The Meaning of Hosea 11:8 Explained

Hosea 11:8

KJV: How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.

YLT: How do I give thee up, O Ephraim? Do I deliver thee up, O Israel? How do I make thee as Admah? Do I set thee as Zeboim? Turned in Me is My heart, kindled together have been My repentings.

Darby: How shall I give thee over, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee up, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? My heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.

ASV: How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how'shall I cast thee off, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how'shall I set thee as Zeboiim? my heart is turned within me, my compassions are kindled together.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

How shall I give thee up,  Ephraim?  [how] shall I deliver  thee, Israel?  how shall I make  thee as Admah?  [how] shall I set  thee as Zeboim?  mine heart  is turned  within me, my repentings  are kindled  together. 

What does Hosea 11:8 Mean?

Study Notes

repentings
.
repented
Repentance (O.T.), Summary: In the O.T., repentance is the English word used to translate the Heb. nacham, to be "eased" or "comforted." It is used of both God and man. Notwithstanding the literal meaning of nacham, it is evident, from a study of all the passages, that the sacred writers use it in the sense of metanoia in the N.T.--a change of mind. Matthew 3:2 (See Scofield " Acts 17:30 ") . As in the N.T., such change of mind is often accompanied by contrition and self-judgment. When applied to God the word is used phenomenally according to O.T. custom. God seems to change His mind. The phenomena are such as, in the case of man, would indicate a change of mind.

Verse Meaning

The Lord asked four rhetorical questions that reveal how hard it was for Him to turn Israel over to an enemy for punishment. They are strong expressions of divine emotion, specifically, love for His chosen people. Admah and Zeboiim were cities that God annihilated along with Sodom and Gomorrah (cf. Genesis 10:19; Genesis 14:2; Genesis 14:8; Deuteronomy 29:23). God could not bring Himself to deal with the cities of Israel as He had with those towns. He would not totally destroy them. His heart of judgment was turned upside down into a heart of compassion. All His compassion flamed up in Him as judgment emotions had done before.
"Israel will not be completely "overturned" as the cities mentioned here; rather, there will be an "overturning," that Isaiah , a change, in Yahweh"s heart." [1]

Context Summary

Hosea 11:1-11 - "bands Of Love"
This is a very tender chapter, full of moving appeals. God looks back on the happy, blessed past, as a fond parent on the innocent childhood of a son who is now causing endless pain and grief. He recapitulates the call from Egypt, and relates how, in obedience to His appeal, Israel came out of the idolatries of that country. He describes Israel as a tiny child beginning to walk, and says, I taught him to go. He compares the Israel of those days to horses or oxen, relieved of the yoke, before whom food is set. Let us remember that God is also willing to teach us to go, and to carry us when we are weary.
The blessed childhood of Israel had become like an overcast morning. They were bent on backsliding. But God's love is not easily repelled. What more pathetic words were ever uttered by broken-hearted parents than Hosea 11:8-9! That is the motive of our plea still. If we were dealing with man, we might despair. But we are dealing with One who forgives us according to the riches of His grace. If a back-slider should read these touching appeals, let him be encouraged to retrace His steps one by one, sure that the Father waits to welcome him where the by-path has broken off from the main road. [source]

Chapter Summary: Hosea 11

1  The ingratitude of Israel unto God for his benefits
5  His judgment
8  God's mercy toward them
12  Israel's falsehood and Judah's fidelity

What do the individual words in Hosea 11:8 mean?

How can I give you up Ephraim [How] can I hand you over Israel can I make you like Admah [How] can I set you like Zeboiim churns within Me My heart together is stirred My sympathy
אֵ֞יךְ אֶתֶּנְךָ֣ ؟ אֶפְרַ֗יִם אֲמַגֶּנְךָ֙ ؟ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶתֶּנְךָ֣ ؟ כְאַדְמָ֔ה אֲשִֽׂימְךָ֖ ؟ כִּצְבֹאיִ֑ם נֶהְפַּ֤ךְ עָלַי֙ לִבִּ֔י יַ֖חַד נִכְמְר֥וּ נִחוּמָֽי

אֵ֞יךְ  How 
Parse: Interjection
Root: אֵיךְ 
Sense: how? interj.
אֶתֶּנְךָ֣  can  I  give  you  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
؟ אֶפְרַ֗יִם  Ephraim 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶפְרַיִם  
Sense: second son of Joseph, blessed by him and given preference over first son, Manasseh.
אֲמַגֶּנְךָ֙  [How]  can  I  hand  you  over 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: מָגַן  
Sense: (Piel) to deliver up, give, deliver.
؟ 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.
אֶתֶּנְךָ֣  can  I  make  you 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
؟ כְאַדְמָ֔ה  like  Admah 
Parse: Preposition-k, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַדְמָה  
Sense: city in the Siddim valley.
אֲשִֽׂימְךָ֖  [How]  can  I  set  you 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
؟ כִּצְבֹאיִ֑ם  like  Zeboiim 
Parse: Preposition-k, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צְבֹאִים 
Sense: one of the 5 cities in the plain which included Sodom and Gomorrah.
נֶהְפַּ֤ךְ  churns 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָפַךְ  
Sense: to turn, overthrow, overturn.
עָלַי֙  within  Me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
לִבִּ֔י  My  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
יַ֖חַד  together 
Parse: Adverb
Root: יַחַד 
Sense: union, unitedness adv.
נִכְמְר֥וּ  is  stirred 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: כָּמַר  
Sense: to yearn, be kindled, be black (hot), grow warm and tender, be or grow hot, become hot, become emotionally agitated.
נִחוּמָֽי  My  sympathy 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: נִחֻמִים  
Sense: comfort, compassion.