Hosea 8:7
Hosea 8:7 in Multiple Translations
For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. There is no standing grain; what sprouts fails to yield flour. Even if it should produce, the foreigners would swallow it up.
For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.
For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: he hath no standing grain; the blade shall yield no meal; if so be it yield, strangers shall swallow it up.
For they have been planting the wind, and their fruit will be the storm; his grain has no stem, it will give no meal, and if it does, a strange nation will take it.
Those who sow the wind will reap the whirlwind. The stalk has no head of grain; it will produce no flour. Even if it did produce grain, foreigners would swallow it all up.
For they haue sowne the winde, and they shall reape the whirlewind: it hath no stalke: the budde shall bring foorth no meale: if so be it bring forth, the strangers shall deuoure it.
For wind they sow, and a hurricane they reap, Stalk it hath none — a shoot not yielding grain, If so be it yield — strangers do swallow it up.
For they sow the wind, and they will reap the whirlwind. He has no standing grain. The stalk will yield no head. If it does yield, strangers will swallow it up.
For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if it shall yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.
For they shall sow wind, and reap a whirlwind, there is no standing stalk in it, the bud shall yield no meal; and if it should yield, strangers shall eat it.
The foolish thing that the people of Israel have done is like [MET] trying to plant wind; but what they harvest will be like [MET] a whirlwind. So the grain that they planted will have no heads on the stalks, and as a result there will be no grain from which to make flour. And if it did produce good grain, foreigners would come and steal it.
Berean Amplified Bible — Hosea 8:7
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Hosea 8:7 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
כִּ֛י
ר֥וּחַ
יִזְרָ֖עוּ
וְ/סוּפָ֣תָ/ה
יִקְצֹ֑רוּ
קָמָ֣ה
אֵֽין
ל֗/וֹ
צֶ֚מַח
בְּלִ֣י
יַֽעֲשֶׂה
קֶּ֔מַח
אוּלַ֣י
יַֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה
זָרִ֖ים
יִבְלָעֻֽ/הוּ
כִּ֛י
kîy
H3588
for
Conj
ר֥וּחַ
rûwach
H7307
spirit
N-cs
יִזְרָ֖עוּ
zâraʻ
H2232
to sow
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp
וְ/סוּפָ֣תָ/ה
çûwphâh
H5492
whirlwind
Conj | N-fs | Suff
יִקְצֹ֑רוּ
qâtsar
H7114
be short
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp
קָמָ֣ה
qâmâh
H7054
standing grain
N-fs
אֵֽין
ʼayin
H369
nothing
Part
ל֗/וֹ
Prep | Suff
צֶ֚מַח
tsemach
H6780
branch
N-ms
בְּלִ֣י
bᵉlîy
H1097
without
Part
יַֽעֲשֶׂה
ʻâsâh
H6213
to make
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms
קֶּ֔מַח
qemach
H7058
flour
N-ms
אוּלַ֣י
ʼûwlay
H194
perhaps
Adv
יַֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה
ʻâsâh
H6213
to make
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms
זָרִ֖ים
zûwr
H2114
be a stranger
Adj
יִבְלָעֻֽ/הוּ
bâlaʻ
H1104
to swallow up
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
Use ← → arrow keys to navigate between words.
Hebrew Word Reference — Hosea 8:7
כִּ֛י
kîy
H3588
"for"
Conj
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Definition: 1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since 1a) that 1a1) yea, indeed 1b) when (of time) 1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force) 1c) because, since (causal connection) 1d) but (after negative) 1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if 1f) but rather, but 1g) except that 1h) only, nevertheless 1i) surely 1j) that is 1k) but if 1l) for though 1m) forasmuch as, for therefore
Usage: Occurs in 3910 OT verses. KJV: and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet. See also: Genesis 1:4; Genesis 26:16; Genesis 42:15.
