Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Even if they escape from destruction, Egypt will gather them, and Memphis will bury them. Their treasures of silver will be taken over by briers, and thorns will overrun their tents. New Living Translation Even if you escape destruction from Assyria, Egypt will conquer you, and Memphis will bury you. Nettles will take over your treasures of silver; thistles will invade your ruined homes. English Standard Version For behold, they are going away from destruction; but Egypt shall gather them; Memphis shall bury them. Nettles shall possess their precious things of silver; thorns shall be in their tents. Berean Standard Bible For even if they flee destruction, Egypt will gather them and Memphis will bury them. Their precious silver will be taken over by thistles, and thorns will overrun their tents. Berean Literal Bible For behold, they go away from destruction. Egypt will gather them up, and Memphis will bury them! And the preciousness of their silver—the thistles will possess them, thorns in their tents. King James Bible For, lo, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tabernacles. New King James Version For indeed they are gone because of destruction. Egypt shall gather them up; Memphis shall bury them. Nettles shall possess their valuables of silver; Thorns shall be in their tents. New American Standard Bible For behold, they will be gone because of destruction; Egypt will gather them together, Memphis will bury them. Weeds will take possession of their treasures of silver; Thorns will be in their tents. NASB 1995 For behold, they will go because of destruction; Egypt will gather them up, Memphis will bury them. Weeds will take over their treasures of silver; Thorns will be in their tents. NASB 1977 For behold, they will go because of destruction; Egypt will gather them up, Memphis will bury them. Weeds will take over their treasures of silver; Thorns will be in their tents. Legacy Standard Bible For behold, they will go because of destruction; Egypt will gather them up; Memphis will bury them. Weeds will possess their desirable items of silver; Thorns will be in their tents. Amplified Bible For behold, they will go away because of devastation and destruction; Egypt will gather them up, Memphis will bury them. Weeds will take over their treasures of silver; Thorns will grow in their tents. Berean Annotated Bible For even if they flee destruction, Egypt (land of bondage) will gather them and Memphis (haven of the good) will bury them. Their precious silver will be taken over by thistles, and thorns will overrun their tents. Christian Standard Bible For even if they flee from devastation, Egypt will gather them, and Memphis will bury them. Thistles will take possession of their precious silver; thorns will invade their tents. Holman Christian Standard Bible For even if they flee from devastation, Egypt will gather them, and Memphis will bury them. Thistles will take possession of their precious silver; thorns will invade their tents. American Standard Version For, lo, they are gone away from destruction; yet Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them; their pleasant things of silver, nettles shall possess them; thorns shall be in their tents. Contemporary English Version Even if you escape alive, you will end up in Egypt and be buried in Memphis. Your silver treasures will be lost among weeds; thorns will sprout in your tents. English Revised Version For, lo, they are gone away from destruction, yet Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: their pleasant things of silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tents. GOD'S WORD® Translation Even if they escape without being destroyed, Egypt will capture them and Memphis will bury them. Weeds will grow over their silver treasures. Thorns will grow over their tents. Good News Translation When the disaster comes and the people are scattered, the Egyptians will gather them up--gather them for burial there at Memphis! Their treasures of silver and the places where their homes once stood will be overgrown with weeds and thorn bushes. International Standard Version Look! They have gone away because of the destruction— Egypt will gather them up, and Memphis will bury them. Weeds will overgrow their inheritance, and thorns will grow in their tents. NET Bible Look! Even if they flee from the destruction, Egypt will take hold of them, and Memphis will bury them. The weeds will inherit the silver they treasure--thorn bushes will occupy their homes. New Heart English Bible For, look, they have gone away from destruction. Egypt will gather them up. Memphis will bury them. Nettles will possess their pleasant things of silver. Thorns will be in their tents. Webster's Bible Translation For lo, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tabernacles. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleFor even if they flee destruction, Egypt will gather them and Memphis will bury them. Their precious silver will be taken over by thistles, and thorns will overrun their tents. World English Bible For, behold, when they flee destruction, Egypt will gather them up. Memphis will bury them. Nettles will possess their pleasant things of silver. Thorns will be in their tents. