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Commentary on Hosea 13 verses 5–8
We may observe here, 1. The plentiful provision God had made for Israel and the seasonable supplies he had blessed them with (Hos 13:5): "I did know thee in the wilderness, took cognizance of thy case and made provision for thee, even in a land of great drought, when thou wast in extreme distress, and when no relief was to be had in an ordinary way." See a description of this wilderness, Deu 8:15, Jer 2:6, and say, The God that knew them, and owned them, and fed them there, was a friend indeed, for he was a friend at need and an all-sufficient friend, that could victual so vast an army when all ordinary ways of provision were cut off, and where, if miracles had not been their daily bread, they must all have perished. Note, Help at an exigency lays under peculiar obligations and must never be forgotten. 2. Their unworthy ungrateful abuse of God's favour to them. God not only took care of them in the wilderness, but put them in possession of Canaan, a good land, a large and fat pasture. And (Hos 13:6) according to their pasture so were they filled. God gave them both plenty and dainties, and they did not spare it, but, having been long confined to manna, when they came into Canaan they fed themselves to the full. And this was no hopeful presage; it would have looked better, and promised better, if they had been more modest and moderate in the use of their plenty, and had learned to deny themselves; but what was the effect of it? They were filled, and their heart was exalted. Their luxury and sensuality made them proud, insolent, and secure. The best comment upon this is that of Moses, Deu 32:13-15. But Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked. When the body was stuffed up with plenty the soul was puffed up with pride. Then they began to think their religion a thing below them, and they could not persuade themselves to stoop to the services of it. The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God. When they were poor and lame in the wilderness they thought it was necessary for them to keep in with God; but when they were replenished and established in Canaan they began to think they had no further need of him: Their heart was exalted, therefore have they forgotten me. Note, Worldly prosperity, when it feeds men's pride, makes them forgetful of God; for they remember him only when they want him. When Israel was filled, what more could the Almighty do for them? And therefore they said to him, Depart from us, Job 22:17. It is sad that those favours which ought to make us mindful of God, and studious what we shall render to him, should make us unmindful of him, and regardless what we do against him. We ought to know that we live upon God when we live upon common providence, though we do not, as Israel in the wilderness, live upon miracles. 3. God's just resentment of their base ingratitude, Hos 13:7, Hos 13:8. The judgments threatened (Hos 13:3) intimated the departure of all good from them. The threatenings here go further, and intimate the breaking in of all evils upon them; for God, who had so much befriended them, now turns to be their enemy and fights against them, which is expressed here very terribly: I will be unto them as a lion and as a leopard. The lion is strong, and there is no resisting him. The leopard is here taken notice of to be crafty and vigilant: As a leopard by the way will I observe them. As that beast of prey lies in wait by the road-side to catch travellers, and devour them, so will God by his judgments watch over them to do them hurt, as he had watched over them to do them good, Jer 44:27. No opportunity shall be let slip that may accelerate or aggravate their ruin (Jer 5:6): A leopard shall watch over their cities. A lynx, or spotted beast (and such the leopard is), is noted for quicksightedness above any creature (lynx visu - the eyes of a lynx), and so it intimates that not only the power, but the wisdom of God is engaged against those whom he has a controversy with. Some read it (and the original will bear it), I will be as a leopard in the way of Assyria. The judgments of God shall surprise them just when they are going to the Assyrians to seek for protection and help from them. It is added, I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved, and thereby exasperated and made more cruel (Sa2 17:8, Pro 28:15), which intimates how highly God was provoked, and he would make them feel it: He will rend the caul of their heart. The lion is observed to aim at the heart of the beasts he preys upon, and thus will God devour them like a lion. He will send such judgments upon them as shall prey upon their spirits and consume their vitals. Their heart was exalted (Hos 13:6), but God will take an effectual course to bring it down: The wild beast shall tear them; not only God will be as a lion and leopard to them, but the metaphor shall be fulfilled in the letter, for noisome beasts are one of the four sore judgments with which God will destroy a provoking people, Eze 14:15.
