Bible Strands
Hosea 7:15
Although I trained and strengthened their arms, they plot evil against Me.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — God addresses Israel during a period of superficial wailing for material needs while deliberately turning away from Him. He speaks as the one who previously provided their training and physical capability.
The words — The verb יִסַּ֔רְתִּי (yi.Sar.ti) literally means "I instructed" or "I disciplined," and חִזַּ֖קְתִּי (chi.Zak.ti) means "I strengthened." These terms describe God's active provision of their capacity before their rebellion.
The thread — God's discipline and strengthening meet human plotting in Nahum 1:9, the blessing of divine instruction appears in Psalms 94:12, and God's covenant grace toward Israel is noted in 2 Kings 13:23.
Why it lands — The text states that God provided training and strength, yet the people plotted evil against Him. It asks the reader to recognize that divine provision does not guarantee loyalty and to examine whether outward religious acts mask a heart turned away from God.
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
Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me.
Cross-references
- Nahum 1:9 Whatever you plot against the LORD, He will bring to an end. Affliction will not rise up a second time.
- Psalms 94:12 Blessed is the man You discipline, O LORD, and teach from Your law,
- 2 Kings 13:23 But the LORD was gracious to Israel and had compassion on them, and He turned toward them because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And to this day, the LORD has been unwilling to destroy them or cast them from His presence.
- 2 Kings 14:25 This Jeroboam restored the boundary of Israel from Lebo-hamath to the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word that the LORD, the God of Israel, had spoken through His servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath-hepher.
- Job 5:17 Blessed indeed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.
- Psalms 2:1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
- Psalms 62:3 How long will you threaten a man? Will all of you throw him down like a leaning wall or a tottering fence?
- Psalms 106:43 Many times He rescued them, but they were bent on rebellion and sank down in their iniquity.
- Proverbs 3:11 My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD, and do not loathe His rebuke;
- Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?