The big picture
Hosea 5 opens in verse 1 with “Hear ye this, O priests; and hearken, ye house of Israel; and give ye ear, O house of…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 8 with “Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud at Beth-aven, after…”, and closes in verse 15 with “I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face…” Repeated or prominent terms include Ephraim, Israel, Judah, house, LORD. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Hosea · King James Version · 15Hosea 5:1-8
1–8: Hear ye this, O priests; and hearken, ye house of Israel; and give ye…
Hosea 5:1–8 opens with “Hear ye this, O priests; and hearken, ye house of Israel; and give ye ear, O house of the king…” and reaches “Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud at Beth-aven, after thee, O…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Hosea 5 develops its own movement around Ephraim, Israel, Judah, house, LORD, with particular weight carried by Israel, Ephraim, LORD.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Hear ye this, O priests; and hearken, ye house of Israel; and give ye ear, O house of the king; for judgment is toward…” Naming Hear and Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, and Israel is defiled.” Naming Ephraim and Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Hosea 5:1-8
King James Version1Hear ye this, O priests; and hearken, ye house of Israel; and give ye ear, O house of the king; for judgment is toward you, because ye have been a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor.
2And the revolters are profound to make slaughter, though I have been a rebuker of them all.
3I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, and Israel is defiled.
4They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God: for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and they have not known the LORD .
5And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity; Judah also shall fall with them.
6They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the LORD ; but they shall not find him; he hath withdrawn himself from them.
7They have dealt treacherously against the LORD : for they have begotten strange children: now shall a month devour them with their portions.
8Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud at Beth-aven, after thee, O Benjamin.
Hosea 5:9-15
9–15: Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of…
Hosea 5:9–15 opens with “Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known…” and reaches “I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Hosea 5 develops its own movement around Ephraim, Israel, Judah, house, LORD, with particular weight carried by Ephraim, Judah, house.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound: therefore I will pour out my wrath upon them like water.” Naming Judah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Hosea 5:9-15
King James Version9Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be.
10The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound: therefore I will pour out my wrath upon them like water.
11Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment.
12Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.
13When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.
14For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue him.
15I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Hosea 5:1 begins with “Hear ye this, O priests; and hearken, ye house of Israel; and give ye ear, O house of the king; for judgment is toward you, because ye have been a snare on…”
Where the chapter turns
Hosea 5:12 forms a natural hinge: “Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.”
The final note
Hosea 5:15 leaves the reader with “I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words Ephraim, Israel, Judah, house, LORD, seek help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What does the repeated ending make readers feel?
Death becomes the chapter's persistent refrain, even as generation follows generation.
What two interruptions offer hope?
Enoch's walk with God and Lamech's hope attached to Noah.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- hath
- has
- doth
- does
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.