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionFor behold, they have gone because of destruction, "" Egypt gathers them, Moph buries them, "" The desirable things of their silver, "" Nettles possess them—a thorn [is] in their tents. Berean Literal Bible For behold, they go away from destruction. Egypt will gather them up, and Memphis will bury them! And the preciousness of their silver—the thistles will possess them, thorns in their tents. Young's Literal Translation For, lo, they have gone because of destruction, Egypt gathereth them, Moph burieth them, The desirable things of their silver, Nettles possess them -- a thorn is in their tents. Smith's Literal Translation For behold, they went from destruction: Egypt shall gather them together; Memphis shall bury them: the desire for their silver, the prickly weed shall possess them: the thorn in their tents. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleFor behold they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them together, Memphis shall bury them: nettles shall inherit their beloved silver, the bur shall be in their tabernacles. Catholic Public Domain Version For, behold, they have been sent away by devastation. Egypt will gather them together; Memphis will bury them. Nettles will inherit their desired silver; the burr will be in their tabernacles. New American Bible When they flee from the devastation, Egypt will gather them, Memphis will bury them. Weeds will overgrow their silver treasures, and thorns, their tents. New Revised Standard Version For even if they escape destruction, Egypt shall gather them, Memphis shall bury them. Nettles shall possess their precious things of silver; thorns shall be in their tents. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleFor, lo, they are gone in the prey: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them; their valuable things of silver, strangers shall inherit them; thorns shall grow in their tents. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Because those went into the spoil and Egypt shall collect them and Mephes shall bury them; foreigners shall inherit the lust of their silver and the thorns in their tents OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917For, lo, they are gone away from destruction, Yet Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them; Their precious treasures of silver, nettles shall possess them, Thorns shall be in their tents. Brenton Septuagint Translation Therefore, behold, they go forth from the trouble of Egypt, and Memphis shall receive them, and Machmas shall bury them: as for their silver, destruction shall inherit it; thorns shall be in their tents. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Hosea Announces Israel's Punishment…5What will you do on the appointed day, on the day of the LORD’s feast? 6For even if they flee destruction, Egypt will gather them and Memphis will bury them. Their precious silver will be taken over by thistles, and thorns will overrun their tents. 7The days of punishment have come; the days of retribution have arrived—let Israel know it. The prophet is called a fool, and the inspired man insane, because of the greatness of your iniquity and hostility.… Cross References For even if they flee destruction, Jeremiah 42:15-17 then hear the word of the LORD, O remnant of Judah! This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you are determined to go to Egypt and reside there, / then the sword you fear will overtake you there, and the famine you dread will follow on your heels into Egypt, and you will die there. / So all who resolve to go to Egypt to reside there will die by sword and famine and plague. Not one of them will survive or escape the disaster I will bring upon them.’ Deuteronomy 28:65-68 Among those nations you will find no repose, not even a resting place for the sole of your foot. There the LORD will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and a despairing soul. / So your life will hang in doubt before you, and you will be afraid night and day, never certain of survival. / In the morning you will say, ‘If only it were evening!’ and in the evening you will say, ‘If only it were morning!’—because of the dread in your hearts of the terrifying sights you will see. … Amos 9:1-4 I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and He said: “Strike the tops of the pillars so that the thresholds shake. Topple them on the heads of all the people, and I will kill the rest with the sword. None of those who flee will get away; none of the fugitives will escape. / Though they dig down to Sheol, from there My hand will take them; and though they climb up to heaven, from there I will pull them down. / Though they hide themselves atop Carmel, there I will track them and seize them; and though they hide from Me at the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent to bite them. … Egypt will gather them Jeremiah 43:4-7 So Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces disobeyed the command of the LORD to stay in the land of