The Meaning of Hosea 10:6 Explained

Hosea 10:6

KJV: It shall be also carried unto Assyria for a present to king Jareb: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.

YLT: Also it to Asshur is carried, a present to a warlike king, Shame doth Ephraim receive, And ashamed is Israel of its own counsel.

Darby: Yea, it shall be carried unto Assyria as a present for king Jareb: Ephraim shall be seized with shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.

ASV: It also shall be carried unto Assyria for a present to king Jareb: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

It shall be also carried  unto Assyria  [for] a present  to king  Jareb:  Ephraim  shall receive  shame,  and Israel  shall be ashamed  of his own counsel. 

What does Hosea 10:6 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Assyrians would carry the golden calf to their land in honor of their king (cf. Hosea 8:10). Israel would then feel great shame because the Israelites had decided to trust in a foreign alliance with the Assyrians for their security (cf. Hosea 5:13; Hosea 7:8-9; Hosea 7:11; Hosea 8:9-10).
"For us alliances between nations are such a commonplace of life that we can hardly imagine a nation standing alone ...
"It should have been fundamental, however, for Israel that no foreign alliances were possible. The reason was quite simply that in those days the secular state did not exist, and so in practice it was impossible to distinguish between a state and its gods. In an extant treaty of peace between Rameses II of Egypt and Hattusilis the Hittite king it is a thousand of their gods on either side who are the witnesses to and guarantors of it. [1] So even a treaty on equal terms with a neighbouring country would have involved for Israel a recognition of the other country"s deities as having reality and equality with Jehovah. To turn to Assyria or Egypt for help implied of necessity that their gods were more effective than the God of Israel." [2]

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 10:6 mean?

Also [The [idol] to Assyria shall be carried [As] a present for King Jareb shame Ephraim shall receive and shall be ashamed Israel of his own counsel
גַּם־ אוֹתוֹ֙ לְאַשּׁ֣וּר יוּבָ֔ל מִנְחָ֖ה לְמֶ֣לֶךְ יָרֵ֑ב בָּשְׁנָה֙ אֶפְרַ֣יִם יִקָּ֔ח וְיֵב֥וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵעֲצָתֽוֹ

גַּם־  Also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
אוֹתוֹ֙  [The  [idol] 
Parse: Direct object marker, third person masculine singular
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
לְאַשּׁ֣וּר  to  Assyria 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַשּׁוּר  
Sense: the second son of Shem, eponymous ancestor of the Assyrians.
יוּבָ֔ל  shall  be  carried 
Parse: Verb, Hofal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָבַל  
Sense: to bring, lead, carry, conduct, bear along.
מִנְחָ֖ה  [As]  a  present 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִנְחָה  
Sense: gift, tribute, offering, present, oblation, sacrifice, meat offering.
לְמֶ֣לֶךְ  for  King 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
יָרֵ֑ב  Jareb 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָרֵב  
Sense: an epithet given to the king of Assyria.
בָּשְׁנָה֙  shame 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: בָּשְׁנָה  
Sense: shame.
אֶפְרַ֣יִם  Ephraim 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶפְרַיִם  
Sense: second son of Joseph, blessed by him and given preference over first son, Manasseh.
יִקָּ֔ח  shall  receive 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
וְיֵב֥וֹשׁ  and  shall  be  ashamed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּושׁ 
Sense: to put to shame, be ashamed, be disconcerted, be disappointed.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל  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.
מֵעֲצָתֽוֹ  of  his  own  counsel 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֵצָה 
Sense: counsel, advice, purpose.