Hosea 4:16

For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.

For Israel {H3478} slideth back {H5637} as a backsliding {H5637} heifer {H6510}: now the LORD {H3068} will feed {H7462} them as a lamb {H3532} in a large place {H4800}.

For Isra'el is stubborn as a stubborn cow; will ADONAI now feed them like a lamb in a big pasture?

For Israel is as obstinate as a stubborn heifer. Can the LORD now shepherd them like lambs in an open meadow?

For Israel hath behaved himself stubbornly, like a stubborn heifer: now will Jehovah feed them as a lamb in a large place.

Commentary

Commentary on Hosea 4:16 (KJV)

Hosea 4:16 delivers a stark prophetic indictment against ancient Israel, using vivid agricultural metaphors to describe their spiritual decline and the ensuing divine judgment. This verse encapsulates the consequences of their persistent unfaithfulness to God's covenant.

Context

This verse is situated within a broader chapter where God, through the prophet Hosea, levels severe charges against Israel for their widespread moral and spiritual corruption. The chapter opens with an indictment for a lack of truth, mercy, and knowledge of God in the land (Hosea 4:1). The priests are particularly condemned for their failure to teach God's law, leading the people to "perish for lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6). The people's rampant idolatry, spiritual harlotry, and reliance on pagan practices are detailed, setting the stage for the severe consequences outlined in verse 16.

Key Themes

  • Spiritual Backsliding and Rebellion: The primary theme is Israel's deliberate and stubborn turning away from God. Their actions are likened to a rebellious animal that refuses to be guided.
  • Divine Judgment and Consequences: The verse highlights God's just response to such persistent unfaithfulness. The "feeding" of the lamb is not benevolent provision but a metaphor for exposure and vulnerability to the harsh realities of judgment.
  • The Nature of God's Justice: While God is merciful, He is also just. When His people stubbornly refuse to repent, He allows them to experience the painful consequences of their choices, removing His protective hand.

Linguistic Insights

The imagery in Hosea 4:16 is crucial for understanding its meaning:

  • "backsliding heifer" (Hebrew: parah sorerah): A heifer is a young cow. The term "backsliding" (sorerah) implies stubbornness, resistance, and rebellion. It paints a picture of an animal that refuses the yoke, pulls back, and goes its own way, rather than submitting to the farmer's guidance. This powerfully describes Israel's spiritual apostasy โ€“ their willful departure from God's commands and their covenant relationship. They were meant to be yoked to God, but they stubbornly resisted.
  • "feed them as a lamb in a large place" (Hebrew: marแธฅav): This phrase is often misunderstood as a promise of blessing. However, in this context, it's deeply ironic and prophetic of judgment. A "large place" (marแธฅav) can denote spaciousness or freedom, but for a vulnerable "lamb" without a shepherd, a wide, open space means exposure to danger, desolation, and predators. It signifies being scattered, unprotected, and left defenseless to the consequences of their rebellion, rather than being safely pastured by God. It implies abandonment to their own devices, leading to ruin and vulnerability, as opposed to the protective care of a shepherd (Psalm 23:1).

Related Scriptures

  • The concept of backsliding is a recurring theme in the Old Testament, often leading to judgment (Jeremiah 8:5; Proverbs 14:14).
  • The consequences of rejecting God's knowledge and guidance are also seen in other prophetic books, such as Isaiah 1:4.

Practical Application

Hosea 4:16 serves as a powerful warning for believers today. It underscores the dangers of spiritual complacency, stubbornness, and a willful departure from God's ways. Just as Israel experienced the consequences of their rebellion, so too can individuals and communities face spiritual desolation when they resist God's guidance and fail to live according to His truth.

This verse calls us to:

  1. Examine Our Hearts: Are we resisting God's Spirit or His Word in any area of our lives? Are we truly yoked to Christ, or are we like the "backsliding heifer"?
  2. Seek Knowledge of God: Spiritual ignorance can lead to destruction. We must diligently study God's Word and seek a deeper relationship with Him to avoid straying (2 Timothy 3:16).
  3. Understand God's Discipline: While God is love, He also disciplines those He loves (Hebrews 12:6). His "feeding" as a lamb in a large place, though painful, is a consequence designed to bring about repentance and a return to Him.

Ultimately, this verse reminds us of the importance of faithfulness, obedience, and continually seeking God's presence and guidance in our lives to avoid the vulnerability and desolation that come from spiritual rebellion.

Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Isaiah 7:21

    And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] a man shall nourish a young cow, and two sheep;

  • Isaiah 7:25

    And [on] all hills that shall be digged with the mattock, there shall not come thither the fear of briers and thorns: but it shall be for the sending forth of oxen, and for the treading of lesser cattle.

  • Jeremiah 3:8

    And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.

  • Jeremiah 3:6

    ยถ The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen [that] which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot.

  • Isaiah 22:18

    He will surely violently turn and toss thee [like] a ball into a large country: there shalt thou die, and there the chariots of thy glory [shall be] the shame of thy lord's house.

  • Jeremiah 7:24

    But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels [and] in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.

  • Zechariah 7:11

    But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.
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