Hosea 8:9

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

Israel’s Hired Lovers They have gone up to Assyria, like a wild donkey that wanders off. Ephraim has hired prostitutes as lovers.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Jer 2:24 : 24 You are like a wild female donkey brought up in the wilderness. In her lust she sniffs the wind to get the scent of a male. No one can hold her back when she is in heat. None of the males need wear themselves out chasing after her. At mating time she is easy to find.
  • Hos 5:13 : 13 When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah saw his wound, then Ephraim turned to Assyria, and begged its great king for help. But he will not be able to heal you! He cannot cure your wound!
  • Hos 7:11 : 11 Israel Turns to Assyria and Egypt for Help Ephraim has been like a dove, easily deceived and lacking discernment. They called to Egypt for help; they turned to Assyria for protection.
  • Ezek 16:33-34 : 33 All prostitutes receive payment, but instead you give gifts to every one of your lovers. You bribe them to come to you from all around for your sexual favors! 34 You were different from other prostitutes because no one solicited you. When you gave payment and no payment was given to you, you became the opposite!
  • Ezek 23:5-9 : 5 “Oholah engaged in prostitution while she was mine. She lusted after her lovers, the Assyrians– warriors 6 clothed in blue, governors and officials, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding on horses. 7 She bestowed her sexual favors on them; all of them were the choicest young men of Assyria. She defiled herself with all whom she desired– with all their idols. 8 She did not abandon the prostitution she had practiced in Egypt; for in her youth men went to bed with her, fondled her virgin breasts, and ravished her. 9 Therefore I handed her over to her lovers, the Assyrians for whom she lusted.
  • Hos 2:5-7 : 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.”
  • Hos 2:10 : 10 Soon I will expose her lewd nakedness in front of her lovers, and no one will be able to rescue her from me!
  • Hos 12:1 : 1 Ephraim continually feeds on the wind; he chases the east wind all day; he multiplies lies and violence. They make treaties with Assyria, and send olive oil as tribute to Egypt.
  • 2 Kgs 15:19 : 19 Pul king of Assyria invaded the land, and Menahem paid him a thousand talents of silver to gain his support and to solidify his control of the kingdom.
  • Job 39:5-8 : 5 Who let the wild donkey go free? Who released the bonds of the donkey, 6 to whom I appointed the arid rift valley for its home, the salt wastes as its dwelling place? 7 It scorns the tumult in the town; it does not hear the shouts of a driver. 8 It ranges the hills as its pasture, and searches after every green plant.
  • Isa 30:6 : 6 This is an oracle about the animals in the Negev: Through a land of distress and danger, inhabited by lionesses and roaring lions, by snakes and darting adders, they transport their wealth on the backs of donkeys, their riches on the humps of camels, to a nation that cannot help them.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Hos 8:10-11
    2 verses
    78%

    10Even though they have hired lovers among the nations, I will soon gather them together for judgment. Then they will begin to waste away under the oppression of a mighty king.

    11Sacrifices Ineffective without Moral Obedience Although Ephraim has built many altars for sin offerings, these have become altars for sinning!

  • Hos 7:10-11
    2 verses
    77%

    10The arrogance of Israel testifies against him, yet they refuse to return to the LORD their God! In spite of all this they refuse to seek him!

    11Israel Turns to Assyria and Egypt for Help Ephraim has been like a dove, easily deceived and lacking discernment. They called to Egypt for help; they turned to Assyria for protection.

  • Hos 4:16-18
    3 verses
    74%

    16Israel has rebelled like a stubborn heifer! Soon the LORD will put them out to pasture like a lamb in a broad field!

    17Ephraim has attached himself to idols; Do not go near him!

    18The Shameful Sinners Will Be Brought to Shame They consume their alcohol, then engage in cult prostitution; they dearly love their shameful behavior.

  • Ezek 23:9
    73%

    9Therefore I handed her over to her lovers, the Assyrians for whom she lusted.

  • Hos 8:8
    72%

    8Israel will be swallowed up among the nations; they will be like a worthless piece of pottery.

  • Hos 12:1
    71%

    1Ephraim continually feeds on the wind; he chases the east wind all day; he multiplies lies and violence. They make treaties with Assyria, and send olive oil as tribute to Egypt.

  • Ezek 23:5
    71%

    5“Oholah engaged in prostitution while she was mine. She lusted after her lovers, the Assyrians– warriors

  • Ezek 23:12
    70%

    12She lusted after the Assyrians– governors and officials, warriors in full armor, horsemen riding on horses, all of them desirable young men.

  • Jer 22:20
    69%

    20Warning to Jerusalem People of Jerusalem, go up to Lebanon and cry out in mourning. Go to the land of Bashan and cry out loudly. Cry out in mourning from the mountains of Moab. For your allies have all been defeated.

  • Jer 2:24-25
    2 verses
    69%

    24You are like a wild female donkey brought up in the wilderness. In her lust she sniffs the wind to get the scent of a male. No one can hold her back when she is in heat. None of the males need wear themselves out chasing after her. At mating time she is easy to find.

    25Do not chase after other gods until your shoes wear out and your throats become dry. But you say,‘It is useless for you to try and stop me because I love those foreign gods and want to pursue them!’

  • Hos 5:3-4
    2 verses
    69%

    3I know Ephraim all too well; the evil of Israel is not hidden from me. For you have engaged in prostitution, O Ephraim; Israel has defiled itself.

    4Their wicked deeds do not allow them to return to their God; for a spirit of idolatry is in them, and they do not acknowledge the LORD.

