Hosea 13:3

Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff [that] is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney.

Therefore they shall be as the morning {H1242} cloud {H6051}, and as the early {H7925} dew {H2919} that passeth away {H1980}, as the chaff {H4671} that is driven with the whirlwind {H5590} out of the floor {H1637}, and as the smoke {H6227} out of the chimney {H699}.

Therefore they will be like a morning cloud, like the dew that disappears early, like chaff blown by wind from the threshing-floor, or like smoke that goes out the window.

Therefore they will be like the morning mist, like the early dew that vanishes, like chaff blown from a threshing floor, like smoke through an open window.

Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the dew that passeth early away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the threshing-floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney.

Hosea 13:3 paints a vivid picture of the swift and complete disappearance of Israel's strength and prosperity due to their unfaithfulness to God. Through powerful natural metaphors, the verse underscores the transient nature of anything not rooted in divine covenant.

Context

The prophet Hosea primarily addresses the Northern Kingdom of Israel, often referred to as Ephraim, detailing their persistent idolatry and rebellion against the Lord. Chapter 13 specifically highlights God's judgment against them for their deep-seated sin, particularly their worship of Baal and the golden calves, as referenced in Hosea 13:2. This verse follows a declaration of God's past mercy and Israel's subsequent ingratitude and pride. The imagery of vanishing elements starkly contrasts with God's enduring and eternal nature, emphasizing the consequences of abandoning the true source of life and stability.

Key Themes

  • Transience of Worldly Security: The verse powerfully illustrates how quickly human strength, wealth, or glory can dissipate when not grounded in obedience to God. Like the morning mist, earthly foundations are temporary.
  • Divine Judgment and Consequences: It serves as a severe warning of the inevitable and thorough consequences of apostasy and disobedience. God's judgment is portrayed as absolute, leaving no trace of what once seemed substantial.
  • Futility of Idolatry: By forsaking the Lord for false gods, Israel built their existence on an unstable foundation, leading to their swift and complete demise. Their spiritual emptiness mirrors their material destruction.
  • Loss and Dispersion: The metaphors of "chaff driven with the whirlwind" and "smoke out of the chimney" suggest not just disappearance, but also violent removal and scattering, signifying utter devastation and the end of their national identity as they knew it.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew terms employed in this verse are carefully chosen to convey absolute ephemerality. "Morning cloud" (anan boqer) and "early dew" (tal shakkam) refer to common atmospheric phenomena in the ancient Near East that quickly vanish with the sun's rise. "Chaff" (motz) refers to the worthless husks separated from grain on the threshing floor by wind, symbolizing the wicked or those without substance. "Smoke" (ashan) is another universal symbol of something insubstantial that quickly dissipates, leaving no lasting trace.

Related Scriptures

The theme of transience and divine judgment using similar imagery is common throughout Scripture:

  • Fleeting Nature: Hosea himself uses similar imagery for Israel's fleeting goodness in Hosea 6:4. The brevity of human life is also likened to a vapor in James 4:14.
  • The Wicked as Chaff: The imagery of chaff driven away is a potent symbol for the wicked and their ultimate fate, seen in Psalm 1:4 and Isaiah 17:13. John the Baptist also uses this powerful imagery when describing the coming judgment in Matthew 3:12.
  • Smoke as Vanishing: The idea of the wicked consuming away like smoke is found in Psalm 37:20.

Practical Application

Hosea 13:3 serves as a timeless and sobering reminder that anything built on a foundation other than God's truth and faithfulness is inherently temporary and will ultimately fail. It challenges believers to critically examine where their security, hope, and identity truly lie. Are we investing in fleeting worldly possessions, power, or human achievements, or are we building upon the unshakeable foundation of Christ? This verse underscores the critical importance of sustained faithfulness and obedience, warning against spiritual complacency and any form of idolatry that can cause our spiritual vitality to vanish as swiftly as the morning dew. True and lasting stability is found only in a relationship with the unchanging God.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Hosea 6:4

    ¶ O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness [is] as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.

  • Psalms 1:4

    ¶ The ungodly [are] not so: but [are] like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

  • Psalms 68:2

    As smoke is driven away, [so] drive [them] away: as wax melteth before the fire, [so] let the wicked perish at the presence of God.

  • Daniel 2:35

    Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

  • Isaiah 17:13

    The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but [God] shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.

  • Isaiah 41:15

    Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat [them] small, and shalt make the hills as chaff.

  • Isaiah 41:16

    Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the LORD, [and] shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel.

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