Hosea 13:16 Meaning and Explanation
“Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Samaria, the capital, will be devastated for its rebellion, suffering the full horror of conquest.
What Does Hosea 13:16 Mean?
The chapter closes with a stark pronouncement over Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom. The cause is named plainly, for she hath rebelled against her God. The consequence is the brutal reality of ancient warfare: the sword, and atrocities visited even upon infants and expectant mothers. Hosea does not look away from the horror, for the suffering of conquest was the bitter harvest of a nation's long refusal to return.
Scripture records such darkness so that the weight of sin and the seriousness of God's holiness are never underestimated. The desolation of Samaria stands as a sober witness to where rebellion leads. Yet even this closing grief is not the end of Hosea's message, for the book moves on to plead, in the next chapter, return to the LORD. The verse leaves the reader trembling at the cost of turning away and longing for the mercy that is still, astonishingly, held out to all who will come back to God.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hosea 13:16
What does Hosea 13:16 mean?
Samaria, the capital, will be devastated for its rebellion, suffering the full horror of conquest.