Hosea 2:18
in Hosea 2On that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air and the creatures that crawl on the ground. And I will abolish bow and sword and weapons of war in the land, and will make them lie down in safety.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the birds of the heavens, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the land, and will make them to lie down safely.
KJV
And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely.
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This verse in Hosea 2
Commentary
9 notes on this verseWill I make a covenant for them - I will make an agreement between them and the birds, beasts, and reptiles, so that they shall not be injured by those; their flocks shall not be destroyed, nor their crops spoiled. I will also prevent every species of war, that they may no more have the calamities that arise from that source. They shall also be safe from robbers and nightly alarms; for I will make them to lie down in safety.
This site's exposition
will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field
The covenant widens past Israel's marriage to creation itself, a peace made with the beasts of the field, the fowls of heaven, and the creeping things of the ground, and the weapons of war, the bow, the sword, and the battle, broken out of the earth entirely. The commentators read the language as reaching toward the same horizon Isaiah's wolf and lamb oracles describe, a restored order in which neither the animal world nor the nations threaten the safety of God's people, positions on how literally or how far off that horizon lies left named rather than settled. Israel is made to lie down safely, the picture of a shepherd's flock replacing the picture of a lawsuit that opened the chapter.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
A commentator
John ChrysostomHOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 3:5 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
For He hath come as a Physician, not as a Judge. Therefore in like manner as those of old took harlots for wives, even so God too espoused unto Himself the nature which had played the harlot: and this also prophets from the beginning declare to have taken place with respect to the Synagogue. But that spouse was ungrateful towards Him who had been an husband to her, whereas, the Church, when once delivered from the evils received from our fathers, continued to embrace the Bridegroom.
And I will strike a deal with them in that day, with the beasts of the field and with the birds of the sky and with the creeping things of the ground; and I will shatter from the land, the bow, the sword, and war. And I will cause them to sleep with security.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
It is a full and gracious promise of abundance of peace, safety, and love, through the creation. Safely - This was in some measure made good to the Jews returning out of captivity. But the full accomplishment will be to the church of Christ.
): In that day, when they have forsaken their idols, and put themselves under the divine protection, I will make a covenant for them. They shall be protected from evil; nothing shall hurt them, nor do them any mischief. Tranquillus Deus tranquillat amnia--When God is at peace with us he makes every creature to be so too.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
for them--for their benefit. covenant . . . with the beasts--not to hurt them (Job 5:23). They shall fulfil the original law of their creation by becoming subject to man, when man fulfils the law of his being by being subject to God.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And in that day - o: “Truly and properly is the time of the Incarnation of the Only-Begotten called “the Day,” wherein darkness was dispelled in the world, and the mist dispersed, and bright rays shed into the minds of believers, and the Sun of Righteousness shone upon us, pouring in the light of the true knowledge of God, to those who could open wide the eye of the mind.” And I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field ... - God promises to do away the whole of the former curse. Before, He had said that their vineyards should be laid waste “by the beasts of the field;” now, He would make an entire and lasting peace with them. He, whose creatures they are, would renew for them in Christ the peace of Paradise, which was broken through Adam’s rebellion against God, and would command none to hurt them. The blessings of God do not correspond only, they go beyond the punishment. The protection is complete. Every kind of evil animal, beast, bird and reptile, is named. So Peter “saw all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.” All were to be slain to their former selves, and pass into the Church. Together the words express, that God would withhold the power of all enemies, visible or invisible; worldly or spiritual. Each also may denote some separate form or character of the enemy. Thus “wild beasts” picture savageness or bloodthirstiness, the ceasing whereof Isaiah prophesies under the same symbols of beasts of prey, as the leopard, lion, wolf, and bear, or of venomous reptiles, as the asp or the basilisk. The “fowls of heaven” denote stealthy enemies, which, unperceived and unawares, take the word of God out of the heart; “creeping things,” such as entice to degrading, debasing sins, love of money or pleasure or appetite, “whose god is their belly, who mind earthly things” Php 3:19. […]
