Hosea 9:9

KJV

They have deeply corrupted [themselves], as in the days of Gibeah: [therefore] he will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins.

KJV (with Strong's)

They have deeply {H6009} corrupted {H7843} themselves, as in the days {H3117} of Gibeah {H1390}: therefore he will remember {H2142} their iniquity {H5771}, he will visit {H6485} their sins {H2403}.

Complete Jewish Bible

They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Giv'ah. He will remember their guilt, and he will punish their sins.

Berean Standard Bible

They have deeply corrupted themselves as in the days of Gibeah; He will remember their guilt; He will punish their sins.

American Standard Version

They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah: he will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Hosea 9:9 serves as a severe indictment against the Northern Kingdom of Israel, declaring that their moral and spiritual degradation has reached a depth comparable to the infamous wickedness of Gibeah, thereby ensuring God's righteous and decisive judgment for their pervasive iniquity and accumulated sins.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Hosea 9 is a chapter steeped in divine judgment, following earlier chapters where God laments Israel's spiritual adultery and pronounces impending doom. The immediate context of [Hosea 9](/hosea/9 "Hosea 9 - Judgment on Israel") details the consequences of Israel's idolatry and rebellion, particularly their reliance on foreign alliances and their corrupt religious practices. Verses preceding [Hosea 9:9](/hosea/9-9 "Hosea 9:9 - Israel's Deep Corruption") speak of their inability to rejoice in the Lord, their defilement, and their impending exile, setting the stage for this verse's direct accusation of profound corruption and the certainty of divine retribution. The reference to Gibeah intensifies the gravity of their sin by drawing a historical parallel to a time of extreme moral breakdown.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The prophet Hosea ministered during the tumultuous final decades of the Northern Kingdom (Israel), roughly 750-715 BC, leading up to its fall to Assyria in 722 BC. This period was marked by political instability, with frequent assassinations of kings, and widespread religious syncretism, where the worship of Yahweh was mixed with Baal worship and other pagan practices. Social injustice, bribery, and moral decay were rampant, reflecting a society that had abandoned the covenant principles of God. The reference to "the days of Gibeah" immediately evokes the horrific events recorded in [Judges 19](/judges/19 "Judges 19 - The Levite's Concubine and the Atrocity at Gibeah") and [Judges 20](/judges/20 "Judges 20 - The War Against Benjamin"), which describe an unspeakable act of sexual violence, tribal civil war, and a complete breakdown of law and order in Israel, a time when "there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes" ([Judges 21:25](/judges/21-25 "Judges 21:25 - No King in Israel")). By comparing contemporary Israel to Gibeah, Hosea highlights the nation's return to a state of profound moral anarchy and depravity, deserving of similar, if not greater, divine judgment.

