Hosea 6:5 Meaning and Explanation
“Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →God has used His prophets and words to cut and break His people, and His judgments shine forth as plainly as light.
What Does Hosea 6:5 Mean?
Because their devotion kept fading, God sent prophets whose words struck like a chisel and a sword. This is the divine response to the morning-cloud goodness of the previous verse -- not abandonment, but a sharper word meant to shape and awaken.
The image is severe yet hopeful: the same word that wounds is the word that heals, echoing the torn-and-bound-up promise of verse 1. God's judgments go forth like light, exposing what is hidden so it can be dealt with. His correction is never cruelty; it is the painful clarity of a love that refuses to leave us in the dark.
Hosea 6:5 in the Original Language
chatsav (חָצַב), 'hewed' -- to cut or hew as a stonecutter shapes rock, suggesting words that carve rather than caress.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hosea 6:5
What does Hosea 6:5 mean?
God has used His prophets and words to cut and break His people, and His judgments shine forth as plainly as light.