The Meaning of Hosea 10:3 Explained

Hosea 10:3

KJV: For now they shall say, We have no king, because we feared not the LORD; what then should a king do to us?

YLT: For now they say: We have no king, Because we have not feared Jehovah, And the king -- what doth he for us?

Darby: For now they will say, We have no king, for we feared not Jehovah; and a king, what can he do for us?

ASV: Surely now shall they say, We have no king; for we fear not Jehovah; and the king, what can he do for us?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For now they shall say,  We have no king,  because we feared  not the LORD;  what then should a king  do  to us? 

What does Hosea 10:3 Mean?

Verse Meaning

When the Lord brought destruction, the people would realize that their self-appointed king had failed them and that they did not respect the Lord. They would acknowledge that no human king could help them. Hoshea would prove to be Israel"s last king, and perhaps he was already on the throne when Hosea gave this prophecy.

Context Summary

Hosea 10:1-15 - "break Up Your Fallow Ground"
Israel brought forth fruit, but not such as God could delight in. It was corrupt and evil. How great a disappointment to the Great Cultivator! The land was covered with obelisks and altars, the symbols of idolatry, and the Canaanites themselves had not been more shameless in sin. But notice the terrible judgments that must befall. There would be revolution, for when men say, We fear not the Lord, they will go on to say, We fear not the king. Beth-aven, the "house of vanity," would replace Beth-el, the "house of God." The golden calves would be carried off by the conqueror. The king would perish as foam upon the water. The yoke of conquest would be placed on Ephraim's fair neck. The fortresses of Israel would be carried by assault, with all the accompaniments of savage warfare. Is it not "an evil thing and bitter" to forsake the Lord!
Is it not time that we should look into our hearts and lives, break up the fallow ground, now covered with thorns and thistles, and begin to sow in righteousness? Let us ask God to drive the plowshares of deep soul-searching and conviction across the hard and sterile acres of our hearts, and sow them with His good seed. [source]

Chapter Summary: Hosea 10

1  Israel is reproved and threatened for their impiety and idolatry,
12  and exhorted to repentance

What do the individual words in Hosea 10:3 mean?

For now they say no king we have because not we did fear - Yahweh and as for a king what would he do for us
כִּ֤י עַתָּה֙ יֹֽאמְר֔וּ אֵ֥ין מֶ֖לֶךְ לָ֑נוּ כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יָרֵ֙אנוּ֙ אֶת־ יְהֹוָ֔ה‪‬‪‬ וְהַמֶּ֖לֶךְ מַה־ יַּֽעֲשֶׂה־ לָּֽנוּ

עַתָּה֙  now 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
יֹֽאמְר֔וּ  they  say 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֵ֥ין  no 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
מֶ֖לֶךְ  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
לָ֑נוּ  we  have 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
כִּ֣י  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
יָרֵ֙אנוּ֙  we  did  fear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common plural
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
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.
יְהֹוָ֔ה‪‬‪‬  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וְהַמֶּ֖לֶךְ  and  as  for  a  king 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
יַּֽעֲשֶׂה־  would  he  do 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
לָּֽנוּ  for  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural