Hosea 8:12

KJV

I have written to him the great things of my law, [but] they were counted as a strange thing.

KJV (with Strong's)

I have written {H3789} to him the great things {H7230}{H7239} of my law {H8451}, but they were counted {H2803} as a strange thing {H2114}.

Complete Jewish Bible

I write him so many things from my Torah, yet he considers them foreign.

Berean Standard Bible

Though I wrote for them the great things of My law, they regarded them as something strange.

American Standard Version

I wrote for him the ten thousand things of my law; but they are counted as a strange thing.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Hosea 8:12 captures God's profound lament over the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Ephraim), who, despite receiving the abundant and weighty revelation of His divine law, deliberately chose to regard it as foreign and irrelevant. This verse highlights the tragic spiritual rebellion of a people who, having been given clear guidance for life and relationship with their Creator, actively dismissed it, setting the stage for the inevitable consequences of their covenant unfaithfulness.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is situated within a section of Hosea (chapters 7-8) that intensely critiques Israel's pervasive apostasy and spiritual decline. Immediately preceding [Hosea 8:12](/hosea/8-12 "Hosea 8:12 - Israel's Rejection of God's Law"), the prophet condemns Israel's reliance on foreign alliances (e.g., [Hosea 7:11](/hosea/7-11 "Hosea 7:11 - Ephraim's Folly")) and their rampant idolatry, particularly their construction of numerous altars for sin (e.g., [Hosea 8:11](/hosea/8-11 "Hosea 8:11 - Israel's Idolatry")). God's lament in [Hosea 8:12](/hosea/8-12 "Hosea 8:12 - Israel's Rejection of God's Law") serves as a divine indictment, explaining *why* judgment is necessary: Israel's rejection of God's foundational covenantal instruction. It underscores the deliberate nature of their rebellion, moving beyond mere ignorance to active disregard of revealed truth.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Hosea prophesied during the turbulent 8th century BC, specifically to the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Ephraim), a period marked by political instability, moral decay, and the looming threat of Assyrian invasion. The "law" (Torah) was not merely a set of rules but the very foundation of Israel's covenant relationship with Yahweh, distinguishing them from surrounding nations. It encompassed divine instruction for every facet of life—worship, ethics, justice, and social order. For Israel to count God's law as "strange" was a profound act of cultural assimilation and spiritual treason, indicating their preference for pagan practices and foreign alliances over their unique identity as God's chosen people, governed by His divine precepts.
* **Key Themes:** [Hosea 8:12](/hosea/8-12 "Hosea 8:12 - Israel's Rejection of God's Law") powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in Hosea. Firstly, it highlights **Divine Revelation and Faithfulness**, emphasizing God's consistent initiative in providing His people with clear, abundant, and significant instruction for their well-being, as seen throughout the Pentateuch, often referred to as [the Law of Moses](/exodus/20 "Exodus 20 - The Ten Commandments"). Secondly, it underscores **Israel's Spiritual Blindness and Rebellion**, demonstrating their active choice to disregard or devalue God's commands, treating their sacred heritage as alien. This rejection is a recurring motif, contrasting sharply with God's covenant love (e.g., [Hosea 11:1-4](/hosea/11-1-4 "Hosea 11:1-4 - God's Love for Israel")). Finally, the verse implicitly points to the **Consequences of Disobedience**, as treating God's law as "strange" leads to estrangement from God Himself, paving the way for the severe judgments detailed elsewhere in [the book of Hosea](/hosea/1 "Hosea 1 - God's Judgment and Restoration").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **written (Hebrew, _kâthab'_):** From H3789, a primitive root meaning "to grave, by implication, to write (describe, inscribe, prescribe, subscribe)." This word emphasizes God's active, intentional, and authoritative act of inscribing or recording His law. It implies permanence and clarity, indicating that God's instructions were not vague or hidden, but clearly communicated and accessible to Israel.
* **great things (Hebrew, _rôb'_ / _ribbôw'_):** From H7230 and H7239, denoting "abundance (in any respect)" and "a myriad, i.e. indefinitely, large number; great things." This dual emphasis conveys the vastness, comprehensiveness, and profound significance of God's law. It suggests that God's revelation was not minimal or incomplete, but rich, extensive, and weighty, covering all aspects of life and offering immense wisdom and guidance.
* **strange thing (Hebrew, _zûwr'_):** From H2114, a primitive root meaning "to turn aside (especially for lodging); hence to be a foreigner, strange, profane." This word is crucial, indicating that Israel regarded God's own covenantal instructions as something alien, external, irrelevant, or even offensive, rather than integral to their identity and existence. It implies a deliberate act of distancing themselves from what should have been most intimate and foundational.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"I have written to him the great things of my law":** This clause highlights God's divine initiative and generosity. The "I" is Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel, emphasizing His personal involvement. "To him" refers to Israel, particularly the Northern Kingdom, indicating that this revelation was specifically for them. The "great things of my law" (Torah) underscore the abundance, profundity, and divine origin of God's instruction. It was a comprehensive, life-giving guide, freely given by a loving God.
* **"but they were counted as a strange thing":** This contrasting clause reveals Israel's profound spiritual rebellion and rejection. The conjunction "but" marks a sharp divergence from God's benevolent act. "They were counted" (from _châshab_, H2803) implies a deliberate assessment or reckoning, not a passive oversight. Israel actively chose to regard God's sacred law as "strange" or foreign. This signifies a deep-seated spiritual apathy and a willful alienation from the very truth meant to define and bless them, treating God's most precious gift as something irrelevant or even contemptible.

