Hosea 9:1 Meaning and Explanation
“Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Hosea tells Israel not to celebrate like the nations around them, because their harvest festivals have become acts of unfaithfulness, crediting their grain to false gods instead of the LORD.
What Does Hosea 9:1 Mean?
Chapter 9 opens at harvest, the season of the threshing floor, when Israel would gather to feast and give thanks. But the prophet cuts off their celebration. Their joy has gone hollow, because they have turned from their God and treated each floor of grain as a wage earned from the idols they court. What should have been worship has become unfaithfulness dressed as festivity.
To rejoice while the heart is turned away is to deceive oneself. The LORD wants gladness, but gladness rooted in him, not in gifts mistaken for the giver. The harvest itself came from his hand, and to thank another for it is to forget who feeds us. True joy is never far from a true God, and the soul that finds its reward in him alone has cause to rejoice that no failed crop can take away.
Hosea 9:1 in the Original Language
zanah (זָנָה), 'gone a whoring' -- to be unfaithful, breaking covenant as a spouse breaks the marriage bond.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hosea 9:1
What does Hosea 9:1 mean?
Hosea tells Israel not to celebrate like the nations around them, because their harvest festivals have become acts of unfaithfulness, crediting their grain to false gods instead of the LORD.