ר֥וּחַ
rûwach
H7307
"spirit"
N-cs
In the Bible, this word for spirit refers to the breath of life, the wind, or a person's mind and emotions, as seen in the book of Ezekiel.
Definition: : spirit 1) wind, breath, mind, spirit 1a) breath 1b) wind 1b1) of heaven 1b2) quarter (of wind), side 1b3) breath of air 1b4) air, gas 1b5) vain, empty thing 1c) spirit (as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation) 1c1) spirit, animation, vivacity, vigour 1c2) courage 1c3) temper, anger 1c4) impatience, patience 1c5) spirit, disposition (as troubled, bitter, discontented) 1c6) disposition (of various kinds), unaccountable or uncontrollable impulse 1c7) prophetic spirit 1d) spirit (of the living, breathing being in man and animals) 1d1) as gift, preserved by God, God's spirit, departing at death, disembodied being 1e) spirit (as seat of emotion) 1e1) desire 1e2) sorrow, trouble 1f) spirit 1f1) as seat or organ of mental acts 1f2) rarely of the will 1f3) as seat especially of moral character 1g) Spirit of God, the third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit, coequal, coeternal with the Father and the Son 1g1) as inspiring ecstatic state of prophecy 1g2) as impelling prophet to utter instruction or warning 1g3) imparting warlike energy and executive and administrative power 1g4) as endowing men with various gifts 1g5) as energy of life 1g6) as manifest in the Shekinah glory 1g7) never referred to as a depersonalised force
Usage: Occurs in 348 OT verses. KJV: air, anger, blast, breath, [idiom] cool, courage, mind, [idiom] quarter, [idiom] side, spirit(-ual), tempest, [idiom] vain, (whirl-) wind(-y). See also: Genesis 1:2; Job 6:26; Psalms 1:4.
יִזְרָ֖עוּ
zâraʻ
H2232
"to sow"
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp
To sow or plant seed is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which also has figurative uses like spreading ideas or producing spiritual fruit. It appears in various forms, such as conceiving or yielding seed, and is used in biblical passages like Genesis and Psalm 107.
Definition: 1) to sow, scatter seed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to sow 1a2) producing, yielding seed 1b)(Niphal) 1b1) to be sown 1b2) to become pregnant, be made pregnant 1c) (Pual) to be sown 1d) (Hiphil) to produce seed, yield seed
Usage: Occurs in 54 OT verses. KJV: bear, conceive seed, set with sow(-er), yield. See also: Genesis 1:11; Psalms 107:37; Psalms 97:11.
וְ/סוּפָ֣תָ/ה
çûwphâh
H5492
"whirlwind"
Conj | N-fs | Suff
Suphah refers to a hurricane or storm, and is also the name of a place east of the Jordan, translated as Red Sea in the KJV. It is derived from the idea of overflowing. In the Bible, it is used to describe powerful natural events, such as storms and whirlwinds.
Definition: storm-wind
Usage: Occurs in 16 OT verses. KJV: Red Sea, storm, tempest, whirlwind, Red sea. See also: Numbers 21:14; Isaiah 17:13; Psalms 83:16.
יִקְצֹ֑רוּ
qâtsar
H7114
"be short"
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp
This Hebrew word means to reap or harvest, like cutting down grain or grass. It is used in the Bible to describe the act of harvesting, and also to describe being discouraged or grieved.
Definition: 1) to be short, be impatient, be vexed, be grieved 1a) (Qal) to be short 1b) (Piel) to shorten 1c) (Hiphil) to shorten
Usage: Occurs in 46 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] at all, cut down, much discouraged, grieve, harvestman, lothe, mourn, reap(-er), (be, wax) short(-en, -er), straiten, trouble, vex. See also: Leviticus 19:9; Job 24:6; Psalms 89:46.
קָמָ֣ה
qâmâh
H7054
"standing grain"
N-fs
Standing grain refers to mature crops that are ready for harvest. In the Bible, it symbolizes growth and abundance, as seen in the fields of ancient Israel. The word is used to describe the ripe, tall stalks of grain.