#### Literary Devices
Hosea 8:12 employs several potent **Literary Devices** to convey its message. The primary device is **Contrast**, starkly juxtaposing God's abundant and clear revelation ("I have written to him the great things of my law") with Israel's dismissive and alienating response ("but they were counted as a strange thing"). This contrast highlights the severity of Israel's sin and the depth of their spiritual blindness. There is also an element of **Irony**, as God's law, which was given to define Israel's unique identity and relationship with Him, is paradoxically perceived by them as foreign. Furthermore, the phrase "great things" functions as a form of **Hyperbole** or **Emphasis**, underscoring the immense value and comprehensive nature of the divine instruction, making Israel's rejection even more egregious. The verse also implicitly uses **Anthropomorphism** by attributing the act of "writing" to God, making His divine communication relatable to human experience.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Hosea 8:12 speaks profoundly to the enduring theological tension between God's consistent self-revelation and humanity's persistent tendency to reject or suppress that truth. God, in His boundless grace, has always sought to make Himself known and to guide His people through His Word, whether written on stone, spoken by prophets, or ultimately embodied in Christ. However, this verse serves as a sobering reminder that divine revelation, no matter how clear or abundant, is often met with indifference, dismissal, or outright hostility by those who prefer their own ways. The "strange thing" is not God's law, but the human heart that finds God's wisdom alien to its desires. This spiritual apathy leads to a profound estrangement from the very source of life and truth, illustrating the dangerous consequences of devaluing God's authoritative Word.

* [Deuteronomy 6:6](/deuteronomy/6-6 "Deuteronomy 6:6 - The Command to Keep God's Words")
* [Psalm 119:105](/psalms/119-105 "Psalm 119:105 - God's Word as a Lamp")
* [Jeremiah 7:23-24](/jeremiah/7-23-24 "Jeremiah 7:23-24 - Israel's Disobedience")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Hosea 8:12 serves as a powerful mirror for believers today, challenging us to honestly examine our relationship with God's Word. Do we truly treasure the "great things" of His law—now fully revealed in the comprehensive narrative of Scripture and centered in Christ—or do we, like ancient Israel, treat it as something "strange" or irrelevant to our modern lives? In an age of abundant information and competing philosophies, it is easy to relegate the Bible to a secondary status, viewing its ancient wisdom as outdated or burdensome. Yet, God's Word remains the timeless, life-giving truth, meant to guide, correct, and nourish our souls. Our spiritual vitality and flourishing depend on our willingness to embrace, study, and obey His precepts. To count His Word as strange is to invite spiritual famine and estrangement from the very heart of God. We are called to actively engage with Scripture, allowing it to transform our minds and direct our paths, lest we repeat the tragic mistake of Ephraim.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what ways might I, consciously or unconsciously, treat God's Word as a "strange thing" in my daily life?**
* **What specific "great things" of God's law (Scripture) do I find challenging or difficult to embrace, and why?**
* **How can I cultivate a deeper hunger and appreciation for God's Word, moving from mere intellectual assent to heartfelt obedience?**
* **What practical steps can I take to ensure God's Word is central, not peripheral, to my personal walk with Him and my community life?**