Now all this teaches us, 1. That abused goodness turns into the greater severity. Those who despise God and affront him, when he is to them as a careful tender shepherd, shall find he will be even to his own flock as the beasts of prey are. Those whom God has in vain endured with much long-suffering, and invited with much affection, in them he will show his wrath and make them vessels of it, Rom 9:22. Patientia laesa fit furor - Despised patience will turn into fury. 2. That the judgments of God, when they come with commission against impenitent sinners, will be irresistible and very terrible. They will rend the caul of the heart, will fill the soul with confusion, and tear that in pieces; and we are as unable to grapple with them as a lamb is to make his part good against a roaring lion, for who knows the power of God's anger? Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, let us be persuaded to make peace with him; for are we stronger then he?
"But I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt: and thou shalt know no God but me, and there is no saviour beside me. I knew thee in the desert, in the land of drought. According to their pastures they were filled, and were made full: and they lifted up their heart, and have forgotten me." LXX: "But I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt: thou shalt not know any god but me, and there is no savior beside me. I fed thee in the wilderness, in a land of drought. According to their pasture, they were filled, and were made full, and their heart was exalted: and therefore they have forgotten me." He who above had said, "Jacob fled into the land of Syria, and served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep. And by a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet he was preserved. Now what hath God rendered to them? I am thy Lord God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, which commanded thee through Moses. Take heed lest thou eat and be satisfied, and forget thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt; for there is no God but me, and none other can save." I am the founder of all things, I knew that whether you were fed in the desert and in uninhabitable land, where there was a shortage of everything, where there were no waters: I gave you manna from Heaven and produced fountains of water from the hardest rock. As it is also written elsewhere: "He waxed fat, and kicked, and forgot the God which he had made him" (Deut. XXXII, 15): now they also have eaten and are filled, and their heart has been lifted up, and they have forgotten Him, who they should have been mindful of His benefits. For through so great a waste of desert, where not only does no corn or trees or vines grow, but not even grass, and no waters mitigate the burning heat of the sun, the people of Israel could not have reached the land of the Jordan in forty years, unless the Lord had provided all things. The Lord also brought forth heretics from the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and from the iron furnace, who had previously served the king Pharaoh and his leaders: and He commanded them in the Church not to know any other God except Him who is the creator of all things, and who knows how to save those who He created. He himself knew them and was afraid in a land of solitude; so that they may say: "The Lord feeds me and nothing will be lacking to me: he has placed me in a place of pasture: he has led me over the water of refreshment" (Ps. 22, 1-2). And he gave them the bread of angels, manna from heaven, which they had never eaten in Egypt, and water from a rock that followed them. And that rock, according to the Apostle, was Christ (1 Cor. 10): those who ate and were satisfied, and did not endure the food of the Lord. The same Apostle speaks to them: "Now ye are full, now ye are become rich: ye reign without us, and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you" (I Corinthians 4:8). For they ate the bread that descended from heaven in Holy Scripture, and as David said: "You have revealed to me the uncertain and secret things of your wisdom" (Psalm 50:8). They were filled and satiated and lifted up their heart against the Creator, and fashioned themselves another god, attributing to their own merits whatever they drank or ate, and not to the mercy of God. Therefore they have forgotten God, who commanded them to bind the words of the Law on their eyes, and in their hands, and in the fringes of their garments, lest they would ever forget their God.
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SUMMARY
Hosea 13:5 serves as a poignant reminder of God's intimate and covenantal knowledge of Israel from their earliest days, specifically during their formative period in the wilderness. This verse highlights God's faithful provision and sustaining presence in a desolate and challenging environment, establishing a stark contrast with Israel's subsequent spiritual amnesia and apostasy, which forms the core indictment of Hosea's prophecy. It underscores the depth of God's foundational relationship with His people before their entry into the promised land.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Hosea 13:5 employs several potent literary devices to convey its profound message. Contrast is paramount, setting God's unwavering faithfulness and intimate knowledge of Israel during their vulnerable wilderness period against their later, tragic apostasy in the land of plenty. This stark juxtaposition amplifies the gravity of Israel's sin. The Symbolism of the "wilderness" is also significant; it functions not merely as a geographical location but as a metaphorical crucible for Israel's faith, a place of testing, purification, and direct encounter with God, where their dependence on Him was absolute. Furthermore, the phrase "I did know thee" utilizes Anthropomorphism, attributing to God a human-like capacity for intimate, relational knowing. This device helps humanize God's interaction with His people, making His covenantal love and personal investment more relatable and impactful, while simultaneously underscoring the depth of His commitment.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Hosea 13:5 profoundly illustrates the enduring nature of God's covenant love and His unwavering faithfulness, even in the face of human rebellion. It highlights that God's relationship with His people is founded on His initiative and grace, not on their merit or performance. This verse reminds us that God remembers His past acts of salvation and provision, and His character remains consistent through all generations. Despite Israel's spiritual amnesia and turning away, God's foundational knowledge and care for them in their most vulnerable state serve as a theological anchor, demonstrating that His commitment precedes and transcends their unfaithfulness. It speaks to the sovereignty of God over all circumstances, providing for His people even in the most desolate "land of great drought."
