The Meaning of Hosea 9:1 Explained

Hosea 9:1

KJV: Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor.

YLT: 'Rejoice not, O Israel, be not joyful like the peoples, For thou hast gone a-whoring from thy God, Thou hast loved a gift near all floors of corn.

Darby: Rejoice not, Israel, exultingly, as the peoples; for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved harlot's hire upon every corn-floor.

ASV: Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, like the peoples; for thou hast played the harlot, departing from thy God; thou hast loved hire upon every grain-floor.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Rejoice  not, O Israel,  for joy,  as [other] people:  for thou hast gone a whoring  from thy God,  thou hast loved  a reward  upon every cornfloor. 

What does Hosea 9:1 Mean?

Context Summary

Hosea 9:1-9 - "the Days Of Recompense Are Come"
The subject of this chapter is the bitterness of the captivity which was awaiting Israel as the result of their unfaithfulness. Their exile would put an effectual end to their idolatrous and sensual feasts. Every pleasure would be removed and every taste would be offended. The contrasts here are very significant. If men choose unclean things when they might have clean, a situation will be created in which only unclean things shall be attainable, Hosea 9:3. If they withhold God's offerings when they have plenty, they will presently be reduced to such straits as not to have wherewith to sacrifice or even to sustain life, Hosea 9:4-5. If we go down to Egypt for help, in Egypt we shall die, Hosea 9:6-7. In other words, every sin carries within itself the seed of its own avenging. If allowed to work itself out, its harvest is unutterable and irretrievable.
What a privilege Ephraim had within his grasp, as a watchman with God, Hosea 9:8! It is to this privilege, also, that our Savior calls all of us. He says to us, as He said to His disciples, Tarry ye here and watch with me. But too often we refuse to heed the gracious challenge, and allow ourselves to be seduced by the tempter, or by the sloth and corruption of our own hearts, Hosea 9:8-9. [source]

Chapter Summary: Hosea 9

1  The distress and captivity of Israel for their sins

What do the individual words in Hosea 9:1 mean?

Not do rejoice Israel with joy like [other] peoples for you have played the harlot against your God You have made love [for] hire on every floors threshing floor
אַל־ תִּשְׂמַ֨ח יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל ׀ אֶל־ גִּיל֙ ! כָּֽעַמִּ֔ים כִּ֥י זָנִ֖יתָ מֵעַ֣ל אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ אָהַ֣בְתָּ אֶתְנָ֔ן עַ֖ל כָּל־ גָּרְנ֥וֹת דָּגָֽן

תִּשְׂמַ֨ח  do  rejoice 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׂמַח  
Sense: to rejoice, be glad.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל ׀  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.
גִּיל֙  joy 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: גִּיל 
Sense: a rejoicing.
! כָּֽעַמִּ֔ים  like  [other]  peoples 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
זָנִ֖יתָ  you  have  played  the  harlot 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: זָנָה 
Sense: to commit fornication, be a harlot, play the harlot.
מֵעַ֣ל  against 
Parse: Preposition-m
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.
אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אָהַ֣בְתָּ  You  have  made  love 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: אָהַב  
Sense: to love.
אֶתְנָ֔ן  [for]  hire 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶתְנָן  
Sense: hire of prostitute, price.
כָּל־  every 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
גָּרְנ֥וֹת  floors 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: גֹּרֶן  
Sense: threshing-floor.
דָּגָֽן  threshing  floor 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּגָן  
Sense: wheat, cereal, grain, corn.