Hosea 2:7 net — Then she will pursue her lovers, but she will not catch them; she will seek them, but she will not find them. Then she…

NET Bible

"Then she will pursue her lovers, but she will not catch them; she will seek them, but she will not find them. Then she will say,“I will go back to my husband, because I was better off then than I am now.”"

— Hosea 2:7, NET Bible

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Hosea 2:7 in Other Translations

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  • ASV

    “And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now. ”

Hosea 2 — Context

4

I will have no pity on her children, because they are children conceived in adultery.

5

For their mother has committed adultery; she who conceived them has acted shamefully. For she said,“I will seek out my lovers; they are the ones who give me my bread and my water, my wool, my flax, my olive oil, and my wine.

6

The Lord’s Discipline Will Bring Israel Back Therefore, I will soon fence her in with thorns; I will wall her in so that she cannot find her way.

7

Then she will pursue her lovers, but she will not catch them; she will seek them, but she will not find them. Then she will say,“I will go back to my husband, because I was better off then than I am now.”

8

Agricultural Fertility Withdrawn from Israel Yet until now she has refused to acknowledge that I was the one who gave her the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil; and that it was I who lavished on her the silver and gold– which they used in worshiping Baal!

9

Therefore, I will take back my grain during the harvest time and my new wine when it ripens; I will take away my wool and my flax which I had provided in order to clothe her.

10

Soon I will expose her lewd nakedness in front of her lovers, and no one will be able to rescue her from me!

Hosea 2:7 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Hosea 2:7 say?
Hosea 2:7 in the NET Bible reads: “Then she will pursue her lovers, but she will not catch them; she will seek them, but she will not find them. Then she will say,“I will go back to my husband, because I was better off then than I am now.””
Where is Hosea 2:7 in the Bible?
Hosea 2:7 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Hosea, chapter 2, verse 7.
Who wrote Hosea?
Hosea is traditionally attributed to Hosea son of Beeri. It was written c. 755–710 BC.
What is the book of Hosea about?
Hosea is commanded to marry an unfaithful woman as a living picture of God's steadfast love for an unfaithful Israel. Through heartbreak and pursuit, he proclaims that the LORD will not give up on his people even when they have given up on him.
What are the major themes of Hosea?
Hosea explores themes including Steadfast Love, Idolatry as Adultery, Pursuit, Repentance, Restoration. These themes shape the meaning and context of Hosea 2:7.
What translation should I read Hosea 2:7 in?
Hosea 2:7 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Hosea 2:7?
Hosea 2:7 reads (NET): “Then she will pursue her lovers, but she will not catch them; she will seek them, but she will not find them. Then she will say,“I will go back to my husband, because I was better off then than I am now.”” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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