The Meaning of Hosea 9:3 Explained

Hosea 9:3

KJV: They shall not dwell in the LORD'S land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria.

YLT: They do not abide in the land of Jehovah, And turned back hath Ephraim to Egypt, And in Asshur an unclean thing they eat.

Darby: They shall not dwell in Jehovah's land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and in Assyria shall they eat that which is unclean.

ASV: They shall not dwell in Jehovah's land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean food in Assyria.

Discover Hosea 9:3

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Hosea 9:3?

MEANING: What does Hosea 9:3 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Hosea 9:3 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Hosea 9:3?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

They shall not dwell  in the LORD'S  land;  but Ephraim  shall return  to Egypt,  and they shall eat  unclean  [things] in Assyria. 

What does Hosea 9:3 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Israel would not remain in the Promised Land but would go into captivity (cf. Deuteronomy 11:8-21). Assyria, likened here to Egypt (cf. Hosea 7:16; Hosea 8:13; Hosea 11:5), would be the place the Israelites would eat unclean food (i.e, no longer be independent; 2 Kings 17:6; Ezekiel 4:13; Amos 7:17). She would eat defiled food in a defiled land because she had defiled herself with sin.
"The place of their captivity was first called "Egypt" (cf. Hosea 8:13) in order to show its general character; then Assyria was named as the actual place the people would be taken to (cf. Hosea 11:5)." [1]
"Egypt" is a metonymy for exile because it was the original place of Israel"s captivity (cf. Deuteronomy 28:68).

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 9:3 mean?

Not they shall dwell in the land of Yahweh but shall return Ephraim to Egypt and in Assyria unclean [things] shall eat
לֹ֥א יֵשְׁב֖וּ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ יְהוָ֑ה וְשָׁ֤ב אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ מִצְרַ֔יִם וּבְאַשּׁ֖וּר טָמֵ֥א יֹאכֵֽלוּ

יֵשְׁב֖וּ  they  shall  dwell 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
בְּאֶ֣רֶץ  in  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
יְהוָ֑ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: Jehovah—used primarily in the combination ‘Lord Jehovah’.
וְשָׁ֤ב  but  shall  return 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙  Ephraim 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶפְרַיִם  
Sense: second son of Joseph, blessed by him and given preference over first son, Manasseh.
מִצְרַ֔יִם  to  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
וּבְאַשּׁ֖וּר  and  in  Assyria 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַשּׁוּר  
Sense: the second son of Shem, eponymous ancestor of the Assyrians.
טָמֵ֥א  unclean  [things] 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָמֵא  
Sense: unclean, impure.
יֹאכֵֽלוּ  shall  eat 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.

What are the major concepts related to Hosea 9:3?

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Similar Scriptures for Hosea 9:3

Ezekiel 4:13 [8]
Hosea 8:13 [7]
Leviticus 25:23 [5]
Jeremiah 2:7 [4]
Jeremiah 16:18 [3]
2 Kings 17:6 [3]
1 Kings 9:7 [3]
Deuteronomy 28:63 [3]
Hosea 7:11 [3]
Daniel 1:8 [3]
Deuteronomy 4:26 [3]
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Hosea 11:5 [2]
Deuteronomy 28:68 [2]
Leviticus 18:28 [2]
Isaiah 11:15-16 [2]
Joshua 23:15 [2]
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Leviticus 20:22 [2]
Hosea 11:11 [2]
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