Definition: standing grain
Usage: Occurs in 8 OT verses. KJV: (standing) corn, grown up, stalk. See also: Exodus 22:5; 2 Kings 19:26; Isaiah 17:5.
אֵֽין
ʼayin
H369
"nothing"
Part
This word means nothing or not, often used to indicate the absence of something, as in Genesis 1:2 where the earth was without form. It emphasizes the idea of something lacking or non-existent.
Definition: 1) nothing, not, nought n 1a) nothing, nought neg 1b) not 1c) to have not (of possession) adv 1d) without w/prep 1e) for lack of
Usage: Occurs in 686 OT verses. KJV: else, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare H370 (אַיִן). See also: Genesis 2:5; Deuteronomy 14:27; 1 Kings 15:22.
ל֗/וֹ
""
Prep | Suff
צֶ֚מַח
tsemach
H6780
"branch"
N-ms
This word refers to a sprout or branch, often used to describe growth or new life, like a sprouting plant. It can also symbolize the Messiah, as in a branch from the Davidic tree. The KJV translates it as branch, bud, or spring.
Definition: 1) sprout, growth, branch 1a) sprouting, growth, sprout 1b) growth (of process) 1c) sprout, shoot (of Messiah from Davidic tree)
Usage: Occurs in 12 OT verses. KJV: branch, bud, that which (where) grew (upon), spring(-ing). See also: Genesis 19:25; Ezekiel 16:7; Psalms 65:11.
בְּלִ֣י
bᵉlîy
H1097
"without"
Part
This word means without or nothing, often used for negation. It appears in various forms, such as without or not yet, in the Old Testament.
Definition: subst 1) wearing out adv of negation 2) without, no, not
Usage: Occurs in 57 OT verses. KJV: corruption, ig(norantly), for lack of, where no...is, so that no, none, not, un(awares), without. See also: Genesis 31:20; Job 38:41; Psalms 19:4.
יַֽעֲשֶׂה
ʻâsâh
H6213
"to make"
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms
This verb means to make or do something, and is used over 2,600 times in the Bible. It is first used in Genesis 1:7 to describe God's creation of the world and is also used in Exodus 31:5 to describe the work of skilled craftsmen.
Definition: : make(OBJECT) 1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to do, work, make, produce 1a1a) to do 1a1b) to work 1a1c) to deal (with) 1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect 1a2) to make 1a2a) to make 1a2b) to produce 1a2c) to prepare 1a2d) to make (an offering) 1a2e) to attend to, put in order 1a2f) to observe, celebrate 1a2g) to acquire (property) 1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute 1a2i) to bring about 1a2j) to use 1a2k) to spend, pass 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be done 1b2) to be made 1b3) to be produced 1b4) to be offered 1b5) to be observed 1b6) to be used 1c) (Pual) to be made
Usage: Occurs in 2286 OT verses. KJV: accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, [phrase] feast, (fight-) ing man, [phrase] finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, [phrase] hinder, hold (a feast), [idiom] indeed, [phrase] be industrious, [phrase] journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, [phrase] officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, [idiom] sacrifice, serve, set, shew, [idiom] sin, spend, [idiom] surely, take, [idiom] thoroughly, trim, [idiom] very, [phrase] vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use. See also: Genesis 1:7; Genesis 34:19; Exodus 18:24.
קֶּ֔מַח
qemach
H7058
"flour"
N-ms
In the Bible, qemach refers to flour, like the kind used to make bread, as seen in recipes and stories throughout the Old Testament. It is often translated as flour or meal. This word is used in various contexts, including food preparation and rituals.
Definition: flour, meal, meal flour
Usage: Occurs in 14 OT verses. KJV: flour, meal. See also: Genesis 18:6; 1 Kings 17:12; Isaiah 47:2.