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Hosea 13:5 offers profound encouragement and a sober warning for believers today. It serves as a powerful reminder that our relationship with God is rooted in His unchangeable character and His prior acts of grace. Just as God intimately "knew" and sustained Israel in their literal wilderness, He knows us in our own spiritual "wilderness" experiences – times of doubt, hardship, uncertainty, or spiritual dryness. This verse calls us to remember God's past faithfulness in our lives, to recall the moments He has provided, guided, and sustained us when we felt most vulnerable or dependent. It encourages us to trust that the God who was faithful then remains faithful now, and His intimate knowledge of us means He is fully aware of our present needs and struggles. Conversely, it warns against spiritual amnesia, the dangerous tendency to forget God's goodness and provision when we enter times of abundance or prosperity, leading us to seek satisfaction or security in false idols or self-reliance, much like Israel did. Our challenge is to cultivate a deep, abiding remembrance of God's grace, allowing it to anchor our faith in every season.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "I did know thee" truly mean in this context?
Answer: The Hebrew word for "know" (yâdaʻ) used here signifies much more than mere intellectual recognition. It implies a deep, personal, and covenantal relationship. When God says, "I did know thee," He is expressing His intimate selection, care, and commitment to Israel from their very beginnings. It speaks to a foundational, binding relationship, much like the intimate knowledge between a husband and wife, or a shepherd and his flock. It underscores that God's relationship with Israel was initiated by His choice and sustained by His faithful presence, even before they were a fully formed nation in a settled land. This intimate knowledge also implies responsibility and accountability within the covenant, making Israel's subsequent turning away even more grievous.
Why is the "wilderness" so significant in this verse and for Israel's history?
Answer: The "wilderness" (midbâr) represents a pivotal, formative period in Israel's history – the forty years following their Exodus from Egypt and preceding their entry into the Promised Land. It was a place of extreme natural scarcity, described here as a "land of great drought," where human survival was impossible without divine intervention. This forced Israel into absolute dependence on God for their daily bread (manna) and water (from the rock). The wilderness thus became a classroom where God taught Israel about His character, His power, and His covenant requirements (Exodus 19-24). It was a place of testing, discipline, and purification, but also a sanctuary where God communed intimately with His people. Remembering the wilderness experience, as Hosea does here, serves as a powerful reminder of God's unfailing faithfulness and Israel's foundational reliance on Him.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Hosea 13:5, with its emphasis on God's intimate knowledge and faithful provision for Israel in the desolate wilderness, finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment. Jesus, as the true Israel, perfectly embodies the dependence and obedience that Israel so often failed to maintain. Just as Israel was tested in the wilderness, Jesus Himself was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted for forty days (Matthew 4:1-11), demonstrating perfect reliance on God's Word and provision, unlike the original Israel. Furthermore, Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of God's provision in the "land of great drought." He declares Himself the "bread of life" (John 6:35), the true manna from heaven, providing eternal sustenance for a spiritually parched humanity. He also offers "living water" (John 4:10-14), quenching the deepest spiritual thirst. God's intimate knowledge and covenant faithfulness to Israel in the Old Testament ultimately culminate in His sending of His Son, Jesus Christ, who perfectly reveals God's character and establishes a new covenant, not based on human performance, but on His own perfect sacrifice. Through Christ, believers are brought into an even deeper, more intimate "knowing" relationship with God, fulfilling the longing for true communion that began in the wilderness. He is the faithful Shepherd who knows His sheep (John 10:14) and leads them through every wilderness, providing grace and sustenance until they reach their eternal home.