Judah. / Instead, Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces took the whole remnant of Judah, those who had returned to the land of Judah from all the nations to which they had been scattered, / the men, the women, the children, the king’s daughters, and everyone whom Nebuzaradan captain of the guard had allowed to remain with Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, as well as Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch son of Neriah. … Hosea 8:13 Though they offer sacrifices as gifts to Me, and though they eat the meat, the LORD does not accept them. Now He will remember their iniquity and punish their sins: They will return to Egypt. Isaiah 30:2-3 They set out to go down to Egypt without asking My advice, to seek shelter under Pharaoh’s protection and take refuge in Egypt’s shade. / But Pharaoh’s protection will become your shame, and the refuge of Egypt’s shade your disgrace. and Memphis will bury them. Jeremiah 46:19 Pack your bags for exile, O daughter dwelling in Egypt! For Memphis will be laid waste, destroyed and uninhabited. Ezekiel 30:13-16 This is what the Lord GOD says: I will destroy the idols and put an end to the images in Memphis. There will no longer be a prince in Egypt, and I will instill fear in that land. / I will lay waste Pathros, set fire to Zoan, and execute judgment on Thebes. / I will pour out My wrath on Pelusium, the stronghold of Egypt, and cut off the crowds of Thebes. … Jeremiah 44:12-14 And I will take away the remnant of Judah who have resolved to go to the land of Egypt to reside there; they will meet their end. They will all fall by the sword or be consumed by famine. From the least to the greatest, they will die by sword or famine; and they will become an object of cursing and horror, of vilification and reproach. / I will punish those who live in the land of Egypt, just as I punished Jerusalem, by sword and famine and plague, / so that none of the remnant of Judah who have gone to reside in Egypt will escape or survive to return to the land of Judah, where they long to return and live; for none will return except a few fugitives.” Their precious silver will be taken over by thistles, Ezekiel 7:19 They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will seem unclean. Their silver and gold cannot save them in the day of the wrath of the LORD. They cannot satisfy their appetites or fill their stomachs with wealth, for it became the stumbling block that brought their iniquity. Isaiah 7:23-25 And on that day, in every place that had a thousand vines worth a thousand shekels of silver, only briers and thorns will be found. / Men will go there with bow and arrow, for the land will be covered with briers and thorns. / For fear of the briers and thorns, you will no longer traverse the hills once tilled by the hoe; they will become places for oxen to graze and sheep to trample. Proverbs 24:30-31 I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment. / Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the stone wall was broken down. and thorns will overrun their tents. Psalm 69:25 May their place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in their tents. Hosea 10:8 The high places of Aven will be destroyed—it is the sin of Israel; thorns and thistles will overgrow their altars. Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!” and to the hills, “Fall on us!” Isaiah 34:13 Her towers will be overgrown with thorns, her fortresses with thistles and briers. She will become a haunt for jackals, an abode for ostriches. Jeremiah 42:14-22 and if you say, ‘No, but we will go to the land of Egypt and live there, where we will not see war or hear the sound of the ram’s horn or hunger for bread,’ / then hear the word of the LORD, O remnant of Judah! This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you are determined to go to Egypt and reside there, / then the sword you fear will overtake you there, and the famine you dread will follow on your heels into Egypt, and you will die there. … Treasury of Scripture For, see, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tabernacles. they. Deuteronomy 28:63,64 And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it… 1 Samuel 13:6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits. 2 Kings 13:7 Neither did he leave of the people to Jehoahaz but fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria had destroyed them, and had made them like the dust by threshing. destruction. Hosea 7:13 Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me. Egypt. Hosea 9:3 They shall not dwell in the LORD'S land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria. Hosea 7:16 They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt. Hosea 8:13 They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it; but the LORD accepteth them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt. Hosea 10:8 The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us. Psalm 107:34 A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. Proverbs 24:31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Jump to Previous Assyria Bury Covered Desirable Destruction Egypt Fair Field Gather Gathereth Last Memphis