Hosea 8:6
4 They set up kings, but not by Me. They make princes, but without My approval. With their silver and gold they make themselves idols, to their own destruction.
5 He has rejected your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence?
For this thing is from Israel— a craftsman made it, and it is not God. It will be broken to pieces, that calf of Samaria.
7 For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. There is no standing grain; what sprouts fails to yield flour. Even if it should produce, the foreigners would swallow it up.
8 Israel is swallowed up! Now they are among the nations like a worthless vessel.
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- For this thing is from Israel— a craftsman made it, and it is not God. It will be broken to pieces, that calf of Samaria.
- KJV
- For from Israel was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.
- WEB
- For this is even from Israel! The workman made it, and it is no God; indeed, the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.
- ASV
- For from Israel is even this; the workman made it, and it is no God; yea, the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.
- DARBY
- For from Israel is this also: a workman made it, and it is no God: for the calf of Samaria shall be [broken in] pieces.
- BLB
- For it [is] from Israel. A workman made it, and it [is] not God. Surely the calf of Samaria will be broken to pieces.
- ÅB
- For et verk av Israel er den, en kunstner har gjort den, og den er ikke noen gud; ja, til splinter skal den bli Samarias kalv.
- OTB
- For fra Israel kommer til og med dette!
En håndverker laget den, så den er ikke Gud;
Sannelig, Samarias kalv vil bli knust. - B1930
- For et verk av Israel er den, en kunstner har gjort den, og den er ikke nogen gud; ja, til splinter skal den bli Samarias kalv.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Habakkuk 2:18
What use is an idol, that a craftsman should carve it— or an image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak.
Read in contextJeremiah 10:3–9
For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut down a tree from the forest; it is shaped with a chisel by the hands of a craftsman.
Read in contextJeremiah 10:14
Every man is senseless and devoid of knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols. For his molten images are a fraud, and there is no breath in them.
Read in contextPsalms 106:19–20
At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped a molten image.
Read in contextIsaiah 44:9–20
All makers of idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend, so they are put to shame.
Read in contextPsalms 115:4–8
Their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men.
Read in contextActs 19:26
And you can see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in nearly the whole province of Asia, Paul has persuaded a great number of people to turn away. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all.
Read in contextJeremiah 43:12–13
I will kindle a fire in the temples of the gods of Egypt, and Nebuchadnezzar will burn those temples and take their gods as captives. So he will wrap himself with the land of Egypt as a shepherd wraps himself in his garment, and he will depart from there unscathed.
Read in context