Hosea 13:2 Meaning and Explanation
“And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Rather than turn back, the people multiply their idols, fashioning gods by their own design and offering them worship.
What Does Hosea 13:2 Mean?
The indictment moves from the past into the present moment. Instead of learning from Ephraim's downfall, the people press deeper into idolatry, melting their silver into images and shaping gods after their own ideas. The detail that it is all the work of craftsmen is pointed: these objects of worship come from human hands and human imagination. The closing line pictures worshipers kissing calf-idols, a gesture of homage given to lifeless metal.
Here is the heart of the tragedy, devotion poured out on what we ourselves have made. When people fashion gods according to their own understanding, they end up bowing to a reflection of their own desires rather than to the One who made them. Scripture exposes how empty this is and how far it stands from true worship. The call beneath the rebuke is to turn from the work of our hands and lift our love to the living God, who alone is worthy of the homage these calves could never deserve.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hosea 13:2
What does Hosea 13:2 mean?
Rather than turn back, the people multiply their idols, fashioning gods by their own design and offering them worship.