Hosea 11:8

Authorized King James Version

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How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.

Original Language Analysis

אֵ֞יךְ H349
אֵ֞יךְ
Strong's: H349
Word #: 1 of 16
how? or how!; also where
אֶתֶּנְךָ֣ How shall I give thee up H5414
אֶתֶּנְךָ֣ How shall I give thee up
Strong's: H5414
Word #: 2 of 16
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
אֶפְרַ֗יִם Ephraim H669
אֶפְרַ֗יִם Ephraim
Strong's: H669
Word #: 3 of 16
ephrajim, a son of joseph; also the tribe descended from him, and its territory
אֲמַגֶּנְךָ֙ how shall I deliver H4042
אֲמַגֶּנְךָ֙ how shall I deliver
Strong's: H4042
Word #: 4 of 16
properly, to shield; encompass with; figuratively, to rescue, to hand safely over (i.e., surrender)
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל thee Israel H3478
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל thee Israel
Strong's: H3478
Word #: 5 of 16
he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
אֵ֚יךְ H349
אֵ֚יךְ
Strong's: H349
Word #: 6 of 16
how? or how!; also where
אֶתֶּנְךָ֣ How shall I give thee up H5414
אֶתֶּנְךָ֣ How shall I give thee up
Strong's: H5414
Word #: 7 of 16
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
כְאַדְמָ֔ה thee as Admah H126
כְאַדְמָ֔ה thee as Admah
Strong's: H126
Word #: 8 of 16
admah, a place near the dead sea
אֲשִֽׂימְךָ֖ how shall I set H7760
אֲשִֽׂימְךָ֖ how shall I set
Strong's: H7760
Word #: 9 of 16
to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)
כִּצְבֹאיִ֑ם thee as Zeboim H6636
כִּצְבֹאיִ֑ם thee as Zeboim
Strong's: H6636
Word #: 10 of 16
tseboim or tsebijim, a place in palestine
נֶהְפַּ֤ךְ is turned H2015
נֶהְפַּ֤ךְ is turned
Strong's: H2015
Word #: 11 of 16
to turn about or over; by implication, to change, overturn, return, pervert
עָלַי֙ H5921
עָלַי֙
Strong's: H5921
Word #: 12 of 16
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
לִבִּ֔י mine heart H3820
לִבִּ֔י mine heart
Strong's: H3820
Word #: 13 of 16
the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the center of anything
יַ֖חַד together H3162
יַ֖חַד together
Strong's: H3162
Word #: 14 of 16
properly, a unit, i.e., (adverb) unitedly
נִכְמְר֥וּ are kindled H3648
נִכְמְר֥וּ are kindled
Strong's: H3648
Word #: 15 of 16
properly, to intertwine or contract, i.e., (by implication) to shrivel (as with heat); figuratively, to be deeply affected with passion (love or pity)
נִחוּמָֽי׃ within me my repentings H5150
נִחוּמָֽי׃ within me my repentings
Strong's: H5150
Word #: 16 of 16
properly, consoled; abstractly, solace

Cross References

Jeremiah 31:20Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD.Matthew 23:37O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!Hosea 6:4O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.Deuteronomy 32:36For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left.Deuteronomy 29:23And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath:2 Peter 2:6And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;Genesis 14:8And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim;Amos 4:11I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.Lamentations 1:20Behold, O LORD; for I am in distress: my bowels are troubled; mine heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death.2 Kings 13:23And the LORD was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them, and had respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet.

Analysis & Commentary

God's emotional struggle: 'How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.' The Hebrew piles up rhetorical questions revealing divine anguish: 'How can I give you up... hand you over?' Admah and Zeboim were cities destroyed with Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 10:19, Deuteronomy 29:23)—total annihilation. God wrestles: justice demands destruction, but love resists. 'My heart recoils within me' (nehepak alay libbi), 'my compassions kindle together' (yahhad nikhmeru nihumay). This isn't divine indecision but the tension between holiness and mercy. Verse 9 resolves: 'I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger... for I am God, and not man.' God's mercy transcends human revenge. This anticipates the cross where justice and mercy meet.

Historical Context

Despite Israel's persistent rebellion warranting complete destruction (like Sodom), God's covenant love prevented it. Though Assyria would conquer the northern kingdom (722 BC), scattering the ten tribes, a remnant would survive. God's faithfulness to Abraham's covenant (Genesis 12:1-3) constrained His wrath. This passage reveals God's heart: He takes no pleasure in judgment (Ezekiel 33:11) but experiences anguish over necessary discipline. The ultimate resolution came through Christ: at the cross, God's wrath was fully executed (on His Son), and His mercy fully extended (to sinners). Romans 3:25-26 explains: the cross demonstrates God's justice and justifies believers simultaneously. God's 'repentings kindled together' found resolution in Jesus bearing the judgment we deserved.

Questions for Reflection