The Meaning of Hosea 1:5 Explained

Hosea 1:5

KJV: And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.

YLT: and it hath come to pass in that day that I have broken the bow of Israel, in the valley of Jezreel.'

Darby: And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jizreel.

ASV: And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it shall come to pass at that day,  that I will break  the bow  of Israel  in the valley  of Jezreel. 

What does Hosea 1:5 Mean?

Verse Meaning

This name of Hosea"s first son would also point to a future judgment that would also take place in the valley near Jezreel. It would happen on "that day," namely, a future unspecified day. Yahweh promised to break Israel"s military strength, symbolized by an archer"s bow, there then. The Assyrian king Tiglath-Pilesar III fulfilled this prophecy when he invaded and defeated Israel there in733 B.C. ( 2 Kings 15:29; cf. 2 Kings 17:3-5). Gideon had defeated the Midianites in this valley ( Judges 6:33; Judges 7), the Philistines had defeated the Israelites under Saul"s leadership there ( 1 Samuel 29:1; 1 Samuel 29:11; 1 Samuel 31), and Pharaoh Neco II defeated Josiah there after the Assyrians attacked ( 2 Kings 23:29-30).

Context Summary

Hosea 1:1-11 - God Gathers The Outcast
The story of Hosea is a pathetic one. He felt impressed that it was his duty to take as wife one whose earlier life had been unchaste. From this marriage resulted three children, the names of whom are terribly significant. They are as follows:-God will scatter; Not an object of favor; and Once my people, but not so now. Here is the history of many a soul. In spite of all God's tender love, we may wander from Him into the path of sin.
The chapter closes with brighter prognostications. In part, these latter verses were fulfilled by the return from Babylon, and they will be fulfilled in literal fulness someday-probably sooner than we have been wont to suppose. It is good to lay the emphasis on In the place"¦ there. How often we are taken back to the very circumstances in which we appear to have failed most conspicuously, in order that there we may receive the crowning blessing of our life, Hosea 1:10. Leave God to vindicate you. He will bring you from the land of the enemy, and extort, this confession from the mouth of your critics and foes, Hosea 1:10. [source]

Chapter Summary: Hosea 1

1  Hosea, to show God's judgment for spiritual unfaithfulness, takes Gomer,
4  and has by her Jezreel;
6  Loruhamah;
8  and Lo-Ammi
10  The restoration of Judah and Israel under one head

What do the individual words in Hosea 1:5 mean?

And it shall come to pass in day that I will break - the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel
וְהָיָ֖ה בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא וְשָֽׁבַרְתִּי֙ אֶת־ קֶ֣שֶׁת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּעֵ֖מֶק יִזְרְעֶֽאל

וְהָיָ֖ה  And  it  shall  come  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
בַּיּ֣וֹם  in  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַה֑וּא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
וְשָֽׁבַרְתִּי֙  I  will  break 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁבוּר 
Sense: to break, break in pieces.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
קֶ֣שֶׁת  the  bow 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: קֶשֶׁת  
Sense: bow.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
בְּעֵ֖מֶק  in  the  Valley 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עֵמֶק  
Sense: valley, vale, lowland, open country.
יִזְרְעֶֽאל  of  Jezreel 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יִזְרְעֶאל 
Sense: a descendant of the father or founder of Etam of Judah.