Hosea 6:10 Meaning and Explanation
“I have seen an horrible thing in the house of Israel: there is the whoredom of Ephraim, Israel is defiled.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →God has witnessed a horrifying thing in Israel -- Ephraim's spiritual unfaithfulness has defiled the whole nation.
What Does Hosea 6:10 Mean?
God gives His own verdict on what He has seen: something horrible in the house of Israel. Ephraim, the leading northern tribe, stands for the whole nation, and its 'whoredom' is the recurring image of chasing other gods and other loves instead of the LORD.
Defilement is the loss of the holiness God intended for His people. The horror in this verse is not God's overreaction but His honest grief at a covenant marriage betrayed. Yet the same God who sees the worst is the One who, throughout Hosea, keeps pursuing His unfaithful people. To be seen by God is frightening for the guilty, but it is also the beginning of being restored.
Hosea 6:10 in the Original Language
zenuth (זְנוּת), 'whoredom' -- unfaithfulness pictured as adultery, the betrayal of covenant love.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hosea 6:10
What does Hosea 6:10 mean?
God has witnessed a horrifying thing in Israel -- Ephraim's spiritual unfaithfulness has defiled the whole nation.