Nettles Places Pleasant Possess Precious Resting-Place Silver Tabernacles Tents Thorns Together Treasures Vessels WeedsJump to Next Assyria Bury Covered Desirable Destruction Egypt Fair Field Gather Gathereth Last Memphis Nettles Places Pleasant Possess Precious Resting-Place Silver Tabernacles Tents Thorns Together Treasures Vessels WeedsHosea 9 1. The distress and captivity of Israel for their sins.For even if they flee destruction This phrase highlights the inevitability of judgment. Despite attempts to escape, the consequences of Israel's unfaithfulness are unavoidable. The historical context is the impending Assyrian invasion, which Hosea prophesied as a result of Israel's idolatry and covenant unfaithfulness. This reflects the broader biblical theme of divine justice, where fleeing from God's decreed judgment is futile, as seen in Amos 9:1-4. Egypt will gather them and Memphis will bury them Their precious silver will be taken over by thistles and thorns will overrun their tents Persons / Places / Events 1. HoseaA prophet in the Northern Kingdom of Israel, called by God to deliver messages of judgment and hope. 2. Israel The Northern Kingdom, often referred to as Ephraim in Hosea, facing impending judgment due to idolatry and unfaithfulness. 3. Egypt A symbol of false security and past bondage, representing a place Israel might turn to for refuge. 4. Memphis An ancient city in Egypt, symbolizing death and burial, indicating the futility of seeking refuge there. 5. Thorns Representing desolation and the consequences of Israel's sin, overtaking what was once valuable. Teaching Points The Futility of False SecurityTrusting in worldly powers or wealth, like Israel's reliance on Egypt, leads to disappointment and destruction. Consequences of Sin Just as thorns overtake treasures, sin leads to desolation and loss, emphasizing the need for repentance. God's Sovereignty in Judgment God's warnings through prophets like Hosea demonstrate His control over nations and His desire for His people to return to Him. The Importance of Spiritual Treasures Earthly treasures are temporary and can be overtaken by thorns, but spiritual treasures are eternal. Repentance and Restoration Despite the dire warnings, God's ultimate desire is for His people to repent and be restored to a right relationship with Him. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Hosea 9:6?2. How does Hosea 9:6 warn about consequences of turning from God? 3. What does "Egypt will gather them" symbolize in Hosea 9:6? 4. How can Hosea 9:6 deepen our understanding of God's judgment? 5. How does Hosea 9:6 connect with Deuteronomy 28's blessings and curses? 6. How can we apply Hosea 9:6 to avoid spiritual complacency today? 7. What does Hosea 9:6 reveal about God's judgment on Israel's disobedience? 8. How does Hosea 9:6 reflect the consequences of turning away from God? 9. What historical events align with the prophecy in Hosea 9:6? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Hosea 9? 11. What are the key teachings and events in Matthew? 12. In Hosea 9:3, how does the claim that Israel would return to Egypt align with historical records that show no major return after the Exodus? 13. How can Exodus 9:6 say all Egyptian livestock died, yet later verses still refer to surviving livestock? 14. Exodus 13:9 - Is there any historical evidence that Israelites literally bound these commands on their hands or foreheads at this time? What Does Hosea 9:6 Mean Even if they flee destruction“For even if they flee destruction…” (Hosea 9:6a) • Israel’s instinct was to run from God’s chastening rather than repent. Yet wherever they went, His judgment would still find them (Amos 9:1-4; Deuteronomy 28:65-67). • Centuries earlier the Lord warned that disobedience would produce a life of constant fear and flight (Leviticus 26:36-37). Hosea now exposes that prophecy coming true. • Trying to escape discipline is like Adam hiding in the garden—God sees, God pursues, God corrects (Genesis 3:8-9). Egypt will gather them “…Egypt will gather them…” (Hosea 9:6b) • Many Israelites planned to migrate south, imagining Egypt a safe refuge (Jeremiah 42:15-18). • Hosea had already predicted, “They will return to Egypt” (Hosea 8:13). The trip would not be voluntary resettlement but forced roundup—“gathered” in chains (Deuteronomy 28:68). • Egypt, once the place of Israel’s birth as a nation, becomes again a house of bondage. Old sins recycle when hearts remain unchanged (Acts 7:39). Memphis will bury them “…and Memphis will bury them.” (Hosea 9:6c) • Memphis (Noph) was Egypt’s ancient capital and vast necropolis (Jeremiah 46:19). The image is grim: not hospitality but graves. • God’s covenant people, meant for the Promised Land, would instead fill foreign tombs—fulfilling the curse of exile unto death (Jeremiah 44:1-12). • Burial outside Canaan signified covenant rupture; their bones would not await resurrection in the land God swore to Abraham (Genesis 50:24-25). Their precious silver will be taken over by thistles “Their precious silver will be taken over by thistles…” (Hosea 9:6d) • Idols and luxuries purchased with “precious silver” (Hosea 2:8) become worthless when