* **Key Themes:** [Hosea 9:9](/hosea/9-9 "Hosea 9:9 - Israel's Deep Corruption") powerfully articulates several core themes prevalent throughout the book of Hosea. Firstly, it underscores the theme of **profound corruption and moral decay**, illustrating that Israel's sin was not superficial but deeply ingrained, permeating every aspect of their society. The phrase "deeply corrupted themselves" emphasizes the pervasive nature of their wickedness, a stark contrast to the covenant relationship they were meant to uphold. Secondly, the verse highlights **divine remembrance and inevitable judgment**. In biblical terms, God "remembering" their iniquity ([Hosea 9:9](/hosea/9-9 "Hosea 9:9 - God Remembers Iniquity")) is not a mere recollection but an active turning of His attention toward their deeds, signaling an impending, decisive act of justice. This is further emphasized by the declaration that He "will visit their sins," a phrase that consistently denotes God's intervention to bring about accountability and punishment for unrepentant transgression, as seen in other prophetic warnings like [Amos 8:7](/amos/8-7 "Amos 8:7 - God Will Never Forget Their Deeds"). The comparison to Gibeah also introduces the theme of **historical precedent and the cyclical nature of sin and judgment**, reminding Israel that past wickedness led to severe consequences, and their current state would be no different.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **deeply (Hebrew, _ʻâmaq'_):** This word signifies to be or make deep, profound, or hidden. When combined with "corrupted," it emphasizes the pervasive and ingrained nature of Israel's depravity. Their corruption was not superficial but had penetrated to the very core of their being and society, making their wickedness profound and difficult to reverse.
* **corrupted (Hebrew, _shâchath'_):** A primitive root meaning to decay, ruin, or destroy, either literally or figuratively. In this context, it describes Israel's moral and spiritual deterioration. They had actively ruined themselves and their covenant relationship with God through their actions, leading to a state of utter depravity and moral decay.
* **remember (Hebrew, _zâkar'_):** While literally meaning to recall or mention, in a divine context, especially concerning sin, "remember" signifies an active turning of God's attention to past deeds with the intent to act decisively. It implies that God's patience has reached its limit, and He is now poised to bring about the consequences of their actions, not merely to recollect them.
* **visit (Hebrew, _pâqad'_):** This versatile root can mean to visit with friendly or hostile intent, to oversee, muster, or charge. In the context of divine judgment, as here, it means to inspect, hold accountable, and bring punishment. God's "visitation" of their sins signifies His active engagement with their transgressions, leading to the execution of justice and retribution.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"They have deeply corrupted [themselves], as in the days of Gibeah":** This clause delivers a scathing indictment of Israel's pervasive moral and spiritual decay. The combination of "deeply" and "corrupted" highlights that their wickedness was not superficial but had penetrated to the core of their national and individual character. It implies a deliberate and profound turning away from God's standards. The chilling comparison to "the days of Gibeah" immediately brings to mind one of the darkest and most morally depraved episodes in Israel's history, recorded in [Judges 19](/judges/19 "Judges 19 - The Atrocity at Gibeah"), where extreme sexual violence and a subsequent civil war demonstrated a complete breakdown of justice and order. By drawing this parallel, Hosea underscores the severity and depth of Israel's current sin, implying they have regressed to a state of utter lawlessness and depravity that demands divine intervention.
* **"[therefore] he will remember their iniquity":** This phrase introduces the inevitable consequence of their profound corruption. The word "therefore" (implied by the causal relationship) signals that God's forthcoming action is a direct response to their sin. When God "remembers" iniquity in the biblical sense, it is not merely a mental recollection but an active turning of His attention towards the transgression with the intent to act decisively in judgment. It signifies that the time for patience has passed, and the period of accountability has arrived. "Iniquity" (Hebrew: `avôn`) refers to perversity, moral evil, and the guilt or punishment associated with it, encompassing the crookedness and distortion of their actions against God's law.
* **"he will visit their sins":** This final clause reinforces the certainty and nature of God's impending judgment. To "visit" sins, in this context, means God will actively intervene to inspect, hold accountable, and administer punishment for their transgressions. It is a declaration that God's justice will not be delayed or overlooked. "Sins" (Hebrew: `chaṭṭâʼâh`) refers to an offense, a missing of the mark, and its penalty. Together with "iniquity," it emphasizes the comprehensive nature of their offense and the certainty of divine retribution for their accumulated rebellion against the covenant.

#### Literary Devices
Hosea 9:9 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message of judgment. The most prominent is **Simile**, explicitly stated in "as in the days of Gibeah." This comparison is not merely descriptive but deeply condemnatory, equating contemporary Israel's moral decay with a historical nadir of depravity and violence, thereby intensifying the gravity of their current state. The verse also utilizes **Parallelism**, specifically synonymous parallelism, in the latter half: "he will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins." Here, "remember their iniquity" and "visit their sins" convey a similar message of divine judgment, reinforcing the certainty and comprehensive nature of God's response to their rebellion through slightly different but complementary phrasing. Furthermore, the phrase "deeply corrupted" can be seen as a form of **Hyperbole** or **Intensification**, emphasizing the extreme and pervasive nature of Israel's wickedness, suggesting that their moral decay was not superficial but had penetrated to the very core of their being. This vivid language serves to underscore the profound spiritual sickness that necessitated such severe divine intervention.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Hosea 9:9 powerfully articulates the theological truth of God's unwavering justice and His covenant faithfulness, even when met with human infidelity. It reveals that God is not indifferent to sin, especially when it becomes deeply ingrained and widespread within His covenant people. The comparison to Gibeah underscores that repeated patterns of rebellion and moral depravity will inevitably lead to divine remembrance and visitation, meaning God will actively intervene to bring about consequences. This passage serves as a stark reminder that spiritual privilege does not exempt a nation or an individual from accountability for persistent sin; rather, it often heightens the judgment due to greater light and revelation received. The "remembering" and "visiting" of sin highlight God's active role as the righteous judge who upholds His moral order and ensures that justice prevails, even if delayed.

