Hosea 7:2

KJV

And they consider not in their hearts [that] I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face.

KJV (with Strong's)

And they consider {H559} not in their hearts {H3824} that I remember {H2142} all their wickedness {H7451}: now their own doings {H4611} have beset them about {H5437}; they are before my face {H6440}.

Complete Jewish Bible

They never say to themselves that I remember all their evil. Now their own deeds surround them; they are right in front of me.

Berean Standard Bible

But they fail to consider in their hearts that I remember all their evil. Now their deeds are all around them; they are before My face.

American Standard Version

And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now have their own doings beset them about; they are before my face.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Hosea 7:2 reveals the profound spiritual blindness and moral apathy of the northern kingdom of Israel (Ephraim), who willfully disregard God's omnipresent awareness of their pervasive wickedness. Despite their attempts to conceal their sins, the Lord unequivocally declares His perfect remembrance of every transgression. Consequently, their own corrupt actions have inexorably surrounded and entrapped them, leaving them exposed and accountable before the divine presence, underscoring the inescapable nature of divine judgment for unrepentant sin.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is situated within a broader indictment of Israel's spiritual decay and political instability in Hosea chapters 7-8. Immediately preceding it, [Hosea 7:1](/hosea/7-1 "Hosea 7:1 - Israel's Sins and God's Desire to Heal") describes God's desire to heal Israel, yet their actions are characterized by deceit, theft, and banditry. The nation is depicted as a "heated oven" of lust and plotting in [Hosea 7:4-7](/hosea/7-4-7 "Hosea 7:4-7 - The Heat of Israel's Sin"), consumed by internal corruption and external alliances. Verse 2 specifically highlights the internal disposition that fuels this outward sin: a deliberate refusal to acknowledge God's perspective and their own culpability. This spiritual amnesia is a cornerstone of their covenant unfaithfulness, leading directly to the inevitable consequences detailed in the subsequent verses, where their reliance on foreign powers rather than the Lord is condemned ([Hosea 7:8-11](/hosea/7-8-11 "Hosea 7:8-11 - Ephraim's Mixed Character")).
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Hosea prophesied during the turbulent final decades of the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Ephraim), roughly 750-722 BC, leading up to its destruction by Assyria. This period was marked by rapid succession of kings, political assassinations, and a desperate, often contradictory, foreign policy that vacillated between alliances with Egypt and Assyria. Culturally, the people had deeply syncretized their worship, blending the worship of Yahweh with Canaanite Baal worship, leading to widespread idolatry, moral decay, and social injustice. The phrase "they consider not in their hearts" reflects a profound spiritual and intellectual negligence, a failure to internalize the covenant stipulations or God's warnings. Their "doings" included not just religious apostasy but also social oppression, political intrigue, and international duplicity, all of which were "before God's face," meaning they were under His direct observation and subject to His righteous judgment, a concept deeply rooted in ancient Near Eastern legal and covenantal frameworks where a deity was the ultimate witness.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in Hosea. The theme of **Israel's spiritual blindness and ignorance** is central, as highlighted by their failure to "consider not in their hearts" God's remembrance of their sin, a profound spiritual apathy that prevents repentance. This willful ignorance is a recurring motif, contrasting sharply with God's perfect knowledge and remembrance of all their deeds, emphasizing the theme of ** divine omniscience and justice**. God's declaration, "I remember all their wickedness," underscores that no sin is hidden from Him, and His memory is not passive but active, leading to accountability. Furthermore, the consequence that "their own doings have beset them about" illustrates the theme of **inevitable consequences and divine judgment**, where sin carries its own punitive results, trapping the sinner in a web of their own making. Finally, the phrase "they are before my face" reinforces the theme of **God's inescapable presence and the certainty of judgment**, signifying that their actions are directly witnessed by the holy God, making escape from His justice impossible.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **consider (Hebrew, _ʼâmar'_):** H559. While often translated "to say," in this context, it carries the broader sense of "to say to oneself," "to think," or "to take to heart." The negative "consider not" therefore implies a profound internal failure to reflect, acknowledge, or internalize the reality of their actions and God's view of them. It's a deliberate intellectual and spiritual blindness, a refusal to process the truth.
* **hearts (Hebrew, _lêbâb'_):** H3824. This word refers to the innermost being, the seat of intellect, will, emotion, and moral character. The phrase "consider not in their hearts" emphasizes that their failure is not merely superficial or external, but a deep-seated spiritual and cognitive indifference. It signifies a fundamental corruption of their moral compass and a deliberate choice to ignore divine truth at the core of their being.
* **beset them about (Hebrew, _çâbab'_):** H5437. This primitive root means "to revolve, surround, or border." Here, it vividly portrays the inescapable nature of the consequences of Israel's actions. Their "doings" (H4611, _maʻălâl_, meaning "an act, good or bad") have literally encircled them, creating a trap or a snare from which they cannot escape. It illustrates the principle that sin, once committed, often creates its own self-perpetuating cycle of judgment and bondage.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And they consider not in their hearts":** This opening clause immediately highlights the core problem: Israel's profound spiritual apathy and willful ignorance. It is not merely a lack of knowledge, but a deliberate refusal to acknowledge, reflect upon, or internalize the truth of their situation before God. Their moral and intellectual faculties are disengaged from divine reality.
* **"[that] I remember all their wickedness":** In stark contrast to Israel's forgetfulness, God declares His perfect and active memory. "Wickedness" (H7451, _raʻ_) encompasses all their evil, moral depravity, and harmful actions. This divine remembrance is not passive recollection but an active awareness that serves as the basis for His righteous judgment and accountability. Nothing they have done is hidden or forgotten by Him.
* **"now their own doings have beset them about":** This phrase describes the inevitable consequence of their unacknowledged sin. Their "doings" – their evil acts and choices – have become a snare, surrounding them like an inescapable net. They are trapped by the very patterns of sin they have cultivated, leading to a self-inflicted state of bondage and distress. The consequences are not external impositions but the natural outgrowth of their own actions.
* **"they are before my face.":** This final declaration emphasizes God's direct and inescapable presence. Their sins are not committed in secret; they are openly and continually observed by the omniscient God. This signifies the certainty of judgment, as the divine witness is ever-present, ensuring that justice will be meted out for every unrepentant act.

