Hosea 13 · Verse 8

Hosea 13:8

I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and will rend the caul of their heart, and there will I devour them like a lion: the wild beast shall tear them.
Hosea 13:8, King James Version

Hosea 13:8 in other translations

BSBLike a bear robbed of her cubs I will attack them, and I will tear open their chests. There I will devour them like a lion, like a wild beast would tear them apart.
WEBI will meet them like a bear that is bereaved of her cubs, and will tear the covering of their heart. There I will devour them like a lioness. The wild animal will tear them.
ASVI will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and will rend the caul of their heart; and there will I devour them like a lioness; the wild beast shall tear them.
YLTI do meet them as a bereaved bear, And I rend the enclosure of their heart.
DARBYI will meet them as a bear bereaved of her whelps, and will rend the covering of their heart, and there will I devour them like a lioness: the beast of the field shall tear them.
BBEI will come face to face with them like a bear whose young ones have been taken from her, and their inmost hearts will be broken; there the dogs will make a meal of them; they will be wounded by the beasts of the field.
WebsterI will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and will rend the caul of their heart, and there will I devour them like a lion: the wild beast shall tear them.

What does Hosea 13:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
8. "Writers on the natures of beasts say that none is more savage than a she bear, when bereaved of her whelps" [Jerome]. caul of ... heart--the membrane enclosing it: the pericardium. there--"by the way" (Ho 13:7).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 As a bear - bereaved - This is a figure to denote excessive ferocity. See the note on 2Sam 17:8 (note), where a remarkable instance is given. And will rend the caul of their heart - Every savage beast goes first to the seat of the blood when it has seized its prey; as in this fluid they delight more than in the most delicate parts of the flesh. There will I devour them like a lion - לביא labi, the old strong lion; drinking the blood, tearing the flesh, and breaking the bones to extract the marrow. The wild beast shall tear them - Probably this refers to the chakal or jackal, who frequently hunts down the prey, which the lion takes the liberty to devour, while the jackal stands by, and afterwards picks the bones. Hence he has been called the lion's Provider, and the lion's waiting-man.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Hosea 13:1-8

The abuse of God's favour leads to punishment. (Hos. 13:1-8) A promise of God's mercy. (Hos. 13:9-16) Verses 1-8 While Ephraim kept up a holy fear of God, and worshipped Him in that fear, so long he was very considerable. When Ephraim forsook God, and followed idolatry, he sunk. Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves, in token of their adoration of them, affection for them, and obedience to them; but the Lord…

Read the full comment on Hosea 13:1-8 →

Hosea 13:8 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

אֶפְגְּשֵׁם֙'ef.ge.ShemI will meet themH6298
כְּדֹ֣בke.Dolike a bearH1677
שַׁכּ֔וּלsha.Kulrobbed of cubsH7909
וְאֶקְרַ֖עve.'ek.Ra'so I may tearH7167
סְג֣וֹרse.Gor[the] cavity ofH5458
לִבָּ֑םli.Bamheart theirH3820
וְאֹכְלֵ֥םve.'o.khe.Lemand I will devour themH398
שָׁם֙shamthereH8033
כְּלָבִ֔יאke.la.Vi'like a lionH3833
חַיַּ֥תchai.Yat<the> animal ofH2416
הַשָּׂדֶ֖הha.sa.Dehthe fieldH7704
תְּבַקְּעֵֽם\׃te.va.ke.'Emit will tear to pieces themH1234

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Hosea 13:8

  • 2 Samuel 17:8

    For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father and his men, that they be mighty men, and they be chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field: and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.

  • Isaiah 5:29

    Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions: yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it.

  • Jeremiah 12:9

    Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds round about are against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour.

  • Amos 9:1-3

    I saw the Lord standing upon the altar: and he said, Smite the lintel of the door, that the posts may shake: and cut them in the head, all of them; and I will slay the last of them with the sword: he that fleeth of them shall not flee away, and he that escapeth of them shall not be delivered. Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down: And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them:

  • Psalms 80:13

    The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it.

  • Proverbs 17:12

    Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.

  • Psalms 50:22

    Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.

  • Isaiah 56:9

    All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
as a.
2Sa 17:8; Pr 17:12; Am 9:1-3
wild beast. Heb. beast of the field.
Ps 80:13; Isa 5:29; 56:9; Jer 12:9

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Hosea 13:7

    Therefore I will be unto them as a lion: as a leopard by the way will I observe them:

  • Hosea 13:8

    I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and will rend the caul of their heart, and there will I devour them like a lion: the wild beast shall tear them.

  • Hosea 13:9

    O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.

Read all of Hosea 13

Hosea 13:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Como oso que ha perdido los hijos los encontraré, y romperé las telas de su corazón, y allí los devoraré como león: bestia del campo los despedazará.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Je les attaquerai comme une ourse privée de ses petits; je déchirerai l’enveloppe de leur cœur, et je les dévorerai là, comme une lionne; les bêtes des champs les dépèceront.
German
Elberfelder 1871		ich werde sie anfallen wie eine Bärin, welche der Jungen beraubt ist, und werde den Verschluß ihres Herzens zerreißen; und ich werde sie daselbst verzehren wie ein Löwe; die Tiere des Feldes werden sie zerfleischen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Occurram eis quasi ursa raptis catulis, et dirumpam interiora jecoris eorum, et consumam eos ibi quasi leo: bestia agri scindet eos.