Lexical Summary yaqosh: To ensnare, to trap, to lay a snare Original Word: יָקוֹשׁ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance a snarer From yaqosh; properly, entangling; hence, a snarer: see HEBREW yaqosh NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom yaqosh Definition a fowler, trapper NASB Translation bird catcher (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs יָקוֺשׁ noun [masculine] bait-layer, fowler, מַּח יָקוֺשׁ Hosea 9:8 the snare of fowler. Topical Lexicon Scriptural UsageThe noun יָקוֹשׁ appears only once, in Hosea 9:8. There it describes a “fowler’s snare” lying in wait for the prophet as he walks the paths of his ministry among apostate Ephraim. Although the term itself is rare, the image of a bird-catcher setting hidden traps recurs throughout Scripture (Psalm 91:3; Psalm 124:7; Proverbs 6:5; Jeremiah 5:26). Hosea’s singular employment of the word intensifies the scene, underscoring the premeditated, clandestine hostility that threatened God’s spokesman. Historical and Cultural Background In ancient Israel, bird-catching was practiced both for food and for trade. Nets, spring-snares, and decoys were common methods. Such devices were inexpensive, easy to conceal, and required patience rather than strength—an apt metaphor for subtle spiritual ambush. Hosea ministered in the eighth century BC, when the Northern Kingdom admired foreign cults and persecuted faithful prophets (Hosea 4:4–6; 6:5). The “fowler” therefore pictures those religious and political elites who, under a veneer of piety, sought to neutralize the true word of the Lord. Prophetic Force in Hosea Hosea 9:8 contrasts two professions: prophet and fowler. The prophet is divinely appointed as a “watchman” (ṣōp̱eh) to guard the people; the fowler is self-appointed to entrap. The juxtaposition highlights Israel’s inversion of roles—where those who should protect God’s flock instead prey upon it. By branding the prophet’s persecutors as fowlers, Hosea reveals: • Premeditation—snares are laid, not stumbled upon. Thus Hosea exposes both the method and motive of spiritual seduction in Israel. Theological Significance 1. Human Plots vs. Divine Protection The fowler may act in stealth, yet the Lord sees and judges. Psalm 91:3 affirms, “He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler.” Hosea’s indictment therefore serves both as warning to perpetrators and comfort to the remnant. 2. The Snare Motif and Sin Throughout Scripture “snare” language depicts sin’s deceptive power. The lone appearance of יָקוֹשׁ folds Hosea’s audience into this larger biblical theology: rejecting God’s word entangles the soul (Proverbs 29:6). 3. Prophetic Suffering The verse anticipates the pattern fulfilled supremely in Jesus Christ, the final Prophet, who also encountered hidden plots (Luke 20:19–20) yet triumphed over them through obedience and resurrection (Acts 2:23–24). New Testament Echoes While יָקוֹשׁ itself is not carried into Greek, its concept reappears. Paul warns Timothy that opponents of the gospel are “held captive by him to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:26), employing snare imagery (παγίς). Likewise, 1 Thessalonians 2:15–16 mirrors Hosea: “They displease God and oppose all men… to fill up their sins.” The parallel underscores continuity between Testaments—false religion remains a calculated trap. Practical Ministry Insights • Discern Hidden Opposition Faithful service may provoke covert resistance. Shepherds must be “shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16). • Guard Personal Integrity Spiritual leaders avoid becoming fowlers themselves by preaching truth without manipulation (2 Corinthians 4:2). • Trust Divine Deliverance Even when snares are undetectable, God’s oversight is comprehensive (Psalm 121:7). Confidence in His protection fuels perseverance. Devotional Reflection Hosea’s single use of יָקוֹשׁ magnifies its weight: one well-placed word exposes a nation’s hidden malice. Believers today pray, “Search me, O God, and know my heart” (Psalm 139:23), lest any lingering propensity to lay snares—through slander, deceit, or half-truth—take root. Simultaneously, they rest in the promise, “The snare has been broken, and we have escaped” (Psalm 124:7), rejoicing in the freedom secured by Christ. Forms and Transliterations יָקוֹשׁ֙ יקוש yā·qō·wōš yakoVosh yāqōwōšLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Hosea 9:8 HEB: נָבִ֞יא פַּ֤ח יָקוֹשׁ֙ עַל־ כָּל־ NAS: [Yet] the snare of a bird catcher is in all KJV: [is] a snare of a fowler in all his ways, INT: A prophet the snare of a bird is in all 1 Occurrence |
    |