King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And as troops of robbers wait for a man, [so] the company of priests murder in the way by consent: for they commit lewdness.
Complete Jewish Bible:
just as bands of robbers wait to ambush someone, so does a gang of cohanim. They commit murder on the road to Sh'khem! Their conduct is an outrage!
Berean Standard Bible:
Like raiders who lie in ambush, so does a band of priests; they murder on the way to Shechem; surely they have committed atrocities.
American Standard Version:
And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way toward Shechem; yea, they have committed lewdness.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And as troops{H1416} of robbers wait{H2442} for a man{H376}, so the company{H2267} of priests{H3548} murder{H7523} in the way{H1870} by consent{H7926}{H7927}: for they commit{H6213} lewdness{H2154}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Zephaniah 3:3
- Her princes within her [are] roaring lions; her judges [are] evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.
Hosea 5:1
- ¶ Hear ye this, O priests; and hearken, ye house of Israel; and give ye ear, O house of the king; for judgment [is] toward you, because ye have been a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor.
Hosea 7:1
- ¶ When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, [and] the troop of robbers spoileth without.
Ezekiel 22:9
- In thee are men that carry tales to shed blood: and in thee they eat upon the mountains: in the midst of thee they commit lewdness.
Jeremiah 7:9
- Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not;
Jeremiah 7:10
- And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations?
Ezra 8:31
- ¶ Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth [day] of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way.
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Commentary for Hosea 6:9
Hosea 6:9 is a verse from the Old Testament book of Hosea, who was a prophet during the 8th century BCE. The book primarily addresses the northern kingdom of Israel, condemning its idolatry, moral decay, and religious apostasy. The historical context of this verse is set against the backdrop of the decline of the northern kingdom, characterized by social injustice, political instability, and spiritual unfaithfulness to God.
In Hosea 6:9, the prophet uses a powerful metaphor to illustrate the corruption that has infected the priesthood. He compares the priests to "troops of robbers" who lie in wait to ambush and harm an unsuspecting individual. The verse suggests that these priests, who should be spiritual leaders and models of righteousness, are instead guilty of committing heinous acts, including murder and sexual immorality ("lewdness"). The phrase "murder in the way by consent" implies a conspiratorial and premeditated nature to their violence, indicating that these actions are not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of behavior sanctioned by the group.
The themes of this verse include the betrayal of trust, the failure of religious leaders to uphold their sacred duties, and the consequent moral chaos that results from such a betrayal. Hosea condemns the priests for their hypocrisy and warns of the dire consequences that will befall the nation due to their leaders' corruption. This verse serves as a stark reminder of the responsibilities of those in positions of religious authority and the destructive impact of their moral failures on both the spiritual and social fabric of the community. Hosea's message is a call to repentance and a plea for the restoration of a righteous and just society, which he believes can only be achieved through a return to faithful worship of the one true God.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H1416
There are 29 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: גְּדוּד
Transliteration: gᵉdûwd
Pronunciation: ghed-ood'
Description: from גָּדַד; a crowd (especially of soldiers); army, band (of men), company, troop (of robbers). - Strong's Number: H2442
There are 13 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חָכָה
Transliteration: châkâh
Pronunciation: khaw-kaw'
Description: a primitive root (apparently akin to חָקָה through the idea of piercing); properly, to adhere to; hence, to await; long, tarry, wait. - Strong's Number: H376
There are 1507 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אִישׁ
Transliteration: ʼîysh
Pronunciation: eesh
Description: contracted for אֱנוֹשׁ (or perhaps rather from an unused root meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation); also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phrase] steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy. Compare אִשָּׁה. - Strong's Number: H2267
There are 7 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חֶבֶר
Transliteration: cheber
Pronunciation: kheh'-ber
Description: from חָבַר; a society; also a spell; [phrase] charmer(-ing), company, enchantment, [idiom] wide. - Strong's Number: H3548
There are 653 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: כֹּהֵן
Transliteration: kôhên
Pronunciation: ko-hane'
Description: active participle of כָּהַן; literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman); chief ruler, [idiom] own, priest, prince, principal officer. - Strong's Number: H7523
There are 40 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רָצַח
Transliteration: râtsach
Pronunciation: raw-tsakh'
Description: a primitive root; properly, to dash in pieces, i.e. kill (a human being), especially to murder; put to death, kill, (man-) slay(-er), murder(-er). - Strong's Number: H1870
There are 627 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: דֶּרֶךְ
Transliteration: derek
Pronunciation: deh'-rek
Description: from דָּרַךְ; a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb; along, away, because of, [phrase] by, conversation, custom, (east-) ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-) way(-side), whither(-soever). - Strong's Number: H7926
There are 22 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שְׁכֶם
Transliteration: shᵉkem
Pronunciation: shek-em'
Description: from שָׁכַם; the neck (between the shoulders) as the place of burdens; figuratively, the spur of ahill; back, [idiom] consent, portion, shoulder. - Strong's Number: H7927
There are 54 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שְׁכֶם
Transliteration: Shᵉkem
Pronunciation: shek-em'
Description: the same as שְׁכֶם; ridge; Shekem, a place in Palestine; Shechem. - Strong's Number: H6213
There are 2286 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עָשָׂה
Transliteration: ʻâsâh
Pronunciation: aw-saw'
Description: a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application; accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, [phrase] feast, (fight-) ing man, [phrase] finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, [phrase] hinder, hold (a feast), [idiom] indeed, [phrase] be industrious, [phrase] journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, [phrase] officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, [idiom] sacrifice, serve, set, shew, [idiom] sin, spend, [idiom] surely, take, [idiom] thoroughly, trim, [idiom] very, [phrase] vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use. - Strong's Number: H2154
There are 27 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: זִמָּה
Transliteration: zimmâh
Pronunciation: zim-maw'
Description: or זַמָּה; from זָמַם; a plan, especially a bad one; heinous crime, lewd(-ly, -ness), mischief, purpose, thought, wicked (device, mind, -ness).