had put their confidence in their own ability to provide for themselves. This attitude of self-reliance manifested itself in building palaces and fortified cites as places of prominence and protection. Palaces and fortified cites are not wrong in themselves, but in this context, set against remembering Yahweh, they were expressions of self-trust. As judgment the Lord would burn down their palaces and fortified cities. He would remove the objects of their confidence and teach the people their personal inadequacy. Tiglath-Pileser III did this when he destroyed Samaria and the other Israelites cities, and Sennacherib did it when he attacked all the fortified cities of Judah ( 2 Kings 17:6; 2 Kings 18:13).

To summarize, five types of sin stand out in this section as reasons for Israel"s punishment. Israel had usurped Yahweh"s sovereign authority to lead the nation ( Hosea 8:4) and had worshipped idols ( Hosea 8:4-6). Israel depended on foreign treaties rather than God ( Hosea 8:9-10) and had adopted and perpetuated a corrupt cult (system of worship, Hosea 8:5-6; Hosea 8:11; Hosea 8:13). And Israel arrogantly disregarded Yahweh"s Law ( Hosea 8:1-3; Hosea 8:5; Hosea 8:12; Hosea 8:14).

Context Summary

Hosea 8:1-14 - Reaping The Whirlwind

A conqueror was at hand who should subdue and punish the whole nation for taking its own course, irrespective of God, Hosea 8:4-8; for seeking foreign alliances which could bring only oppression in their train, Hosea 8:9-10; and for multiplying altars and fortresses which were destined to be destroyed, Hosea 8:11; Hosea 8:14. The circumstances referred to in this chapter seem to point to the reigns of Menahem and Uzziah, 2 Kings 15:19; 2 Chronicles 26:6-15.

Hosea 8:5 is very striking. Israel had renounced Jehovah for the likeness of a calf, and now in the misfortunes which had overtaken them, their calf had cast them off. What is it that you are putting in the place of God? Power, wealth, the help of influential friends? Sooner or later it will fail you. How different is the One who perpetually encourages us, saying, "I will not fail nor forsake thee," and who promises to carry us to hoar hairs. The persistence with which Israel turned to other lovers left God no option but to put them back into a furnace such as Egypt had been, which would finally burn put their apostasy. Only when we walk before God with a perfect heart are we strong and happy. Once entangle yourself with expedients and alliances, and you lay yourself open to many sorrows. [source]

Chapter Summary: Hosea 8

¹ Destruction is threatened both to Israel and Judah for their impiety and idolatry

What do the individual words in Hosea 8:14 mean?

For has forgotten Israel - his Maker and has built temples also Judah has multiplied cities fortified but I will send fire upon his cities and it shall devour his palaces -

וַיִּשְׁכַּ֨ח יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶת־ עֹשֵׂ֗הוּ וַיִּ֙בֶן֙ הֵֽיכָל֔וֹת וִֽיהוּדָ֕ה הִרְבָּ֖ה עָרִ֣ים בְּצֻר֑וֹת וְשִׁלַּחְתִּי־ אֵ֣שׁ בְּעָרָ֔יו וְאָכְלָ֖ה אַרְמְנֹתֶֽיהָ ס

וַיִּשְׁכַּ֨ח	For has forgotten
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular Root: כָּשַׁח Sense: to forget, ignore, wither.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל	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.
אֶת־	-
Parse: Direct object marker Root: אֹות Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
עֹשֵׂ֗הוּ	his Maker
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular Root: עָשָׂה Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
וַיִּ֙בֶן֙	and has built
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular Root: בָּנָה Sense: to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue.
הֵֽיכָל֔וֹת	temples
Parse: Noun, masculine plural Root: הֵיכָל Sense: palace, temple, nave, sanctuary.
וִֽיהוּדָ֕ה	also Judah
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular Root: יְהוּדָה Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
הִרְבָּ֖ה	has multiplied
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.
עָרִ֣ים	cities
Parse: Noun, feminine plural Root: עִיר Sense: excitement, anguish.
בְּצֻר֑וֹת	fortified
Parse: Adjective, feminine plural Root: בָּצַר Sense: to gather, restrain, fence, fortify, make inaccessible, enclose.
וְשִׁלַּחְתִּי־	but I will send
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular Root: שָׁלַח Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
אֵ֣שׁ	fire
Parse: Noun, common singular Root: אֵשׁ Sense: fire.
בְּעָרָ֔יו	upon his cities
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular Root: עִיר Sense: excitement, anguish.
וְאָכְלָ֖ה	and it shall devour
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person feminine singular Root: אָכַל Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
אַרְמְנֹתֶֽיהָ	his palaces
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person feminine singular Root: אַרְמֹון Sense: citadel, palace, fortress.
ס	-
Parse: Punctuation

What are the major concepts related to Hosea 8:14?

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