Bible Strands
Hosea 2:18
On that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air and the creatures that crawl on the ground. And I will abolish bow and sword and battle in the land, and will make them lie down in safety.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Yahweh addresses the covenant-breaking northern kingdom through the prophet Hosea, transitioning from declarations of judgment to promises of restoration. This declaration follows the removal of Baal worship and immediately precedes the metaphor of divine betrothal.
The words — כָּרַתִּי בְרִית (kha.rat-i be.rith) translates literally as "I will cut a covenant," establishing a binding agreement. The phrase בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא (ba.yom ha.hu) anchors the promise to a specific, future time of divine intervention.
The thread — The motif of ending violence and securing habitation appears in Ezekiel 34:25 and Ezekiel 39:9. The cessation of armed conflict and the breaking of weapons parallel the imagery in Psalms 46:9.
Why it lands — The text requires recognition that divine restoration involves both ecological peace and the complete elimination of human warfare. It demands that the reader acknowledge security is granted solely by Yahweh's unilateral action, not by human military preparation.
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
King James Version
And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely.
Cross-references
- Ezekiel 34:25 I will make with them a covenant of peace and rid the land of wild animals, so that they may dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the forest.
- Ezekiel 39:9 Then those who dwell in the cities of Israel will go out, kindle fires, and burn up the weapons—the bucklers and shields, the bows and arrows, the clubs and spears. For seven years they will use them for fuel.
- Psalms 46:9 He makes wars to cease throughout the earth; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the shields in the fire.
- Isaiah 11:6 The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the goat; the calf and young lion and fatling will be together, and a little child will lead them.
- Isaiah 65:25 The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but the food of the serpent will be dust. They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain,” says the LORD.
- Jeremiah 23:6 In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is His name by which He will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.
- Isaiah 2:4 Then He will judge between the nations and arbitrate for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer take up the sword against nation, nor train anymore for war.
- Job 5:23 For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field, and the wild animals will be at peace with you.
- Psalms 91:1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
- Micah 4:3 Then He will judge between many peoples and arbitrate for strong nations far and wide. Then they will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer take up the sword against nation, nor will they train anymore for war.