אוּלַ֣י
ʼûwlay
H194
"perhaps"
Adv
Ulay means perhaps or if not, used to express uncertainty or doubt. It appears in various forms, such as peradventure or unless. It helps to convey tentative ideas.
Definition: 1) perhaps, peradventure 2) if peradventure 3) unless 4) suppose
Usage: Occurs in 44 OT verses. KJV: if so be, may be, peradventure, unless. See also: Genesis 16:2; 1 Samuel 14:6; Isaiah 37:4.
יַֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה
ʻâsâh
H6213
"to make"
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms
This verb means to make or do something, and is used over 2,600 times in the Bible. It is first used in Genesis 1:7 to describe God's creation of the world and is also used in Exodus 31:5 to describe the work of skilled craftsmen.
Definition: : make(OBJECT) 1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to do, work, make, produce 1a1a) to do 1a1b) to work 1a1c) to deal (with) 1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect 1a2) to make 1a2a) to make 1a2b) to produce 1a2c) to prepare 1a2d) to make (an offering) 1a2e) to attend to, put in order 1a2f) to observe, celebrate 1a2g) to acquire (property) 1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute 1a2i) to bring about 1a2j) to use 1a2k) to spend, pass 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be done 1b2) to be made 1b3) to be produced 1b4) to be offered 1b5) to be observed 1b6) to be used 1c) (Pual) to be made
Usage: Occurs in 2286 OT verses. KJV: accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, [phrase] feast, (fight-) ing man, [phrase] finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, [phrase] hinder, hold (a feast), [idiom] indeed, [phrase] be industrious, [phrase] journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, [phrase] officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, [idiom] sacrifice, serve, set, shew, [idiom] sin, spend, [idiom] surely, take, [idiom] thoroughly, trim, [idiom] very, [phrase] vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use. See also: Genesis 1:7; Genesis 34:19; Exodus 18:24.
זָרִ֖ים
zûwr
H2114
"be a stranger"
Adj
This word has several meanings, including being a stranger or foreigner, like when Abraham lived in Egypt as a foreigner. It can also mean to commit adultery, highlighting the idea of turning aside from what is right and proper, as warned against in Proverbs 5.
Definition: 1) to be strange, be a stranger 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to become estranged 1a2) strange, another, stranger, foreigner, an enemy (participle) 1a3) strange woman, prostitute, harlot (meton) 1b) (Niphal) to be estranged 1c) (Hophal) to be a stranger, be one alienated
Usage: Occurs in 76 OT verses. KJV: (come from) another (man, place), fanner, go away, (e-) strange(-r, thing, woman). See also: Exodus 29:33; Proverbs 11:15; Psalms 44:21.
יִבְלָעֻֽ/הוּ
bâlaʻ
H1104
"to swallow up"
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp | Suff
This word means to swallow or destroy something completely. It can be used to describe something being eaten up or destroyed, like in a natural disaster or a strong storm. The Bible uses it to convey total destruction.
Definition: 1) to swallow down, swallow up, engulf, eat up 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to swallow down 1a2) to swallow up, engulf 1b) (Niphal) to be swallowed up 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to swallow 1c2) to swallow up, engulf 1c3) squandering (fig.) 1d) (Pual) to be swallowed up 1e) (Hithpael) to be ended
Usage: Occurs in 48 OT verses. KJV: cover, destroy, devour, eat up, be at end, spend up, swallow down (up). See also: Genesis 41:7; Psalms 106:17; Psalms 21:10.
Study Notes — Hosea 8:7
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Hosea 8:7 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Hosea 8:7
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Hosea 8:7
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Hosea 8:7
- Trapp's Commentary on Hosea 8:7
- Ellicott's Commentary on Hosea 8:7
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Hosea 8:7
- Cambridge Bible on Hosea 8:7
- Barnes' Notes on Hosea 8:7
- Whedon's Commentary on Hosea 8:7
- Sermons on Hosea 8:7
Context — Israel Will Reap the Whirlwind
5He has rejected your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence?
