Hosea 14:9 — meaning, Hebrew and Greek word study, commentary
Hosea 14:9
Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.
to separate mentally (or distinguish) · conjunction + verb, qal jussive, 3rd person masculine singular
prudent
נָב֖וֹןna.Von
H995
to separate mentally (or distinguish) · verb, niphal active participle, masculine singular absolute
know
וְיֵֽדָעֵ֑םve.ye.da.'Em
H3045
to know (properly · conjunction + verb, qal, 3rd person masculine singular + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine plural
ways
דַּרְכֵ֣יdar.Khei
H1870
a road (as trodden) · noun, common both genders plural construct
LORD
יְהוָ֗הYah.weh
H3068
Jehovah · proper noun, a title
right
יְשָׁרִ֞יםye.sha.Rim
H3477
straight (literally or figuratively) · adjective, masculine plural absolute
just
וְצַדִּקִים֙ve.tza.di.Kim
H6662
just · conjunction + adjective, masculine plural absolute
walk
יָלַךְyâlak
H3212
to walk (literally or figuratively)
transgressors
וּפֹשְׁעִ֖יםu.fo.she.'Im
H6586
to break away (from just authority) · conjunction + verb, qal active participle, masculine plural absolute
fall
יִכָּ֥שְׁלוּyi.Ka.she.lu
H3782
to totter or waver (through weakness of the legs · verb, niphal imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Proverbs 10:29 The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.
Psalms 107:43 Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.
John 8:47 He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
Daniel 12:10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise s…
Proverbs 1:5-6 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
Psalms 19:7-8 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
Jeremiah 9:12 Who is the wise man, that may understand this? and who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD hath spoken, that he may declare it, for what the…
Deuteronomy 32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Hosea 14:8–end
Let us now hear the conclusion of the whole matter.
I. Concerning Ephraim; he is spoken of and spoken to, Hos 14:8. Here we have,
1. His repentance and reformation: Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? As some read it, God here reasons and argues with him, why he should renounce idolatry: "O Ephraim! what to me and idols? What concord or agreement can there be between me and idols? What communion between light and darkness, between Christ and Belial? Co2 6:14, Co2 6:15. Therefore thou must break off thy league with them if thou wilt come into covenant with me." As we read it, God promises to bring Ephraim and keep him to this: Ephraim shall say, God will put it into his…
EPILOGUE, summing up the whole previous teaching. Here alone Hosea uses the term "righteous," so rare were such characters in his day. There is enough of saving truth clear in God's Word to guide those humbly seeking salvation, and enough of difficulties to confound those who curiously seek them out, rather than practically seek salvation.
fall--stumble and are offended at difficulties opposed to their prejudices and lusts, or above their self-wise understanding (compare Pro 10:29; Mic 2:7; Mat 11:19; Luk 2:34; Joh 7:17; Pe1 2:7-8). To him who sincerely seeks the agenda, God will make plain the credenda. Christ is the foundation-stone to some: a stone of stumbling and rock of offense to ot…
Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? - What things? Those which relate to the backslidings, iniquity, and punishment of Israel; and to the mercy and kindness of God in their promised restoration. The things which belong to the work of sin in the heart; the things which belong to the work of grace in the soul; and particularly the things mentioned in this wonderful chapter.
Prudent, and he shall know them? - He who endeavors to understand them, who lays his heart to them, such a person shall understand them.
For the ways of the Lord are right - This is the conclusion which the prophet makes from the whole. All God's conduct, both in the dispensation of justice and mercy, is righ…
The Church Fathers
And to such a degree does the gospel desire that there should be wise people among believers, that for the sake of exercising the understanding of its hearers, it has spoken certain truths in enigmas, others in what are called "dark" sayings, others in parables, and others in problems. And one of the prophets—Hosea—says at the end of his prophecy, "Who is wise, and he will understand these things? Or prudent, and he shall know them?"
If any reader is "a spiritual man who judges all things and he is judged by no one," not only will he allegorize the major regions as Judea and Egypt and Babylon but also areas of the earth. And just as in Judea is Jerusalem and Bethlehem and other cities, so in Egypt when he reads, "Diospolis, Bubastis, Taphnis, Memphis, Syene," he will understand the meaning of things figuratively. "Who is wise and understands these things? Or who is understanding and will know them?"
It is only by deeply considering the matters in the divinely inspired Scriptures that we shall find the hidden truth. It would be fitting for us when looking into the dark shadows of the law to say what one of the holy prophets rightly said, "Whoever will be wise will understand these things; and whoever will be prudent will know them." "For the law is but a shadow of the good things to come, and not the exact image of the objects," as it is written. Yet the shadows bring forth the truth, even if they do not contain the whole truth in themselves. Because of this, the divinely inspired Moses placed a veil upon his face and spoke thus to the children of Israel, all but shouting by this act that a person might behold the beauty of the utterances made through him, not in outwardly appearing figures but in meditations hidden within us.
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Depravity Of Man · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Prudence · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Way · .Of holiness — .Of holiness
Wisdom · .UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES RELATING TO — .UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES RELATING TO
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent,
and he shall know them?.... Contained in this book, and particularly in this chapter; which expresses so much of the goodness of God and grace of Christ to Israel; though it may be applied to the whole Scripture, and to all the mysteries and doctrines of the Gospel, respecting Christ and his grace; and be a recommendation of these to the consideration of every wise and prudent man; where he will find enough to exercise his wisdom and understanding; though he need not be discouraged in his search and inquiry into them. It suggests as if there were but few such wise persons, and that they are the only wise men that do know and unders…
Hosea 14:9
9. Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.
9. Quis sapiens, et intelliget haec? Intelligens, et cognoscet ea? Quia rectae viae Jehovae, et justi ambulabunt in illis; et impii impingent in illis.
The Prophet, I have no doubt, very often inculcated what he here says, and frequently recalled it to mind, for we know that he had a constant struggle with extreme obstinacy. It was not only for one day that he found the people hard and perverse, but through the whole course of his preaching. Since then the Israelites continued, eithe…
Hos 14:9 (10) contains the epilogue to the whole book. "Who is wise, that he may understand this? understanding, that he may discern it? For the ways of Jehovah are straight, and the righteous walk therein: but the rebellious stumble in them." The pronoun אלּה and the suffix to ידעם refer to everything that the prophet has laid before the people in his book for warning, for reproof, for correction, for chastening in righteousness. He concludes by summing up the whole substance of his teaching in the one general sentence, which points back to Deu 32:4 : The ways of the Lord are straight. "The ways of Jehovah" (darkhē Yehōvâh) are the ways taken by God in the guidance and government of men;…
This final verse commends Hosea’s words to wise and discerning believers of all generations.
Rashi on Hosea 14:9
Ephraim will say, “What more do I need to follow the images?” And they will turn away from idolatry. I will answer him I will answer him from his trouble.
and I will look upon him I will look upon his affliction.
I am like a leafy cypress tree I will bend down for him to hold his hand on Me as the leafy cypress which is bent down to the ground, which a man holds by its branches; i.e., I will be accessible to him.
from Me your fruit is found Am I not He? For all your good emanates from Me.
