Hosea 7:16
New International Version
They do not turn to the Most High; they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword because of their insolent words. For this they will be ridiculed in the land of Egypt.

New Living Translation
They look everywhere except to the Most High. They are as useless as a crooked bow. Their leaders will be killed by their enemies because of their insolence toward me. Then the people of Egypt will laugh at them.

English Standard Version
They return, but not upward; they are like a treacherous bow; their princes shall fall by the sword because of the insolence of their tongue. This shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

Berean Standard Bible
They turn, but not to the Most High; they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword for the cursing of their tongue; for this they will be ridiculed in the land of Egypt.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
They return, but not to the Most High; They are like a treacherous bow. Their princes shall fall by the sword For the cursings of their tongue. This shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

New American Standard Bible
They turn, but not upward, They are like a loose bow; Their officials will fall by the sword Because of the insolence of their tongue. This will be their derision in the land of Egypt.

NASB 1995
They turn, but not upward, They are like a deceitful bow; Their princes will fall by the sword Because of the insolence of their tongue. This will be their derision in the land of Egypt.

NASB 1977
They turn, but not upward, They are like a deceitful bow; Their princes will fall by the sword Because of the insolence of their tongue. This will be their derision in the land of Egypt.

Legacy Standard Bible
They turn, but not upward; They are like a deceitful bow; Their princes will fall by the sword Because of the indignation of their tongue. This will be their scoffing in the land of Egypt.

Amplified Bible
They turn, but they do not turn upward to the Most High. They are like a poorly crafted bow [that misses the mark]; Their princes shall fall by the sword Because of the insolence of their tongue. This will be cause for their mockery and disdain in the land of Egypt.

Christian Standard Bible
They turn, but not to what is above; they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword because of their insolent tongue. They will be ridiculed for this in the land of Egypt.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They turn, but not to what is above; they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword because of the cursing of their tongue. They will be ridiculed for this in the land of Egypt.

American Standard Version
They return, but not to him that is on 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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
They have perverted themselves for nothing and they were like a deceitful bow; their Princes shall fall by the sword by the audacity of their tongue; this is their entanglement of that in the land of Egypt

Brenton Septuagint Translation
They turned aside to that which is not, they became as a bent bow: their princes shall fall by the sword, by reason of the unbridled state of their tongue: this is their setting at nought in the land of Egypt.

Contemporary English Version
and refuse to obey. They are more useless than a crooked arrow. Their leaders will die in war for saying foolish things. Egyptians will laugh at them.

Douay-Rheims Bible
They returned, that they might be without yoke: they became like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword, for the rage of their tongue. This is their derision in the land of Egypt.

English Revised Version
They return, but not to him that is on 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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They don't return to the Most High. They are like a defective bow. Their officials will die in battle because they curse. The people in Egypt will ridicule them for this.

Good News Translation
They keep on turning away from me to a god that is powerless. They are as unreliable as a crooked bow. Because their leaders talk arrogantly, they will die a violent death, and the Egyptians will laugh."

International Standard Version
They return—but not to the Most High. They are like a defective weapon. Their princes will fall by the sword because of their raging tongue, and they will be a laughingstock in the land of Egypt."

JPS Tanakh 1917
They return, but not upwards; They are become 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.

Literal Standard Version
They turn back—not to the Most High, | They have been as a deceitful bow, | Their princes fall by sword, | From the insolence of their tongue, | This [is] their derision in the land of Egypt!”

Majority Standard Bible
They turn, but not to the Most High; they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword for the cursing of their tongue; for this they will be ridiculed in the land of Egypt.

New American Bible
They have again become useless, they have been like a treacherous bow. Their princes shall fall by the sword because of the insolence of their tongues; thus they shall be mocked in the land of Egypt.

NET Bible
They turn to Baal; they are like an unreliable bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword because their prayers to Baal have made me angry. So people will disdain them in the land of Egypt.

New Revised Standard Version
They turn to that which does not profit; they have become like a defective bow; their officials shall fall by the sword because of the rage of their tongue. So much for their babbling in the land of Egypt.

New Heart English Bible
They return, but not to the Most High. They are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue. This will be their derision in the land of Egypt.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

World English Bible
They return, but not to the Most High. They are like a faulty bow. Their princes will fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue. This will be their derision in the land of Egypt.

Young's Literal Translation
They turn back -- not to the Most High, They have been as a deceitful bow, Fall by sword do their princes, From the insolence of their tongue, This is their derision in the land of Egypt!