6For this thing is from Israel— a craftsman made it, and it is not God. It will be broken to pieces, that calf of Samaria.
7For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. There is no standing grain; what sprouts fails to yield flour. Even if it should produce, the foreigners would swallow it up.
8Israel is swallowed up! Now they are among the nations like a worthless vessel. 9For they have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey on its own. Ephraim has hired lovers.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proverbs 22:8 | He who sows injustice will reap disaster, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed. |
| 2 | Job 4:8 | As I have observed, those who plow iniquity and those who sow trouble reap the same. |
| 3 | Galatians 6:7 | Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return. |
| 4 | Nahum 1:3 | The LORD is slow to anger and great in power; the LORD will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. His path is in the whirlwind and storm, and clouds are the dust beneath His feet. |
| 5 | Hosea 10:12–13 | Sow for yourselves righteousness and reap the fruit of loving devotion; break up your unplowed ground. For it is time to seek the LORD until He comes and sends righteousness upon you like rain. You have plowed wickedness and reaped injustice; you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your own way and in the multitude of your mighty men, |
| 6 | Hosea 7:9 | Foreigners consume his strength, but he does not notice. Even his hair is streaked with gray, but he does not know. |
| 7 | Judges 6:3–6 | Whenever the Israelites would plant their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people of the east would come up and invade them, encamping against them as far as Gaza and destroying the produce of the land. They left Israel with no sustenance, neither sheep nor oxen nor donkeys. For the Midianites came with their livestock and their tents like a great swarm of locusts. They and their camels were innumerable, and they entered the land to ravage it. Israel was greatly impoverished by Midian, and the Israelites cried out to the LORD. |
| 8 | Jeremiah 12:13 | They have sown wheat but harvested thorns. They have exhausted themselves to no avail. Bear the shame of your harvest because of the fierce anger of the LORD.” |
| 9 | Isaiah 66:15 | For behold, the LORD will come with fire— His chariots are like a whirlwind— to execute His anger with fury and His rebuke with flames of fire. |
| 10 | Hosea 2:9 | Therefore I will take back My grain in its time and My new wine in its season; I will take away My wool and linen, which were given to cover her nakedness. |
Hosea 8:7 Summary
[Hosea 8:7 is saying that when we do wrong things, we will face serious consequences, like a big storm. This is because God is a holy God who hates sin, as seen in Psalm 97:10. If we try to grow something good, like a crop, but our hearts are not right with God, it will not produce anything useful. Even if it does grow, someone or something else might come and take it away, leaving us with nothing, similar to what happened in Jeremiah 12:13.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to 'sow the wind' and 'reap the whirlwind' in Hosea 8:7?
This phrase is a metaphor that means to engage in foolish or harmful behavior and then experience the severe consequences of those actions, as seen in Galatians 6:7-8 where it says we reap what we sow.
Is the lack of standing grain in Hosea 8:7 a physical or spiritual issue?
The lack of standing grain is likely a physical consequence of God's judgment, but it also symbolizes the spiritual barrenness of the people, as mentioned in Matthew 13:1-23 where Jesus teaches about the sower and the seeds.
Who are the foreigners that would swallow up Israel's produce in Hosea 8:7?
The foreigners likely refer to the invading armies of Assyria, as mentioned in Hosea 9:3, which would plunder Israel's resources and leave them impoverished, similar to what happened in Deuteronomy 28:33-34 where it talks about the consequences of disobedience.
How does Hosea 8:7 relate to the concept of God's judgment?
Hosea 8:7 illustrates the principle of God's judgment, where the people's sinful actions lead to severe consequences, as seen in Romans 6:23 where it says the wages of sin is death, and this serves as a warning to turn back to God and seek His mercy and forgiveness, as in 1 John 1:9.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways I might be 'sowing the wind' in my own life, and what whirlwind might I reap as a consequence?