#### Literary Devices
Hosea 7:2 employs several powerful literary devices. **Anthropomorphism** is evident in God's declaration, "I remember all their wickedness" and "they are before my face." While God does not possess a physical face or a human memory, these phrases convey His active awareness, perfect knowledge, and personal engagement with humanity's actions, emphasizing His omniscience and omnipresence. The phrase "their own doings have **beset** them about" functions as a **Metaphor** or a vivid **Imagery**, portraying sin not as an isolated act but as a surrounding, entrapping force, like a besieging army or a tightening net. This imagery powerfully communicates the self-destructive and inescapable nature of unrepentant sin. Furthermore, there is a subtle **Irony** at play: Israel "considers not in their hearts" God's remembrance, yet their actions are undeniably "before His face." Their willful blindness stands in stark contrast to God's perfect sight, highlighting their delusion and the ultimate futility of attempting to hide from divine scrutiny.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Hosea 7:2 profoundly underscores the biblical truth of God's perfect knowledge and the inescapable accountability of humanity. It teaches that sin, however concealed or ignored by the perpetrator, is always known to God and carries inherent, often self-inflicted, consequences. This verse resonates with the broader biblical theme that God is a God of justice who sees all things and will bring every deed into judgment. It highlights the danger of spiritual apathy and the delusion that one can escape the ramifications of their choices simply by ignoring them. The divine memory is not passive but active, serving as the basis for righteous judgment, reminding us that true repentance begins with acknowledging the truth of our sin before a holy God.

* [Jeremiah 16:17](/jeremiah/16-17 "Jeremiah 16:17 - God Sees All Their Ways"): "For my eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from my eyes."
* [Proverbs 5:22](/proverbs/5-22 "Proverbs 5:22 - Ensared by His Own Iniquities"): "His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins."
* [Psalm 90:8](/psalms/90-8 "Psalm 90:8 - Our Secret Sins Before God"): "Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance."

