The Meaning of Hosea 8:7 Explained

Hosea 8:7

KJV: For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.

YLT: For wind they sow, and a hurricane they reap, Stalk it hath none -- a shoot not yielding grain, If so be it yield -- strangers do swallow it up.

Darby: For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk; should it sprout, it would yield no meal; if so be it yield, strangers shall swallow it up.

ASV: For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: he hath no standing grain; the blade shall yield no meal; if so be it yield, strangers shall swallow it up.

Discover Hosea 8:7

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Hosea 8:7?

MEANING: What does Hosea 8:7 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Hosea 8:7 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Hosea 8:7?

What is the context of Hosea 8:7?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.

What does Hosea 8:7 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Normally farmers sowed seed and reaped grain, but Israel had sowed the wind, something foolish and worthless (cf. Job 7:7; Proverbs 11:29; Ecclesiastes 1:14; Ecclesiastes 1:17), namely, idolatry. Consequently instead of reaping something beneficial and nourishing he would reap a whirlwind, something equally vain but also destructive. Sowing the wind and reaping the whirlwind may have been a proverb in Israel. ^[1] The literal seed the Israelites sowed would grow up but not produce any grain, only bare stalks without heads. If the land did yield some grain, strangers would confiscate it and the Israelites would not benefit from it.

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 8:7 mean?

For the wind they sow and the whirlwind Reap the stalk has no to bud never it shall produce meal If it should produce Aliens would swallow it up

כִּ֛י ר֥וּחַ יִזְרָ֖עוּ וְסוּפָ֣תָה יִקְצֹ֑רוּ קָמָ֣ה אֵֽין־ ל֗וֹ צֶ֚מַח בְּלִ֣י יַֽעֲשֶׂה־ קֶּ֔מַח אוּלַ֣י יַֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה זָרִ֖ים יִבְלָעֻֽהוּ

ר֥וּחַ	the wind
Parse: Noun, common singular Root: רוּחַ Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
יִזְרָ֖עוּ	they sow
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural Root: זָרַע Sense: to sow, scatter seed.
וְסוּפָ֣תָה	and the whirlwind
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular, third person feminine singular Root: סוּפָה Sense: storm-wind.
יִקְצֹ֑רוּ	Reap
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural Root: קָצוּר Sense: to be short, be impatient, be vexed, be grieved.
קָמָ֣ה	the stalk
Parse: Noun, feminine singular Root: קָמָה Sense: standing grain.
אֵֽין־	has no
Parse: Adverb Root: אַיִן Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
צֶ֚מַח	bud
Parse: Noun, masculine singular Root: צֶמַח Sense: sprout, growth, branch.
בְּלִ֣י	never
Parse: Adverb Root: בְּלִי Sense: wearing out adv of negation.
יַֽעֲשֶׂה־	it shall produce
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular Root: עָשָׂה Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
קֶּ֔מַח	meal
Parse: Noun, masculine singular Root: קֶמַח Sense: flour, meal, meal flour.
יַֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה	it should produce
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular Root: עָשָׂה Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
זָרִ֖ים	Aliens
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural Root: זוּר Sense: to be strange, be a stranger.
יִבְלָעֻֽהוּ	would swallow it up
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, third person masculine singular Root: בָּלַע Sense: to swallow down, swallow up, engulf, eat up.

What are the major concepts related to Hosea 8:7?

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Similar Scriptures for Hosea 8:7

		Proverbs 22:8 [6]
		Galatians 6:7 [4]
		Job 4:8 [4]
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		Hosea 7:9 [3]
		Deuteronomy 28:33 [2]
		2 Kings 15:29 [2]
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