The words behind it
21 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְכָרַתִּ֨י | vekharati | and I will make | H3772 → | 288 times |
| לָהֶ֤ם | lahem | to them | ||
| בְּרִית֙ | berit | a covenant | H1285 → | 284 times |
| בַּיּ֣וֹם | baiyom | in the day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| הַה֔וּא | hahu' | <the> that | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| עִם־ | ʾim- | with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| חַיַּ֤ת | chaiyat | [the] animal[s] of | H2416 → | 498 times |
| הַשָּׂדֶה֙ | hasadeh | the field | H7704 → | 334 times |
| וְעִם־ | veim- | and with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| ע֣וֹף | of | [the] bird[s] of | H5775 → | 71 times |
| הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם | hashamayim | the heavens | H8064 → | 421 times |
| וְרֶ֖מֶשׂ | veremes | and [the] creeping thing[s] of | H7431 → | |
| הָֽאֲדָמָ֑ה | haadamah | the ground | H127 → | |
| וְקֶ֨שֶׁת | vekeshet | and bow | H7198 → | 76 times |
| וְחֶ֤רֶב | vecherev | and sword | H2719 → | 413 times |
| וּמִלְחָמָה֙ | umilchamah | and battle | H4421 → | 320 times |
| אֶשְׁבּ֣וֹר | ʾeshbor | I will break | H7665 → | |
| מִן־ | min- | from | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הָאָ֔רֶץ | haaretz | the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| וְהִשְׁכַּבְתִּ֖ים | vehishkavtim | and I will make lie down them | H7901 → | |
| לָבֶֽטַח׃ | lavetach | to security | H983 → |
וְכָרַתִּ֨יand I will make
vekharatiH3772 →288 times
לָהֶ֤םto them
lahem
בְּרִית֙a covenant
beritH1285 →284 times
בַּיּ֣וֹםin the day
baiyomH3117 →2304 times
הַה֔וּא<the> that
hahu'H1931 →1879 times
עִם־with
ʾim-H5973 →1050 times
חַיַּ֤ת[the] animal[s] of
chaiyatH2416 →498 times
הַשָּׂדֶה֙the field
hasadehH7704 →334 times
וְעִם־and with
veim-H5973 →1050 times
ע֣וֹף[the] bird[s] of
ofH5775 →71 times
הַשָּׁמַ֔יִםthe heavens
hashamayimH8064 →421 times
וְרֶ֖מֶשׂand [the] creeping thing[s] of
veremesH7431 →
הָֽאֲדָמָ֑הthe ground
haadamahH127 →
וְקֶ֨שֶׁתand bow
vekeshetH7198 →76 times
וְחֶ֤רֶבand sword
vecherevH2719 →413 times
וּמִלְחָמָה֙and battle
umilchamahH4421 →320 times
אֶשְׁבּ֣וֹרI will break
ʾeshborH7665 →
מִן־from
min-H4480 →1188 times
הָאָ֔רֶץthe land
haaretzH776 →2504 times
וְהִשְׁכַּבְתִּ֖יםand I will make lie down them
vehishkavtimH7901 →
לָבֶֽטַח׃to security
lavetachH983 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Jeremiah 23:6In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is His name by which He will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 1:30
It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God: our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.
- Philippians 3:9
and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith.
- Jeremiah 33:16
In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely, and this is the name by which it will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.
- Matthew 1:21–23
She will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”
- Daniel 9:24
Seventy weeks are decreed for your people and your holy city to stop their transgression, to put an end to sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up…
- 1 Corinthians 1:30
Through
Psalms 46:9He makes wars to cease throughout the earth; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the shields in the fire.
it leads to
- Isaiah 2:4
Then He will judge between the nations and arbitrate for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer take up the sword against…
- Micah 4:3–4
Then He will judge between many peoples and arbitrate for strong nations far and wide. Then they will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer take…
- Micah 5:10
“In that day,” declares the LORD, “I will remove your horses from among you and wreck your chariots.
- Isaiah 2:4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Hosea
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Edward Bouverie Pusey, The Minor Prophets: A Commentary; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Hosea 2:18; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 3:5; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.