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Hosea 7:2 serves as a stark mirror, reflecting the human tendency to ignore or rationalize our own failings, believing that what we do not acknowledge ceases to exist or be remembered. This verse shatters that illusion, reminding us that God's perspective is the ultimate reality. Our actions, whether hidden or overt, are perpetually "before His face," and He "remembers all our wickedness." This truth should not lead to despair but to a profound sense of sober self-examination. It calls us to abandon spiritual apathy and embrace honest introspection, recognizing that the "doings" we sow will inevitably "beset us about" in the form of natural consequences, broken relationships, spiritual bondage, or divine discipline. True freedom and healing begin not with denial, but with humble confession and a turning towards the God who sees all, yet offers forgiveness to those who genuinely seek it. This verse compels us to live with an acute awareness of God's omnipresence and to align our hearts and actions with His righteous standards.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life might I be "considering not in my heart" God's perspective on my actions or attitudes?**
* **How does the truth that God "remembers all my wickedness" impact my understanding of sin and accountability?**
* **Can I identify ways in which my "own doings have beset me about," leading to negative consequences in my life?**
* **What does it mean to live with the constant awareness that I am always "before God's face," and how should that awareness shape my daily choices?**

### FAQ

**Does God truly "remember" our sins, or does He forget them after forgiveness?**

Answer: Hosea 7:2 speaks of God remembering Israel's *unrepented* wickedness, which forms the basis for their judgment. When it comes to sins that are genuinely confessed and repented of, the Bible assures us that God chooses not to remember them against us. For instance, [Isaiah 43:25](/isaiah/43-25 "Isaiah 43:25 - God Blots Out Transgressions") states, "I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins." Similarly, [Hebrews 8:12](/hebrews/8-12 "Hebrews 8:12 - God Will Remember Their Sins No More") promises, "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." This signifies a divine act of judicial forgetting, where the guilt and penalty of sin are removed, and the sin is no longer held against the believer. God's perfect memory means He *can* remember, but His grace means He *chooses* not to, for those who are in Christ.

**What does it mean for our "doings" to "beset us about"?**

Answer: This vivid imagery means that our actions, particularly our sinful ones, can surround us, entangle us, and create a trap from which it is difficult to escape. It speaks to the natural and spiritual consequences of sin. For example, a person who habitually lies may find themselves caught in a web of deceit, losing trust and credibility. Someone who engages in addiction may find their life consumed and controlled by that behavior. As [Galatians 6:7](/galatians/6-7 "Galatians 6:7 - Reaping What You Sow") famously puts it, "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Our "doings" create the circumstances and character that define our lives, and unrepentant sin inevitably leads to bondage and negative outcomes, which are "before God's face" as a testament to our choices.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Hosea 7:2, with its stark declaration of Israel's unacknowledged wickedness and God's perfect remembrance, finds its ultimate fulfillment and resolution in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The "wickedness" that "beset" Israel, and indeed all humanity, is the sin that separates us from a holy God. Humanity, like Israel, consistently "considers not in their hearts" the gravity of their sin or the omnipresent gaze of God, living in a state of spiritual blindness and self-deception. However, Christ came precisely because our "doings" had "beset" us, trapping us in a cycle of sin and death ([Romans 7:24](/romans/7-24 "Romans 7:24 - Wretched Man That I Am")). He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world ([John 1:29](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God")), offering a way out of the inescapable snare of our own iniquities. Through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, Jesus bore the full weight of the "wickedness" that was "before God's face," satisfying divine justice and making it possible for God to "remember" our sins no more when we place our faith in Him ([Colossians 2:13-14](/colossians/2-13-14 "Colossians 2:13-14 - Forgiveness and Cancellation of Debt")). He provides the true spiritual sight that Israel lacked, enabling us to see our sin for what it is and to turn to the One who frees us from its power and consequences, bringing us into a right relationship with the God whose face is now turned towards us in grace, not judgment ([2 Corinthians 5:21](/2_corinthians/5-21 "2 Corinthians 5:21 - Christ Became Sin For Us")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Psalms 90:8

Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret [sins] in the light of thy countenance.

Luke 12:2

For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.

Amos 8:7

The LORD hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works.

Jeremiah 14:10

¶ Thus saith the LORD unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the LORD doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins.

Jeremiah 2:19

Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that [it is] an evil [thing] and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear [is] not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

Jeremiah 32:19

Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes [are] open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings:

Jeremiah 4:18

Thy way and thy doings have procured these [things] unto thee; this [is] thy wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reacheth unto thine heart.