Hosea 5:3
in Hosea 5I know all about Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from Me. For now, O Ephraim, you have turned to prostitution; Israel is defiled.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me; for now, O Ephraim, thou hast played the harlot, Israel is defiled.
KJV
I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, and Israel is defiled.
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This verse in Hosea 5
Commentary
7 notes on this verse"And I am skilled in all of them, and I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from me: for now Ephraim has committed fornication, Israel is contaminated: they will not give their thoughts, to turn again to their God, for the spirit of fornication is in the midst of them, and they have not known the Lord." LXX: "For I am your master: I have known Ephraim, and Israel has not departed from me; for now Ephraim has fornicated, Israel is defiled.
This site's exposition
I know all about Ephraim
on Hosea 5:3-5
"I know all about Ephraim", and Ephraim's prostitution is the unfaithfulness the book's opening chapters showed in one marriage. "Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God", for "a spirit of prostitution is within them". "Israel’s arrogance testifies against them", and "even Judah stumbles with them."
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Nay, the piercing eye of God saw the spirit of whoredom that was in the midst of them, their secret inclination and disposition to those sins, the love they had to their sins, and the dominion their sins had over them, how much they were under the power of a spirit of whoredom, that root of bitterness which bore all this gall and wormwood, that corrupt and poisoned fountain.
I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me,.... Though they may cover their designs from men, and seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and make plausible pretences for what they do, and put on an appearance of religion; yet God, who knows all men, and their hearts, cannot be deceived; he judges not according to outward appearance; all things are naked and open to him; nor can any hide themselves from him; he knows their persons, intentions, and designs, as well as actions.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
I know Ephraim - There is much emphasis on the “I.” It is like our, “I have known,” or “I, I, have known.” God had known him all along, if we may so speak. However deep they may have laid their plans of blood, however they would or do hide them from man, and think that no eye seeth them, and say, “Who seeth me? and who knoweth me? I, to whose eyes all things are naked and opened Heb 4:13, have all along known them, and nothing of them has been hid from Me.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
It was always foremost of the tribes of the northern kingdom. For four hundred years in early history, it, with Manasseh and Benjamin, its two dependent tribes, held the pre-eminence in the whole nation. Ephraim is here addressed as foremost in idolatry.
I know Ephraim - I know the whole to be idolaters.
The words behind it
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֲנִי֙ | ʾani | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| יָדַ֣עְתִּי | yada'ti | I know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| אֶפְרַ֔יִם | ʾefrayim | Ephraim | H669 → | 180 times |
| וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל | veyisrael | and Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| לֹֽא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| נִכְחַ֣ד | nikhchad | it is hidden | H3582 → | |
| מִמֶּ֑נִּי | mimeni | from me | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| כִּ֤י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| עַתָּה֙ | ʾatah | now | H6258 → | 433 times |
| הִזְנֵ֣יתָ | hizneita | you have prostituted yourself | H2181 → | 94 times |
| אֶפְרַ֔יִם | ʾefrayim | O Ephraim | H669 → | 180 times |
| נִטְמָ֖א | nitma' | it has made itself unclean | H2930 → | 162 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
אֲנִי֙I
ʾaniH589 →874 times
יָדַ֣עְתִּיI know
yada'tiH3045 →945 times
אֶפְרַ֔יִםEphraim
ʾefrayimH669 →180 times
וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לand Israel
veyisraelH3478 →2507 times
לֹֽא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
נִכְחַ֣דit is hidden
nikhchadH3582 →
מִמֶּ֑נִּיfrom me
mimeniH4480 →1188 times
כִּ֤יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
עַתָּה֙now
ʾatahH6258 →433 times
הִזְנֵ֣יתָyou have prostituted yourself
hizneitaH2181 →94 times
אֶפְרַ֔יִםO Ephraim
ʾefrayimH669 →180 times
נִטְמָ֖אit has made itself unclean
nitma'H2930 →162 times
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Israel
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
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
Hebrews 4:13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 4:5
Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each…
- Psalms 33:13–15
The LORD looks down from heaven; He sees all the sons of men.
- Proverbs 15:3
The eyes of the LORD are in every place, observing the evil and the good.
- Ecclesiastes 12:14
For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.
- 1 Samuel 16:7
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the…
- 1 Corinthians 4:5
Through
Amos 3:2“Only you have I known from all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.”
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 7:6
For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession out of all peoples on the face of…
- Exodus 19:5–6
Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations—for the whole earth is Mine.
- Deuteronomy 10:15
Yet the LORD has set His affection on your fathers and loved them. And He has chosen you, their descendants after them, above all the peoples, even to this day.
- Deuteronomy 7:6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Hosea
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Hosea 5:3-4; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.