The Meaning of Hosea 6:4 Explained

Hosea 6:4

KJV: O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.

YLT: What do I do to thee, O Ephraim? What do I do to thee, O Judah? Your goodness is as a cloud of the morning, And as dew rising early -- going.

Darby: What shall I do unto thee, Ephraim? What shall I do unto thee, Judah? For your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the dew that early passeth away.

ASV: O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the dew that goeth early away.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

O Ephraim,  what shall I do  unto thee? O Judah,  what shall I do  unto thee? for your goodness  [is] as a morning  cloud,  and as the early  dew  it goeth away. 

What does Hosea 6:4 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Lord twice asked rhetorically what He would do with Ephraim and Judah. The questions express frustration, helplessness, and despair more than inquiry. The loyal love (Heb. hesed, cf. Hosea 2:19; Hosea 4:1) of these elect nations, expressed in their obedience to Yahweh"s covenant, was as short-lived as the morning fog or as dew. Both disappear quickly, especially in the hot Palestinian sun.

Context Summary

Hosea 6:1-11 - "let Us Return Unto The Lord"
How full Scripture is of tender invitations: Come, and let us return! This opening verse is closely connected with Hosea 5:15. The hand that smote was the Father's who waited to welcome the prodigal nation with healing and up-binding. When the sun seems to dip below the horizon, we begin to travel toward its rising again. Then we follow on, to behold the glorious dawn of the next day, which is prepared for us. Presently we catch the first glimpse, and soon come into its full splendor. The sun does not move toward us, but we toward it. So when the soul turns toward God, if only it is willing to do His will, it has begun to follow on toward the light of His countenance, which presently will be revealed in its full radiance. God's favor is also compared to the fertilizing rain, for its certainty and refreshment, Genesis 8:22.
While God's love is constant, our religious life is fickle and changeful. Emotion is evanescent as the morning clouds, which in Palestine vanish by nine or ten o'clock. Our Lord quoted Hosea 5:6 in Matthew 9:13; Matthew 12:7. The pomp of outward ritual, however ornate, counts less with God than one contrite sigh or tear. [source]

Chapter Summary: Hosea 6

1  Exhortations to repent and hope in God
4  A lamentation over those who had sinned after conviction
5  Reproofs of obstinate sinners, and threats against them

What do the individual words in Hosea 6:4 mean?

What shall I do to you Ephraim shall I do Judah for your faithfulness is like a cloud morning and like the dew early it goes away
מָ֤ה אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־ לְּךָ֙ אֶפְרַ֔יִם אֶעֱשֶׂה־ יְהוּדָ֑ה וְחַסְדְּכֶם֙ כַּֽעֲנַן־ בֹּ֔קֶר וְכַטַּ֖ל מַשְׁכִּ֥ים הֹלֵֽךְ

אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־  shall  I  do 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
לְּךָ֙  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
אֶפְרַ֔יִם  Ephraim 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶפְרַיִם  
Sense: second son of Joseph, blessed by him and given preference over first son, Manasseh.
אֶעֱשֶׂה־  shall  I  do 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
יְהוּדָ֑ה  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
וְחַסְדְּכֶם֙  for  your  faithfulness  is 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine plural
Root: חֶסֶד 
Sense: goodness, kindness, faithfulness.
כַּֽעֲנַן־  like  a  cloud 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עָנָן  
Sense: cloud, cloudy, cloud-mass.
בֹּ֔קֶר  morning 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֹּקֶר 
Sense: morning, break of day.
וְכַטַּ֖ל  and  like  the  dew 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: טַל  
Sense: dew, night mist.
מַשְׁכִּ֥ים  early 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁכַם  
Sense: to rise or start early.
הֹלֵֽךְ  it  goes  away 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.