Hosea 6 · Verse 5

Hosea 6:5

Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.
Hosea 6:5, King James Version

Hosea 6:5 in other translations

BSBTherefore I have hewn them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of My mouth, and My judgments go forth like lightning.
WEBTherefore I have cut them to pieces with the prophets; I killed them with the words of my mouth. Your judgments are like a flash of lightning.
ASVTherefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.
YLTTherefore I have hewed by prophets, I have slain them by sayings of My mouth, And My judgments to the light goeth forth.
DARBYTherefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and my judgment goeth forth as the light.
BBESo I have had it cut in stones; I gave them teaching by the words of my mouth;
WebsterTherefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.

What does Hosea 6:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
5. I hewed them by the prophets--that is, I announced by the prophets that they should be hewn asunder, like trees of the forest. God identifies His act with that of His prophets; the word being His instrument for executing His will (Jr 1:10; Eze 43:3). by ... words of my mouth--(Is 11:4; Jr 23:29; He 4:12). thy judgments--the judgments which I will inflict on thee, Ephraim and Judah (Ho 6:4). So "thy judgments," that is, those inflicted on thee (Zep 3:15). are as the light, &c.--like the light, palpable to the eyes of all, as coming from God, the punisher of sin. Henderson translates, "lightning" (compare Margin, Job 37:3, 15).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets - I have sent my prophets to testify against their fickleness. They have smitten them with the most solemn and awful threatenings; they have, as it were, slain them by the words of my mouth. But to what purpose? Thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth - Instead of ומשפטיך אור יצא umispateycha or yetse, "and thy judgments a light that goeth forth," the versions in general have read ומשפטי כאור umishpati keor, "and my judgment is as the light." The final כ caph in the common reading has by mistake been taken from אור aur, and joined to משפטי mishpati; and thus turned it from the singular to the plural number, with the postfix כ cha. The proper reading is, most probably, "And my judgment is as the light going forth." It shall be both evident and swift; alluding both to the velocity and splendour of light.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Hosea 6:4-11

Sometimes Israel and Judah seemed disposed to repent under their sufferings, but their goodness vanished like the empty morning cloud, and the early dew, and they were as vile as ever. Therefore the Lord sent awful messages by the prophets. The word of God will be the death either of the sin or of the sinner. God desired mercy rather than sacrifice, and that knowledge of him which produces holy fear and love. This…

Read the full comment on Hosea 6:4-11 →

Hosea 6:5 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.

עַל\־'al-there-H5921
כֵּ֗ןKen-foreH3651
חָצַ֙בְתִּי֙cha.Tzav.tiI will cut [them] in piecesH2672
בַּנְּבִיאִ֔יםba.ne.vi.'Imby the prophetsH5030
הֲרַגְתִּ֖יםha.rag.TimI will kill themH2026
בְּאִמְרֵי\־be.'im.rei-by [the] words ofH561
פִ֑יFimouth myH6310
וּמִשְׁפָּטֶ֖יךָu.mish.pa.Tei.khaand judgments yourH4941
א֥וֹר'or[is] lightH216
יֵצֵֽא\׃ye.Tze'[which] it goes forthH3318

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

Cross references for Hosea 6:5

  • Jeremiah 23:29

    Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

  • Jeremiah 1:10

    See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.

  • Hebrews 4:12

    For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

  • Jeremiah 5:14

    Wherefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

  • Romans 2:5

    But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

  • Revelation 2:16

    Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

  • Isaiah 11:4

    But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

  • Psalms 119:120

    My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.

  • Revelation 9:21

    Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

  • 1 Kings 14:6

    And it was so, when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the door, that he said, Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam; why feignest thou thyself to be another? for I am sent to thee with heavy tidings.

  • 1 Kings 19:17

    And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.

  • Job 34:10

    Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
have I.
1Sa 13:13; 15:22; 1Ki 14:6; 17:1; 18:17; 2Ki 1:16; 2Ch 21:12
Isa 58:1; Jer 1:10,18; 5:14; 13:13; Eze 3:9; 43:3; Ac 7:31
I have.
1Ki 19:17; Isa 11:4; Jer 23:29; Heb 4:12; Re 1:16; 2:16; 9:15,21
and thy judgments are as. or, that thy judgments might be as,etc.
Ge 18:25; Job 34:10; Ps 37:6; 119:120; Zep 3:5; Ro 2:5

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

Context

  • Hosea 6:4

    O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.

  • Hosea 6:5

    Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.

  • Hosea 6:6

    For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

Read all of Hosea 6

Hosea 6:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Por esta causa corté con los profetas, con las palabras de mi boca los maté; y tus juicios serán como luz que sale.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		C’est pourquoi je les ai hachés par les prophètes, je les ai tués par les paroles de ma bouche… Et mon jugement sort comme la lumière.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Darum habe ich sie behauen durch die Propheten, habe sie getötet durch die Worte meines Mundes; und mein Gericht geht hervor wie das Licht.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Propter hoc dolavi in prophetis; occidi eos in verbis oris mei: et judicia tua quasi lux egredientur.