Hosea 5:5

Israel’s arrogance testifies against them; Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity; even Judah stumbles with them.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The prophet Hosea addresses the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah during a period of entrenched spiritual decline. He speaks at a moment when their outward religious observance has completely severed their knowledge of the LORD.

The words — The text identifies גְאֽוֹן (ge'on, "pride" or "arrogance") as the evidence that testifies against Israel, while יִכָּֽשְׁלוּ (yikashelu, "they will stumble") describes how Israel, Ephraim, and Judah fall under their own iniquity.

The thread — The specific phrase that arrogance testifies against a people reappears in Hosea 7:10. The contrast between the righteous rising after falling and the wicked stumbling in trouble is recorded in Proverbs 24:16, while the consequence of following an idolatrous path is detailed in Ezekiel 23:31.

Why it lands — The verse requires readers to see that spiritual pride actively prevents genuine repentance and makes religious ritual futile. It demands a direct examination of whether one's actions are producing humility or merely covering iniquity.

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

וְעָנָ֥הve./'a.Nahand/ it testifies גְאֽוֹן־ge.'on-[the] pride of יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לYis.ra.'ElIsrael בְּפָנָ֑יוbe./fa.Na/vin/ face/ its וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֣לve./Yis.ra.'Eland/ Israel וְאֶפְרַ֗יִםve./'ef.Ra.yimand/ Ephraim יִכָּֽשְׁלוּ֙yi.ka.she.Luthey will stumble בַּעֲוֹנָ֔םba./'a.vo.Na/mon/ iniquity/ their כָּשַׁ֥לka.Shalit will stumble גַּם־gam-also יְהוּדָ֖הye.hu.DahJudah עִמָּֽם׃'i.Ma/mwith/ them

King James Version

And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity; Judah also shall fall with them.

Cross-references

Hosea 7:10 Israel’s arrogance testifies against them, yet they do not return to the LORD their God; despite all this, they do not seek Him.
Proverbs 24:16 For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.
Ezekiel 23:31 Because you have followed the path of your sister, I will put her cup into your hand.’
Amos 5:2 “Fallen is Virgin Israel, never to rise again. She lies abandoned on her land, with no one to raise her up.”
Luke 19:22 His master replied, ‘You wicked servant, I will judge you by your own words. So you knew that I am a harsh man, withdrawing what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow?
2 Kings 17:19 and even Judah did not keep the commandments of the LORD their God, but lived according to the customs Israel had introduced.
Proverbs 11:5 The righteousness of the blameless directs their path, but the wicked fall by their own wickedness.
Proverbs 11:21 Be assured that the wicked will not go unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will escape.
Proverbs 14:32 The wicked man is thrown down by his own sin, but the righteous man has a refuge even in death.
Proverbs 30:13 There is a generation—how haughty are their eyes and pretentious are their glances—