What is the meaning of Hosea 10:6? Yes, it will be carried to Assyria as tribute to the great king “Carried” points to God’s announced judgment: the misplaced object of trust—the golden calf of Beth-aven (v. 5)—is hauled off like plunder. • Assyria’s “great king” (cf. 2 Kings 17:3-6; Hosea 8:9-10) collects Israel’s treasure as a vassal payment, proving the futility of relying on political alliances. • What Israel prized is reduced to cargo, underscoring that idolatry never saves (Isaiah 46:1-2). • The literal exile foretold here occurred when Shalmaneser V and Sargon II deported the Northern Kingdom (2 Kings 17:23). God’s word stands sure. Ephraim will be seized with shame Shame replaces former pride once Ephraim (the leading tribe, representing the whole north) realizes its powerless state. • Shame is an inner acknowledgment of sin’s exposure (Jeremiah 2:26–27). • God promised humiliation for covenant breach (Leviticus 26:19; Hosea 4:17-19). • The image of being “seized” shows shame gripping the heart, not merely an outward loss. Israel will be ashamed of its wooden idols The people who once boasted in carved images now blush at their folly. • Wooden idols can neither hear nor save (Isaiah 44:9-20; Psalm 115:4-8). • Israel’s worship under every green tree (Hosea 4:13) led to national ruin. • Exile unmasks the emptiness of substitutes for the living God (Jeremiah 10:14-16). summary Hosea 10:6 foretells a literal outcome: Israel’s cherished calf is shipped to Assyria, the nation is hauled into exile, and disgrace floods the people once wedded to idolatry. The verse stands as a sobering reminder that anything replacing God—no matter how polished—will ultimately be taken away, leaving only shame. Trust in the Lord alone remains the sure path to security and honor. |
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