Hosea 13:3 Meaning and Explanation
“Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Because of their idolatry, the people will vanish as quickly as morning mist, dew, blown chaff, and rising smoke.
What Does Hosea 13:3 Mean?
Four images of fleeting things gather here to describe the coming judgment. Morning cloud and early dew burn off the moment the sun rises; chaff is swept from the threshing floor by a sudden wind; smoke disappears as it leaves the chimney. Each picture says the same thing in a different key: what the people have built on idols has no permanence and will not last the day.
The same imagery that warns also instructs. A life rooted in things that cannot endure will itself prove unable to endure. Scripture sets this passing vapor against the steadfastness of the LORD, who does not fade or blow away. The verse quietly invites the reader to ask what their own life is anchored to, and to fasten their hope to the One whose word stands forever, when every cloud, dew, chaff, and wisp of smoke has long since vanished.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hosea 13:3
What does Hosea 13:3 mean?
Because of their idolatry, the people will vanish as quickly as morning mist, dew, blown chaff, and rising smoke.