- How can I ensure that my spiritual 'grain' is healthy and thriving, rather than failing to yield fruit?
- In what ways can I seek God's protection and provision, rather than relying on my own strength or the help of foreigners?
- What are some areas where I need to repent and turn back to God, in order to avoid the kind of judgment described in Hosea 8:7?
Gill's Exposition on Hosea 8:7
For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind,.... The sense is, the Israelites took a great deal of pains in the idolatrous worship of the calves, and made a great stir, bustle, and
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Hosea 8:7
For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Hosea 8:7
For; since that; or, for so much as; or, verily; so the Hebrew particle is sometimes used, . They have sown the wind; a proverbial speech, to denote either lost labour, or, which is much worse, labour that will undo and tear to pieces him that laboureth: both these are in the verse. Man’ s life and labour is a seed that will bring forth fruit; but when this life and labour is laid out on sin, as here Israel’ s was, it will bring forth that fruit the sinner is unwilling to reap. They shall reap the whirlwind; a violent, tearing, and dissipating tempest, which beareth down and destroyeth all that is in its way; an emblem of the wrath of God breaking out against these vain and sinful men: so Ephraim reaped in his civil wars, and much more in the Assyrian war, which ended in a whirlwind, that hath scattered them into unknown countries, and where they have lain buried in forgetfulness above two thousand four hundred years. It hath no stalk; suppose this seed should have its harvest in no whirlwind, it will end in loss and disappointment, as seed that never springs up into a stalk, nor hath bud or ear: all your worship of and dependence on idols, and foreign assistance, will at best be as seed that yields neither stalk nor bud. The bud shall yield no meal; or suppose it produced stalk and bud, yet it will be no profit, but all lost labour, for the bud shall be lank, shrivelled, and blasted, and never yield meal: so was the fruit Israel reaped, from Pul to Menahem, and from Egypt’ s assistance to Hoshea against Shalmaneser. If so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up; or, if yet meal be found in the bud, Israel shall be never the better, foreigners devour it: so did Pul and his, and Shalmaneser and his Assyrians, eat up all.
Trapp's Commentary on Hosea 8:7
Hosea 8:7 For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.Ver. 7. For they have sown the wind, and shall reap the whirlwind] To sow the wind is to labour in vain, as Ecclesiastes 5:16, to labour for the wind, and Proverbs 11:29, to possess the wind, to feed on the wind, Hosea 12:1, and to be eaten up of the wind, Jeremiah 22:22. The Greeks express the same by hunting after and husbanding the wind, ανεμουςγεωργειν. The wind, we know, maketh a mighty bustle, as if it were some great business, solid and stable; but presently it blows over, and comes to nothing. Or if it get, as seed, into the bosom of the earth, either it breeds an earthquake, or at least ariseth in a whirlwind, which blows dust into the eyes, and once at least buried a considerable army in the Libyan sands. Solomon saith, "He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity," Proverbs 22:8. But our prophet here saith more. He that soweth the wind of iniquity shall reap the terrible tempest of inconceivable misery. By the "blast of God he shall perish, and by the breath of his nostrils he shall be consumed," Job 4:8-9. As the beginnings of idolatry, hypocrisy, vain glory, carnal policy, &c., are empty and unhappy (it is but the sowing of blasted grain, as the Septuagint here hath it, seed corrupted by the wind, ανεμοφθορα), so the end thereof is very sad and dismal.
The word here rendered the whirlwind hath a syllable in it more than ordinary (Suphathah), to note (saith Tremellius) the fearfulness of the divine vengeance that will befall the forementioned; and especially at death, when they are entering upon eternity. Oh what a dreadful shriek gives the guilty soul at death, to see itself launching into an infinite ocean of scalding lead, and must swim naked in it for ever; not having the least cold blast of that wind it sowed all its life long to cool it; but rather to add to its torment! Then will God speak to such, as once he did to Job out of a whirlwind, but after another manner; Go to now, ye formalists, false worshippers, triflers, troublers of Israel; ye that have been mere mutes and ciphers, nullities in the world, superfluities in the earth, or worse than all this; go to now, I say, weep and howl for the miseries that are come upon you. "Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter," James 5:5.