  • Hos 5:6
    69%

    6The Futility of Sacrificial Ritual without Moral Obedience Although they bring their flocks and herds to seek the favor of the LORD, They will not find him– he has withdrawn himself from them!

  • Hos 11:4-5
    2 verses
    69%

    4I led them with leather cords, with leather ropes; I lifted the yoke from their neck, and gently fed them.

    5They will return to Egypt! Assyria will rule over them because they refuse to repent!

  • Ezek 23:20
    69%

    20She lusted after her lovers there, whose genitals were like those of donkeys, and whose emission was like that of stallions.

  • Hos 5:13-14
    2 verses
    68%

    13When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah saw his wound, then Ephraim turned to Assyria, and begged its great king for help. But he will not be able to heal you! He cannot cure your wound!

    14The Lion Will Carry Israel Off Into Exile I will be like a lion to Ephraim, like a young lion to the house of Judah. I myself will tear them to pieces, then I will carry them off, and no one will be able to rescue them!

  • Hos 10:6
    68%

    6Even the calf idol will be carried to Assyria, as tribute for the great king. Ephraim will be disgraced; Israel will be put to shame because of its wooden idol.

  • Hos 10:11
    68%

    11Fertility Imagery: Plowing, Sowing, and Reaping Ephraim was a well-trained heifer who loved to thresh grain; I myself put a fine yoke on her neck. I will harness Ephraim. Let Judah plow! Let Jacob break up the unplowed ground for himself!

  • Ezek 16:28
    68%

    28You engaged in prostitution with the Assyrians because your desires were insatiable; you prostituted yourself with them and yet you were still not satisfied.

  • Hos 9:9-11
    3 verses
    68%

    9The Best of Times, the Worst of Times They have sunk deep into corruption as in the days of Gibeah. He will remember their wrongdoing. He will repay them for their sins.

    10When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the wilderness. I viewed your ancestors like an early fig on a fig tree in its first season. Then they came to Baal-Peor and they dedicated themselves to shame– they became as detestable as what they loved.

    11The Fertility Worshipers Will Become Infertile Ephraim will be like a bird; what they value will fly away. They will not bear children– they will not enjoy pregnancy– they will not even conceive!

  • Hos 9:3
    68%

    3Assyrian Exile Will Reverse the Egyptian Exodus They will not remain in the LORD’s land. Ephraim will return to Egypt; they will eat ritually unclean food in Assyria.

  • Hos 9:1
    68%

    1Fertility Cult Festivals Have Intoxicated Israel O Israel, do not rejoice jubilantly like the nations, for you are unfaithful to your God. You love to receive a prostitute’s wages on all the floors where you thresh your grain.

  • Hos 9:17
    68%

    17My God will reject them, for they have not obeyed him; so they will be fugitives among the nations.

  • Hos 2:5
    68%

    5For 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.

  • Hos 7:8
    67%

    8Israel Lacks Discernment and Refuses to Repent Ephraim has mixed itself like flour among the nations; Ephraim is like a ruined cake of bread that is scorched on one side.

  • Job 39:5
    67%

    5Who let the wild donkey go free? Who released the bonds of the donkey,

  • Ezek 23:7
    67%

    7She bestowed her sexual favors on them; all of them were the choicest young men of Assyria. She defiled herself with all whom she desired– with all their idols.

  • Jer 5:8
    67%

    8They are like lusty, well-fed stallions. Each of them lusts after his neighbor’s wife.

  • Hos 11:2
    67%

    2But the more I summoned them, the farther they departed from me. They sacrificed to the Baal idols and burned incense to images.

  • Job 24:5
    67%

    5Like wild donkeys in the wilderness, they go out to their labor seeking diligently for food; the arid rift valley provides food for them and for their children.

  • Isa 52:4
    67%

    4For this is what the Sovereign LORD says:“In the beginning my people went to live temporarily in Egypt; Assyria oppressed them for no good reason.

  • Isa 2:6
    66%

    6The Lord’s Day of Judgment Indeed, O LORD, you have abandoned your people, the descendants of Jacob. For diviners from the east are everywhere; they consult omen readers like the Philistines do. Plenty of foreigners are around.

  • Isa 19:23
    66%

    23At that time there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will visit Egypt, and the Egyptians will visit Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together.

  • Hos 6:10
    66%

    10I have seen a disgusting thing in the house of Israel: there Ephraim commits prostitution with other gods, and Israel defiles itself.

  • Hos 13:6
    66%

    6When they were fed, they became satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; as a result, they forgot me!

  • Hos 5:9
    66%

    9Ephraim will be ruined in the day of judgment! What I am declaring to the tribes of Israel will certainly take place!

  • Hos 9:6
    66%

    6No Escape for the Israelites This Time! Look! Even if they flee from the destruction, Egypt will take hold of them, and Memphis will bury them. The weeds will inherit the silver they treasure– thorn bushes will occupy their homes.

  • Isa 7:17
    66%

    17The LORD will bring on you, your people, and your father’s family a time unlike any since Ephraim departed from Judah– the king of Assyria!”

  • Hos 5:11
    66%

    11Ephraim will be oppressed, crushed under judgment, because he was determined to pursue worthless idols.

  • Isa 31:1
    66%

    1Egypt Will Disappoint Those who go down to Egypt for help are as good as dead, those who rely on war horses, and trust in Egypt’s many chariots and in their many, many horsemen. But they do not rely on the Holy One of Israel and do not seek help from the LORD.

  • Hos 8:3
    66%

    3But Israel has rejected what is morally good; so an enemy will pursue him.