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Ephraim's Iniquity
15Although I trained and strengthened their arms, they plot evil against Me. 16They turn, but not to the Most High; they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword for the cursing of their tongue; for this they will be ridiculed in the land of Egypt.

Cross References
Psalm 12:3
May the LORD cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue.

Psalm 12:4
They say, "With our tongues we will prevail. We own our lips--who can be our master?"

Psalm 17:10
They have closed their callous hearts; their mouths speak with arrogance.

Psalm 73:9
They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongues strut across the earth.

Psalm 78:57
They turned back and were faithless like their fathers, twisted like a faulty bow.

Ezekiel 23:32
This is what the Lord GOD says: 'You will drink your sister's cup, a cup deep and wide. It will bring scorn and derision, for it holds so much.

Daniel 7:25
He will speak out against the Most High and oppress the saints of the Most High, intending to change the appointed times and laws; and the saints will be given into his hand for a time, and times, and half a time.


Treasury of Scripture

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.

return.

Hosea 6:4
O 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.

Hosea 8:14
For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.

Hosea 11:7
And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him.

like.

Psalm 78:57
But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.

the rage.

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.

Psalm 12:4
Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?

Psalm 52:2
Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp rasor, working deceitfully.

this.

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 9:3,6
They shall not dwell in the LORD'S land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria…

Ezekiel 23:32
Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou shalt drink of thy sister's cup deep and large: thou shalt be laughed to scorn and had in derision; it containeth much.

Jump to Previous
Ba'al Bow Captains Deceitful Derision Destruction Egypt Fall False. Faulty High Insolence Insolent Leaders Princes Rage Ruler Sword Tongue Treacherous Turn Upward Upwards Value Words Wrath
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Ba'al Bow Captains Deceitful Derision Destruction Egypt Fall False. Faulty High Insolence Insolent Leaders Princes Rage Ruler Sword Tongue Treacherous Turn Upward Upwards Value Words Wrath
Hosea 7
1. A reproof of manifold sins.
11. God's wrath against them for their hypocrisy.














(16) Like a deceitful bow.--Religious observance has the appearance of a bow with the arrow on the string, apparently aimed at some object, but the string being slack, the aim is diverted.

The "raving insolence of their tongue" may mean the boasts that were made of the friendship of King Shebaka of Egypt, who made Israel his tool. In the land of Egypt they would thus become objects of derision. (Comp. Isaiah's warning to his countrymen, Isaiah 30:1-8.)

Verse 16. - They return, but not to the Most High. This verse is closely connected in sense with the preceding. Their God-defying attitude, as described in ver. 15, is represented in ver. 16 allegorically as a deceitful bow, which fails to scud the arrow to the mark; also their unsuccess is represented as exposing them to the derision of Egypt; while the princes who spake so exceeding proudly, and who instigated their ungodliness and consequent wretchedness, would be slain with the sword. This is the drift of the whole verse; its details, however, demand more particular consideration.

1. The word עַל is by some identified in meaning with

(1) the adjective עֶלְיון, equivalent to "the Most High;" by others

(2) it is taken adverbially, and translated "upwards." . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
They turn,
יָשׁ֣וּבוּ ׀ (yā·šū·ḇū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

but not
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

to the Most High;
עָ֗ל (‘āl)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5920: The top, the highest, aloft, to Jehovah

they are
הָיוּ֙ (hā·yū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

like a faulty
רְמִיָּ֔ה (rə·mî·yāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 7423: Remissness, treachery

bow.
כְּקֶ֣שֶׁת (kə·qe·šeṯ)
Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 7198: A bow, for, shooting, the iris

Their leaders
שָׂרֵיהֶ֖ם (śā·rê·hem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 8269: Chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince

will fall
יִפְּל֥וּ (yip·pə·lū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5307: To fall, lie

by the sword
בַחֶ֛רֶב (ḇa·ḥe·reḇ)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

for the cursing
מִזַּ֣עַם (miz·za·‘am)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2195: Froth at the mouth, fury

of their tongue;
לְשׁוֹנָ֑ם (lə·šō·w·nām)
Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 3956: The tongue

for this
ז֥וֹ (zōw)
Pronoun - feminine singular
Strong's 2097: This, that

they will be ridiculed
לַעְגָּ֖ם (la‘·gām)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 3933: A mocking, derision

in the land
בְּאֶ֥רֶץ (bə·’e·reṣ)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 776: Earth, land

of Egypt.
מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (miṣ·rā·yim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4714: Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa


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OT Prophets: Hosea 7:16 They return but not to the Most (Ho Hs Hos.)
Hosea 7:15
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