### FAQ
**What does "the great things of my law" refer to in this context?**

Answer: "The great things of my law" (Hebrew: *ribbôw tôwrâh*) refers to the comprehensive body of divine instruction, teaching, and guidance that God had given to Israel, primarily through Moses. This includes the Ten Commandments, the statutes and ordinances found in the Pentateuch (Torah), and the covenant stipulations that defined Israel's unique relationship with Yahweh. The phrase "great things" emphasizes the vastness, significance, and abundance of this divine revelation, highlighting that God's provision of guidance was not meager but rich and extensive. It was meant to be the foundation of their national and individual life, guiding them in righteousness, justice, and worship, and setting them apart as God's chosen people.

**Why did Israel "count" God's law "as a strange thing"?**

Answer: Israel counted God's law as a "strange thing" (Hebrew: *zûwr*) due to a combination of spiritual apathy, moral decay, and a deliberate choice to assimilate with surrounding pagan cultures. Instead of cherishing God's unique covenant and its accompanying laws as their heritage and guide, they viewed them as foreign, irrelevant, or burdensome. This stemmed from a heart that had turned away from God, preferring idolatry, self-reliance, and political alliances over faithfulness to their divine King. They actively disregarded the very instructions that were meant for their blessing and life, effectively treating God's truth as something alien to their desires and practices, leading to profound spiritual blindness and moral corruption, as detailed throughout [the book of Hosea](/hosea/1 "Hosea 1 - God's Judgment and Restoration").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Hosea 8:12, with its lament over Israel's rejection of God's law as "strange," finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the living embodiment of God's law, the very Word made flesh (as profoundly declared in [John 1:1-14](/john/1-1-14 "John 1:1-14 - The Word Became Flesh")), who came not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it (as stated in [Matthew 5:17](/matthew/5-17 "Matthew 5:17 - Jesus Fulfills the Law")). The "great things of my law" that Israel counted as strange were ultimately pointing to Him, the perfect expression of God's will and character. Just as Israel rejected the written law, humanity, in its fallen state, often rejects the living Law, Jesus Christ. However, in the New Covenant, prophesied in [Jeremiah 31:33](/jeremiah/31-33 "Jeremiah 31:33 - The New Covenant") and inaugurated by Christ, God promises to write His law not on tablets of stone, but on the hearts of His people (reiterated in [Hebrews 8:10](/hebrews/8-10 "Hebrews 8:10 - The New Covenant Written on Hearts")). Through faith in Christ, what was once "strange" becomes intimate and transformative, as the Holy Spirit enables believers to understand, love, and obey God's will, no longer viewing His commands as external burdens but as the very essence of life in Him.

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

Deuteronomy 4:6

Keep therefore and do [them]; for this [is] your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation [is] a wise and understanding people.

Deuteronomy 4:8

And what nation [is there so] great, that hath statutes and judgments [so] righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?

2 Kings 17:15

And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that [were] round about them, [concerning] whom the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them.

2 Kings 17:16

And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them molten images, [even] two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal.

Nehemiah 9:26

Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.

Proverbs 22:20

Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,

Jeremiah 6:16

Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where [is] the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk [therein].