Hosea 6:5

Therefore have I hewed [them] by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments [are as] the light [that] goeth forth.

Therefore have I hewed {H2672} them by the prophets {H5030}; I have slain {H2026} them by the words {H561} of my mouth {H6310}: and thy judgments {H4941} are as the light {H216} that goeth forth {H3318}.

This is why I have cut them to pieces by the prophets, slaughtered them with the words from my mouth - the judgment on you shines out like light.

Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of My mouth, and My judgments go forth like lightning.

Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.

Commentary

Hosea 6:5 reveals God's severe but just dealings with Israel, emphasizing His active role in their spiritual discipline through His appointed messengers and powerful declarations. It underscores the clarity and inevitability of divine judgment.

Context

This verse follows Israel's superficial plea for reconciliation with God in Hosea 6:1-3, which was quickly exposed as insincere and fleeting like a morning cloud in Hosea 6:4. Because their love and knowledge of God were so unstable, God explains the drastic measures He has taken. The "hewing" and "slaying" are not arbitrary acts but divine responses to their persistent spiritual unfaithfulness and rebellion, preparing them for judgment or true repentance.

Key Themes

  • God's Sovereign Authority and Judgment: The verse powerfully asserts God's direct involvement in the nation's spiritual state. He is not a passive observer but an active judge who uses strong measures to confront sin.
  • The Power of God's Word: The phrase "I have slain them by the words of my mouth" highlights the immense authority and destructive power of divine pronouncements when rejected. God's word is not merely advice but a life-and-death declaration (Isaiah 55:11).
  • Prophetic Ministry as God's Instrument: God "hewed them by the prophets," indicating that the messages, warnings, and rebukes delivered by the prophets were direct instruments of God's shaping and judging work. Prophets like Hosea delivered harsh truths intended to cut through Israel's complacency.
  • Clarity and Inevitability of Divine Judgment: God's "judgments are as the light that goeth forth." This vivid imagery suggests that God's justice is not hidden or delayed but is clear, public, inescapable, and spreads universally like light. It reveals truth and exposes darkness (John 3:19).

Linguistic Insights

  • "Hewed" (Hebrew: chatsab): This term literally means to cut, carve, or quarry stone. It implies a forceful, precise, and often painful process of shaping or breaking apart. It suggests that God's prophetic messages were sharp and penetrating, designed to break the hard hearts of Israel.
  • "Slain" (Hebrew: harag): While often meaning physical death, in this context, it speaks to the devastating spiritual and existential consequences of God's pronounced judgment. The word of God, when not heeded, brings about a spiritual death or a judicial condemnation that feels as final as physical demise.
  • "Judgments" (Hebrew: mishpatim): Refers to God's righteous decrees, ordinances, acts of justice, or legal decisions. These are not arbitrary but are rooted in His unchanging character and covenant.
  • "As the light that goeth forth": The Hebrew phrase 'or yatsa' emphasizes the public, undeniable, and pervasive nature of God's judgments. Just as light dispels darkness and cannot be contained, so God's justice will be manifest and unavoidable.

Practical Application

Hosea 6:5 serves as a powerful reminder of several timeless truths:

  • The Seriousness of God's Word: God's commands and warnings are not to be taken lightly. His word has profound power, capable of giving life or bringing judgment depending on our response (Hebrews 4:12).
  • The Need for Genuine Repentance: Superficial piety or half-hearted turning to God is insufficient. God desires a sincere heart and a true knowledge of Him, not just outward rituals (Hosea 6:6).
  • God's Justice is Unavoidable: Like the rising sun, God's judgments are clear, inevitable, and will ultimately expose all things. There is no hiding from His righteous decrees.
  • Truth Reveals Sin: The "light" of God's judgments serves to expose sin and call humanity to accountability. Embracing this divine light leads to life, but resisting it leads to condemnation.
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 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 — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Jeremiah 23:29

    [Is] not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer [that] breaketh the rock in pieces?

  • Jeremiah 1:10

    See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.

  • Jeremiah 5:14

    Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

  • Hebrews 4:12

    For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

  • Romans 2:5

    But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

  • Isaiah 11:4

    But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

  • Genesis 18:25

    That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
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