The Meaning of Hosea 10:13 Explained

Hosea 10:13

KJV: Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men.

YLT: Ye have ploughed wickedness, Perversity ye have reaped, Ye have eaten the fruit of lying, For thou hast trusted in thy way, In the abundance of thy might.

Darby: Ye have ploughed wickedness, reaped iniquity, eaten the fruit of lies; for thou didst confide in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men.

ASV: Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies; for thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Ye have plowed  wickedness,  ye have reaped  iniquity;  ye have eaten  the fruit  of lies:  because thou didst trust  in thy way,  in the multitude  of thy mighty men. 

What does Hosea 10:13 Mean?

Study Notes

trust
.
Trust is the characteristic O.T. word for the N.T. "faith," "believe." It occurs 152 times in the O.T., and is the rendering of Heb. words signifying to take refuge (e.g. Ruth 2:12 "to lean on" (e.g.) Psalms 56:3 "to roll on" (e.g.) Psalms 22:8 "to stay upon" (e.g.) Job 35:14 .

Verse Meaning

Instead of plowing righteousness and reaping loyal love ( Hosea 10:12), the Israelites had plowed wickedness and reaped injustice. Instead of eating the fruit of righteousness, they had eaten the fruit of lies. They had done this because they trusted in themselves and in their own military might.

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 10:13 mean?

You have plowed wickedness iniquity You have reaped You have eaten the fruit of lies Because you trusted in your own way in the multitude of your mighty men
חֲרַשְׁתֶּם־ רֶ֛שַׁע עַוְלָ֥תָה קְצַרְתֶּ֖ם אֲכַלְתֶּ֣ם פְּרִי־ כָ֑חַשׁ כִּֽי־ בָטַ֥חְתָּ בְדַרְכְּךָ֖ בְּרֹ֥ב גִּבּוֹרֶֽיךָ

חֲרַשְׁתֶּם־  You  have  plowed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: חָרַשׁ 
Sense: to cut in, plough, engrave, devise.
רֶ֛שַׁע  wickedness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: רֶשַׁע  
Sense: wrong, wickedness, guilt.
עַוְלָ֥תָה  iniquity 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: עָוֶל 
Sense: injustice, unrighteousness, wrong.
קְצַרְתֶּ֖ם  You  have  reaped 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: קָצוּר 
Sense: to be short, be impatient, be vexed, be grieved.
אֲכַלְתֶּ֣ם  You  have  eaten 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
פְּרִי־  the  fruit 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פְּרִי  
Sense: fruit.
כָ֑חַשׁ  of  lies 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כַּחַשׁ  
Sense: lying, deception.
כִּֽי־  Because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
בָטַ֥חְתָּ  you  trusted 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: בָּטוּחַ 
Sense: to trust.
בְדַרְכְּךָ֖  in  your  own  way 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, common singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
בְּרֹ֥ב  in  the  multitude 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֹב  
Sense: multitude, abundance, greatness.
גִּבּוֹרֶֽיךָ  of  your  mighty  men 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: גִּבֹּור  
Sense: strong, mighty.