* [Judges 19:22-30](/judges/19-22-30 "Judges 19:22-30 - The Gibeah Atrocity")
* [Amos 8:7](/amos/8-7 "Amos 8:7 - God Will Never Forget Their Deeds")
* [Jeremiah 5:9](/jeremiah/5-9 "Jeremiah 5:9 - Shall I Not Punish for These Things?")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Hosea 9:9 offers a profound and sobering reflection for believers and societies today. It warns against the insidious nature of moral and spiritual decay, especially when it becomes deeply ingrained and normalized. Just as ancient Israel's corruption paralleled the depravity of Gibeah, so too can contemporary societies or even individual lives drift into patterns of sin that are profoundly offensive to God. This verse challenges us to examine the depth of our own hearts and the collective conscience of our communities: Are we "deeply corrupted," or are we striving for purity and righteousness? The divine promise to "remember their iniquity" and "visit their sins" serves as a timeless reminder that God is a God of justice who will not indefinitely overlook unrepentant sin. This should provoke a healthy fear of the Lord and a renewed commitment to repentance, holiness, and obedience. It calls us to actively resist the pervasive moral relativism and spiritual apathy of our age, choosing instead to live according to God's unchanging standards, lest we, too, face the consequences of His righteous visitation.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what ways might I, or my community, be "deeply corrupted" by subtle or overt forms of sin that have become normalized?**
* **What does God's "remembering" and "visiting" of sin teach me about His character and my accountability?**
* **How can the historical example of Gibeah and Israel's subsequent judgment motivate me to pursue greater holiness and repentance in my own life?**
* **What practical steps can I take to ensure my life and the influences around me are not drifting towards the kind of moral decay described in this verse?**

### FAQ
**What was "the days of Gibeah" and why is it significant here?**

Answer: "The days of Gibeah" refers to a horrific event recounted in [Judges 19](/judges/19 "Judges 19 - The Levite's Concubine and the Atrocity at Gibeah") and [Judges 20](/judges/20 "Judges 20 - The War Against Benjamin"). It details an unspeakable act of sexual violence against a Levite's concubine by the men of Gibeah (a city in the tribe of Benjamin), followed by the Levite's gruesome act of dismembering her body to send a message to all Israel. This led to a devastating civil war where the other tribes nearly annihilated Benjamin. The significance in [Hosea 9:9](/hosea/9-9 "Hosea 9:9 - Israel's Deep Corruption") is that Gibeah represents a nadir of moral depravity, lawlessness, and social breakdown in Israel's history, a time when "there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes" ([Judges 21:25](/judges/21-25 "Judges 21:25 - No King in Israel")). By comparing contemporary Israel's corruption to Gibeah, Hosea underscores that their current wickedness is equally profound and deserving of severe divine judgment.

**Does God "forget" sins if He "remembers" them for judgment?**

Answer: In biblical language, when God "remembers" sin, as in [Hosea 9:9](/hosea/9-9 "Hosea 9:9 - God Remembers Iniquity"), it does not imply that He had literally forgotten them. Instead, "remembering" in this context signifies an active turning of His attention to past transgressions with the intent to act decisively and bring about the consequences. It indicates that the period of divine patience has reached its limit, and the time for accountability and judgment has arrived. Conversely, when the Bible speaks of God "not remembering" sins (e.g., [Jeremiah 31:34](/jeremiah/31-34 "Jeremiah 31:34 - I Will Remember Their Sin No More")), it refers to His gracious act of forgiveness and the removal of guilt, where He chooses not to hold them against the repentant sinner for judgment.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Hosea 9:9, with its stark declaration of God's "remembering" and "visiting" Israel's deep corruption and sins, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Israel's pervasive iniquity, comparable to the abject depravity of Gibeah, highlighted humanity's utter inability to escape the just judgment of a holy God. The Old Testament's repeated pattern of sin and divine visitation underscored the need for a perfect sacrifice and a new covenant. Jesus, the sinless [Lamb of God](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), became the one upon whom God's "visitation" of sin justly fell. He bore the full weight of humanity's "iniquity" and "sins" on the cross, becoming sin for us ([2 Corinthians 5:21](/2_corinthians/5-21 "2 Corinthians 5:21 - He Who Knew No Sin")). Through His atoning death, Christ satisfied the righteous demands of God's justice, ensuring that God could "remember" our sins no more, not by overlooking them, but by fully dealing with them in Christ ([Hebrews 8:12](/hebrews/8-12 "Hebrews 8:12 - I Will Remember Their Sins No More")). Thus, for those who believe, the terrifying "visitation" of judgment is transformed into a gracious "visitation" of salvation, as God's righteous wrath against sin was poured out on His Son, securing forgiveness and eternal life for all who trust in Him ([Romans 3:25-26](/romans/3-25-26 "Romans 3:25-26 - God Presented Him as a Propitiation")).

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

Hosea 10:9

¶ O Israel, thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah: there they stood: the battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not overtake them.

Judges 19:16

¶ And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even, which [was] also of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah: but the men of the place [were] Benjamites.

Judges 20:21

And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men.

Hosea 8:13

They sacrifice flesh [for] the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat [it; but] the LORD accepteth them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt.

Isaiah 31:6

¶ Turn ye unto [him from] whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted.

Isaiah 24:5

The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.