the owners are gone. • Abandoned estates sprout weeds—visible testimony that prosperity without obedience is a vapor (Proverbs 23:5; Isaiah 34:13). • Thistles choking treasures echo the ground cursed in Eden; sin still brings futility to labor (Genesis 3:17-18). Thorns will overrun their tents “…and thorns will overrun their tents.” (Hosea 9:6e) • “Tents” recall Israel’s wilderness journey, when God was their shelter (Leviticus 23:42-43). Now, in exile, those dwellings lie empty and overgrown (Lamentations 5:2). • Thorns symbolize judgment and desolation (Isaiah 5:6; Hosea 10:8). The place where families once gathered for worship degenerates into forsaken scrub. • God allows visible ruin so that future generations may read the warning written in the landscape (Joel 1:4; 1 Corinthians 10:6). summary Hosea 9:6 paints a sobering picture: flight cannot outpace divine justice; Egypt will become a graveyard rather than a refuge; wealth and homes left behind will dissolve into briars. The verse confirms the covenant curses of Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28—yet even this stern warning is merciful, urging God’s people to forsake self-reliance and return to the Lord while there is still time. (6) Translate, Behold if they have gone from the desolation (i.e., Palestine laid waste by the invader), Egypt shall gather them, Memphis bury them--Memphis, the vast city and necropolis of Ptah, where Apis and Ibis, kings and men, lay by thousands mummied, the religious shrine of Egyptian faith in the under-world, from which Israel had been emancipated at the Exodus.--There is a longing for their silver (i.e., they shall long for the silver left behind concealed in their desolate land.--The thistle shall possess them, the thorn shall be in their tents. Hosea prophesies an exile to Egypt after the anticipated invasion. That many exiles took refuge in Egypt in 721 B.C., after the great overthrow of the northern kingdom (as in the case of Judah in the days of Jeremiah), cannot admit of doubt. (Comp. Hosea 8:13 and Hosea 9:3 above; see Hosea 11:5, Note.)Verse 6. - For, lo, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them. Their future exile was seen in prophetic vision; and in consequence and because of its certainty he speaks of it as having already taken place. The destruction is the desolation and wasting of their native land, because of which, or away from which and leaving it behind, they are gone. The land of their banishment was the land of their bondage. There, far from the land of their birth, they were doomed to die and to be gathered together for a common burial. Memphis was the ancient capital of Lower Egypt; its situation was on the western bank of the Nile, and south of Old Cairo. There its ruins are still seen, with extensive burial-grounds, while amid those ruins is the village of Mitrahenni. Kimchi identifies Moph with Noph. The pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tabernacles. The literal rendering of the first clause is,(1) their cherished delight of silver. By this some understand (a) silver idols; (b) others, valuables in silver; . . . Hebrew Forכִּֽי־ (kî-) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction even if הִנֵּ֤ה (hin·nêh) Interjection Strong's 2009: Lo! behold! they flee הָֽלְכוּ֙ (hā·lə·ḵū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk destruction, מִשֹּׁ֔ד (miš·šōḏ) Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 7701: Violence, havoc, devastation, ruin Egypt מִצְרַ֥יִם (miṣ·ra·yim) Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 4714: Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa will gather them תְּקַבְּצֵ֖ם (tə·qab·bə·ṣêm) Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine plural Strong's 6908: To gather, collect and Memphis מֹ֣ף (mōp̄) Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 4644: Memphis -- ancient capital of Egypt will bury them. תְּקַבְּרֵ֑ם (tə·qab·bə·rêm) Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine plural Strong's 6912: To inter Their precious מַחְמַ֣ד (maḥ·maḏ) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 4261: Delightful, a delight, object of affection, desire silver לְכַסְפָּ֗ם (lə·ḵas·pām) Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural Strong's 3701: Silver, money will be taken over יִֽירָשֵׁ֔ם (yî·rā·šêm) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural Strong's 3423: To occupy, to seize, to rob, to inherit, to expel, to impoverish, to ruin by thistles, קִמּוֹשׂ֙ (qim·mō·wś) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 7057: Perhaps thistles [and] thorns [will overrun] ח֖וֹחַ (ḥō·w·aḥ) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 2336: Briar, bramble, hook, ring, fetter their tents. בְּאָהֳלֵיהֶֽם׃ (bə·’ā·ho·lê·hem) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural Strong's 168: A tent Links Hosea 9:6 NIVHosea 9:6 NLT Hosea 9:6 ESV Hosea 9:6 NASB Hosea 9:6 KJV Hosea 9:6 BibleApps.com Hosea 9:6 Biblia Paralela Hosea 9:6 Chinese Bible Hosea 9:6 French Bible Hosea 9:6 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Hosea 9:6 For behold they have gone away (Ho Hs Hos.) |
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