Ellicott's Commentary on Hosea 8:7
(7) Wind . . . whirlwind.—The great law of Divine retribution, the punishment for sin being often a greater facility in sinning—indifference to God becoming enmity, forgetfulness of duty or truth becoming violent recoil from both. “Wind” expresses what is empty and fruitless, and the pronoun “it” refers, in accordance with the metaphor, to such unproductive seed. It hath no stalk.—Not even incipient prosperity, as in the days of Jeroboam II. “The growth shall yield no grain,” as we might express the play of words in the Hebrew.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Hosea 8:7
Verse 7. They have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind] As the husbandman reaps the same kind of grain which he has sown, but in far greater abundance, thirty, sixty, or one hundred fold; so he who sows the wind shall have a whirlwind to reap. The vental seed shall be multiplied into a tempest; so they who sow the seed of unrighteousness shall reap a harvest of judgment. This is a fine, bold, and energetic metaphor. It hath no stalk] Nothing that can yield a blossom. If it have a blossom, that blossom shall not yield fruit; if there be fruit, the sower shall not enjoy it, for strangers shall eat it. The meaning is, the labours of this people shall be utterly unprofitable and vain.
Cambridge Bible on Hosea 8:7
7. The consequences of Israel’s evil conduct and policy are here represented under the figure of sowing and reaping. But the form of the figure is varied. First, Israel sows wind and reaps whirlwind, i.e. his present conduct is unprofitable to himself, and the requital of it shall be actual destruction. Next, though Israel sows a corn-plant, it never grows up to its full size (it, i.e. Israel, hath no standing corn); or if it does, it either yields the farmer no meal, or its meal is seized upon by the enemy, i.e. the worldly results of Israel’s policy are never good, and any wealth that it attains passes into the hands of the enemy. the bud shall yield no meal] In the Hebrew there is a characteristic play upon sounds,—the çemakh yields no qemakh.
Barnes' Notes on Hosea 8:7
For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind - “They shall reap,” not merely as “they have sown,” but with an awful increase.
Whedon's Commentary on Hosea 8:7
6. From Israel was it also [“is even this”] — What? Evidently the calf of Hos 8:5. In its establishment Jehovah had no part; it is the work of Israel; therefore the former has cast it off.
Sermons on Hosea 8:7
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
A Message for America and Its Cultural Religion by Carter Conlon | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the importance of understanding the times we live in and the need for spiritual discernment. He mentions a gathering of churches in New York |
|
Sowing the Wind by Chuck Smith | This sermon emphasizes the principle of sowing and reaping, highlighting the consequences of our actions and the importance of sowing seeds of righteousness and value. It warns aga |
|
Reaping the Whirlwind by D.L. Moody | D.L. Moody shares a poignant story about a young boy from Newcastle-on-Tyne who, despite his parents' love and care, fell into a life of crime and ultimately faced dire consequence |
|
Worthy - or Unworthy? by A.W. Tozer | Greek Word Studies delves into the concept of sowing, emphasizing the significance of scattering the seed of the Word of God, the Gospel, into people's hearts. Through various Bibl |
|
|
Hosea 8:7 by Chuck Smith | Chuck Smith discusses the dire consequences of Israel's disobedience to God, emphasizing that they have 'sown the wind' through their transgressions and idolatry, leading to their |
|
There's Mercy With the Lord by Jackie Hughes | In this sermon, the preacher shares various stories and experiences to emphasize the power of sin and the hope found in the gospel. He highlights the destructive nature of sin, sho |
|
John Gordon by Alexander Whyte | Alexander Whyte preaches about the struggles and consequences of sin within the Gordon family, particularly focusing on the challenges faced by old John Gordon and his son in Cardo |