Lexical Summary ethnah: Gift, hire, wages Original Word: אֶתְנָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance reward From tanah; a present (as the price of harlotry) -- reward. see HEBREW tanah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom tanah Definition the wages (of a harlot) NASB Translation wages (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs אֶתְנָה noun feminine hire of a harlot; — אֿ absolute, Hosea 2:14 (in figurative of Israel as adulteress); — on אֶתְנַן (which We Now Marti read here also) see II. תנן. אֶתְנַן noun masculineEzekiel 16:34 hire of harlot ( = אֶתְנָה); — absolute ׳א Ezekiel 16:34,41, אֶתְנָ֑ן Hosea 9:1 +; construct אֶתְנַן Deuteronomy 23:19 +; suffix אֶתְנַנָּהּ Isaiah 23:18, נַָּ֯הֿ Isaiah 23:17; plural suffix אֶתְנַנֶּיהָ Micah 1:7a (We proposes אֲשֵׁרֶיהָ, compare Now Marti); — harlot's hire, Deuteronomy 23:19 (זוֺנָה ׳א); elsewhere in figure: of idolatrous Israel Hosea 9:1, Jerusalem Ezekiel 16:31,34 (twice in verse); Ezekiel 16:41, Tyre Isaiah 23:17,18; of costly idols of Samaria Micah 1:7 b. 7 c, compare Micah 1:7 a (see above). תִּנְשֶׁ֫מֶת see [נשׁם]. תעב (√of following; תאב (see [ תָּעַב] Amos 6:8) is erroneous; compare Late Hebrew תּוֺעֵבָה, תעב Pi; Phoenician תעבת, Aramaic תּוֺעֵבָא). Topical Lexicon Overview of Meaning and Context אֶתְנָה refers to “hire” or “wages,” especially the payment received by a prostitute. In Hosea 2:12 the word is employed metaphorically of Israel’s idolatrous “lovers,” whose supposed gifts would prove worthless. The term therefore embodies the false security gained from unfaithfulness to Yahweh and anticipates His judgment on those misplaced confidences. Biblical Usage Only occurrence: Hosea 2:12. This singular use concentrates the theological weight of the word in Hosea’s marriage-metaphor, wherein Israel’s covenant breach is likened to marital infidelity. The prophet exposes the nation’s self-deception—crediting Baal worship and political alliances for prosperity—while Yahweh alone had provided every blessing. “Hosea 2:12 – ‘I will destroy her vines and fig trees. She said, ‘These are my wages that my lovers have given me.’ I will make them into a thicket, and the beasts of the field will devour them.’” Historical Background 1. Prostitution and Fertility Cults: In Canaanite religion, sexual rites sought to secure agricultural fruitfulness. Payments to cultic prostitutes were thought to guarantee divine favor for crops, flocks, and offspring. Theological Themes • Spiritual Adultery: Israel’s idolatry is portrayed as marital betrayal (Hosea 2:2; 3:1). The “wages” expose the transactional nature of sin—trading covenant fidelity for temporal benefits. Prophetic Significance in Hosea Hosea’s indictment undercuts the perceived dividends of apostasy. What Israel calls “wages,” God calls counterfeit. By destroying their produce, He nullifies idolatrous economics and reclaims exclusive spousal rights. This prophetic action illustrates both retribution and redemptive jealousy (Hosea 2:19-20). Links to Other Scriptural Passages • Deuteronomy 23:18—bar against bringing a prostitute’s wage into the house of the Lord. Ministry and Practical Application 1. Exposing False Confidence: Modern believers may misidentify career success, material prosperity, or social approval as the “wages” of worldly alliances. Hosea’s imagery urges re-evaluation of every perceived benefit in light of covenant loyalty. Christological Perspective Where Hosea’s unfaithful wife squandered herself for wages, the Church is presented to Christ “a pure virgin” (2 Corinthians 11:2) through His atoning blood. He alone pays the true bride-price, redeeming from the futility of sin’s hire (Romans 6:23). The contrast elevates the sufficiency of grace over every counterfeit reward. Forms and Transliterations אֶתְנָ֥ה אתנה ’eṯ·nāh ’eṯnāh etNahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Hosea 2:12 HEB: אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמְרָ֗ה אֶתְנָ֥ה הֵ֙מָּה֙ לִ֔י NAS: These are my wages Which KJV: whereof she hath said, These [are] my rewards that my lovers INT: of which said are my wages These Which |
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