Hosea 10:3

Surely now they will say, “We have no king, for we do not revere the LORD. What can a king do for us?”

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The people of Israel will confess they lack a king because they ceased fearing the LORD, speaking after God’s promise to demolish their altars and sacred pillars.

The words — The Hebrew אֵין ('ein) and מֶלֶךְ (Me.lekh) literally mean “not” and “king,” framing their political resignation as a direct consequence of abandoned reverence.

The thread — This abandonment of royal authority runs through Hosea 10:7, where Samaria’s king is swept away, and Hosea 13:11, where God’s anger both grants and removes their monarchy.

Why it lands — It requires the reader to acknowledge that human leadership cannot replace divine reverence, and that political claims made while rejecting God demand judgment.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

כִּ֤יkifor עַתָּה֙'a.Tahnow יֹֽאמְר֔וּyo.me.Ruthey will say אֵ֥ין'einnot מֶ֖לֶךְMe.lekha kingלָ֑נוּLa./nu[belongs] to/ usכִּ֣יkifor לֹ֤אlo'not יָרֵ֙אנוּ֙ya.Re.nuwe fear אֶת־'et-<obj.>יְהֹוָ֔הYah.wehYahweh וְהַמֶּ֖לֶךְve./ha./Me.lekhand/ the/ king מַה־mah-what?יַּֽעֲשֶׂה־ya.'a.seh-will he doלָּֽנוּ׃La./nufor/ us

King James Version

For now they shall say, We have no king, because we feared not the Lord; what then should a king do to us?

Cross-references

Hosea 10:15 Thus it will be done to you, O Bethel, because of your great wickedness. When the day dawns, the king of Israel will be utterly cut off.
Hosea 10:7 Samaria will be carried off with her king like a twig on the surface of the water.
Hosea 13:11 So in My anger I gave you a king, and in My wrath I took him away.
Genesis 49:10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes and the allegiance of the nations is his.
Hosea 3:4 For the Israelites must live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, and without ephod or idol.
Micah 4:9 Why do you now cry aloud? Is there no king among you? Has your counselor perished so that anguish grips you like a woman in labor?
John 19:15 At this, they shouted, “Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him!” “Shall I crucify your King?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” replied the chief priests.
Hosea 11:5 Will they not return to the land of Egypt and be ruled by Assyria because they refused to repent?