Hosea 5:14 Meaning and Explanation
“For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue him.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →God declares that His judgment will be as fierce and final as a lion, and no human power can deliver from it.
What Does Hosea 5:14 Mean?
The gentle image of the moth now gives way to the lion. The LORD says I will be as a lion to Ephraim and as a young lion to Judah. The doubled I, even I makes the warning personal and certain: it is God Himself who will tear and go away and take away, and none shall rescue him. The alliances they trusted will be powerless to deliver.
There is a holy fierceness in God's response to persistent sin, for love that will not let us go cannot be indifferent to what destroys us. The lion's tearing is meant to drive the people to their only refuge, which is God Himself. And the lion of Hosea points forward to the Lion of the tribe of Judah, who triumphed not by tearing the guilty but by being torn for them, that none who come to Him should ever be snatched away.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hosea 5:14
What does Hosea 5:14 mean?
God declares that His judgment will be as fierce and final as a lion, and no human power can deliver from it.