The Meaning of Hosea 8:1 Explained

Hosea 8:1

KJV: Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.

YLT: Unto thy mouth -- a trumpet, As an eagle against the house of Jehovah, Because they transgressed My covenant, And against My law they have rebelled.

Darby: Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He cometh as an eagle against the house of Jehovah, because they have transgressed my covenant, and rebelled against my law.

ASV: Set the trumpet to thy mouth. As an eagle he cometh against the house of Jehovah, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

[Set] the trumpet  to thy mouth.  [He shall come] as an eagle  against the house  of the LORD,  because they have transgressed  my covenant,  and trespassed  against my law. 

What does Hosea 8:1 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Lord commanded Hosea to announce coming judgment by telling him to put a trumpet to his lips. The blowing of the shophar announced that an invader was coming (cf. Hosea 5:8). Israel"s enemy would swoop down on the nation as an eagle attacking its prey (cf. Hosea 5:14; Deuteronomy 28:49). The "house of the LORD" refers to the people of Israel, His household. The reason for this judgment was Israel"s transgression (overstepping) of Yahweh"s covenant (the Mosaic Covenant) and the nation"s rebellion against His Law (the Mosaic Law; cf. Hosea 7:13).

Context Summary

Hosea 8:1-14 - Reaping The Whirlwind
A conqueror was at hand who should subdue and punish the whole nation for taking its own course, irrespective of God, Hosea 8:4-8; for seeking foreign alliances which could bring only oppression in their train, Hosea 8:9-10; and for multiplying altars and fortresses which were destined to be destroyed, Hosea 8:11; Hosea 8:14. The circumstances referred to in this chapter seem to point to the reigns of Menahem and Uzziah, 2 Kings 15:19; 2 Chronicles 26:6-15.
Hosea 8:5 is very striking. Israel had renounced Jehovah for the likeness of a calf, and now in the misfortunes which had overtaken them, their calf had cast them off. What is it that you are putting in the place of God? Power, wealth, the help of influential friends? Sooner or later it will fail you. How different is the One who perpetually encourages us, saying, "I will not fail nor forsake thee," and who promises to carry us to hoar hairs. The persistence with which Israel turned to other lovers left God no option but to put them back into a furnace such as Egypt had been, which would finally burn put their apostasy. Only when we walk before God with a perfect heart are we strong and happy. Once entangle yourself with expedients and alliances, and you lay yourself open to many sorrows. [source]

Chapter Summary: Hosea 8

1  Destruction is threatened both to Israel and Judah for their impiety and idolatry

What do the individual words in Hosea 8:1 mean?

To your mouth [Set] the trumpet [He shall come] like an eagle against the house of Yahweh because they have transgressed My covenant and against My law rebelled
אֶל־ חִכְּךָ֣ שֹׁפָ֔ר כַּנֶּ֖שֶׁר עַל־ בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה יַ֚עַן עָבְר֣וּ בְרִיתִ֔י וְעַל־ תּוֹרָתִ֖י פָּשָֽׁעוּ

חִכְּךָ֣  your  mouth 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: חֵךְ  
Sense: mouth, palate, taste, gums.
שֹׁפָ֔ר  [Set]  the  trumpet 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֹׁופָר  
Sense: horn, ram’s horn.
כַּנֶּ֖שֶׁר  [He  shall  come]  like  an  eagle 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נֶשֶׁר  
Sense: eagle, vulture, griffon-vulture.
עַל־  against 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
בֵּ֣ית  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
יְהוָ֑ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
יַ֚עַן  because 
Parse: Adverb
Root: יַעַן  
Sense: because, therefore, because that, on account of prep.
עָבְר֣וּ  they  have  transgressed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
בְרִיתִ֔י  My  covenant 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: בְּרִית  
Sense: covenant, alliance, pledge.
וְעַל־  and  against 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
תּוֹרָתִ֖י  My  law 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: תֹּורָה  
Sense: law, direction, instruction.
פָּשָֽׁעוּ  rebelled 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: פָּשַׁע  
Sense: to rebel, transgress, revolt.