Hosea 7:16

They turn, but not to the Most High; they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword for the cursing of their tongue; for this they will be ridiculed in the land of Egypt.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — YHWH declares judgment through Hosea to the northern kingdom of Israel during a time of political fragmentation, immediately following the statement that God trained their arms only for them to plot evil against Him.

The words — The Hebrew יָשׁ֣וּבוּ (ya.shuvu) means "they turn," directly modified by לֹא עַל עֶלְיוֹן (lo al elyon) to state they turn but not toward the Most High, while רְמִיָּה (remiyah) describes the "slackness" that renders them like a faulty bow.

The thread — The text's description of turning but failing to return to God runs in Psalms 78:57, and the warning of military defeat coupled with mockery in Egypt aligns with Hosea 9:3.

Why it lands — The passage asserts that political maneuvering and arrogant speech cannot replace covenant allegiance, resulting in the leaders falling by the sword and the nation facing foreign ridicule.

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

יָשׁ֣וּבוּ׀ya.Shu.vuthey turn לֹ֣אlo'not עָ֗ל'Alheight הָיוּ֙ha.Yuthey have become כְּקֶ֣שֶׁתke./Ke.shetlike/ a bow of רְמִיָּ֔הre.mi.Yahslackness יִפְּל֥וּyi.pe.Luthey will fall בַחֶ֛רֶבva./Che.revby the/ sword שָׂרֵיהֶ֖םsa.rei./Hemleaders/ their מִזַּ֣עַםmi./Za.'amfrom/ [the] indignation of לְשׁוֹנָ֑םle.sho.Na/mtongue/ their ז֥וֹzothis לַעְגָּ֖םla'.Ga/m[will be] mockery/ their בְּאֶ֥רֶץbe./'E.retzin/ [the] land of מִצְרָֽיִם׃mitz.Ra.yimEgypt

King James Version

They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

Cross-references

Psalms 78:57 They turned back and were faithless like their fathers, twisted like a faulty bow.
Hosea 9:3 They will not remain in the land of the LORD; Ephraim will return to Egypt and eat unclean food in Assyria.
Psalms 73:9 They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongues strut across the earth.
Ezekiel 23:32 This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘You will drink your sister’s cup, a cup deep and wide. It will bring scorn and derision, for it holds so much.
Psalms 12:4 They say, “With our tongues we will prevail. We own our lips—who can be our master?”
Hosea 9:6 For even if they flee destruction, Egypt will gather them and Memphis will bury them. Their precious silver will be taken over by thistles, and thorns will overrun their tents.
Matthew 12:36 But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.
Psalms 52:2 Your tongue devises destruction like a sharpened razor, O worker of deceit.
Psalms 57:4 My soul is among the lions; I lie down with ravenous beasts—with men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.
Psalms 78:37 Their hearts were disloyal to Him, and they were unfaithful to His covenant.