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Tuesday, April 29th, 2025
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Easy-to-Read Version

Hosea 2:7

She will run after her lovers, but she will not be able to catch up with them. She will look for her lovers, but she will not be able to find them. Then she will say, ‘I will go back to my husband. Life was better for me when I was with him. Life was better then than it is now.'

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Afflictions and Adversities;   Israel, Prophecies Concerning;   Repentance;   Scofield Reference Index - Wife;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Afflictions Made Beneficial;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Baal;   Weather;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Church, the;   Ethics;   Marriage;   Power;   Providence of God;   Sin;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Preaching;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Abraham;   Ammi;   Ass;   Hosea;   Rehoboam;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Hosea;   Prophecy, Prophets;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Hosea, Book of;   Sin;   Song of Songs;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Adultery ;   Love;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Husband;   Marriage;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Concubine;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Lover;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Bezalel;   Love;   Marriage;   Monotheism;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
She will pursue her lovers but not catch them;she will look for them but not find them.Then she will think,“I will go back to my former husband,for then it was better for me than now.”
Hebrew Names Version
She will follow after her lovers, But she won't overtake them; And she will seek them, But won't find them. Then she will say, 'I will go and return to my first husband; For then was it better with me than now.'
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
She shall pursue her lovers but not overtake them, and she shall seek them but shall not find them. Then she shall say, ‘I will go and return to my first husband, for it was better for me then than now.'
New American Standard Bible
"And she will pursue her lovers, but she will not reach them; And she will seek them, but will not find them. Then she will say, 'I will go back to my first husband, Because it was better for me then than now!'
New Century Version
She will run after her lovers, but she won't catch them. She will look for them, but she won't find them. Then she will say, ‘I will go back to my first husband, because life was better then for me than it is now.'
Amplified Bible
"She will [passionately] pursue her lovers, but she will not overtake them; And she will seek them, but will not find them. Then she will say, 'Let me go and return to my first husband, For it was better for me then than now!'
Geneva Bible (1587)
Though shee followe after her louers, yet shall shee not come at them: though shee seeke them, yet shall shee not finde them: then shall she say, I will goe and returne to my first husbande: for at that time was I better then nowe.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"She will pursue her lovers, but she will not overtake them; And she will seek them, but will not find them. Then she will say, 'I will go back to my first husband, For it was better for me then than now!'
Legacy Standard Bible
So she will pursue her lovers, but she will not overtake them;And she will seek them, but will not find them.Then she will say, ‘I will go, and I will return to my first husband,For it was better for me then than now!'
Berean Standard Bible
She will pursue her lovers but not catch them; she will seek them but not find them. Then she will say, 'I will return to my first husband, for then I was better off than now.'
Contemporary English Version
She will run after her lovers, but not catch them; she will search, but not find them. Then she will say, "I'll return to my first husband. Life was better then."
Complete Jewish Bible
their mother prostituted herself, she who conceived them behaved shamelessly; she said, ‘I will pursue my lovers, who give me my food and water, wool, flax, olive oil and wine.'
Darby Translation
And she shall pursue after her lovers, and shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, and shall not find them: and she shall say, I will go and return to my first husband, for then was it better with me than now.
George Lamsa Translation
And she shall follow after her lovers and shall not overtake them, and she shall seek them, but shall not find them; then shall she say, I will return and go to my first husband; for it was better with me then than now.
Good News Translation
She will run after her lovers but will not catch them. She will look for them but will not find them. Then she will say, "I am going back to my first husband—I was better off then than I am now."
Lexham English Bible
Then she will pursue her lovers, but she will not overtake them; she will seek them and not find them; and she will say, "I will go and return to my first husband because it was better for me then than now."
Literal Translation
And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them. And she shall look for them, but she shall not find them . Then she shall say, I will go and return to my first husband, for then it was better with me thannow.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and though she runne after hir louers, yet shall she not get them: she shal seke them, but not fynde them. Then shal she saye: well, I will go turne agayne to my first hu?bonde, for at yt tyme was I better at ease, then now:
American Standard Version
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.
Bible in Basic English
And if she goes after her lovers she will not overtake them; if she makes search for them she will not see them; then will she say, I will go back to my first husband, for then it was better for me than now.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
For their mother hath played the harlot, she that conceived them hath done shamefully; for she said: 'I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.'
King James Version (1611)
And she shall follow after her louers, but she shall not ouertake them, and she shall seeke them, but shall not find them: then shall she say, I will goe and returne to my first husband, for then was it better with me then now.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And though she runne after her louers, yet shall she not ouertake them: she shall seeke them, but not finde them. Then shall she say, I wyll go and returne to my first husbande: for at that tyme it was better with me then nowe.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And she shall follow after her lovers, and shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: and she shall say, I will go, and return to my former husband; for it was better with me than now.
English Revised Version
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.
World English Bible
She will follow after her lovers, But she won't overtake them; And she will seek them, But won't find them. Then she will say, 'I will go and return to my first husband; For then was it better with me than now.'
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And sche schal sue hir louyeris, and schal not take hem, and sche schal seke hem, and schal not fynde; and sche schal seie, Y schal go, and turne ayen to my formere hosebonde, for it was wel to me thanne more than now.
Update Bible Version
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 it was better with me than now.
Webster's Bible Translation
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.
New English Translation
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."
New King James Version
She will chase her lovers, But not overtake them; Yes, she will seek them, but not find them. Then she will say, "I will go and return to my first husband, For then it was better for me than now.'
New Living Translation
When she runs after her lovers, she won't be able to catch them. She will search for them but not find them. Then she will think, ‘I might as well return to my husband, for I was better off with him than I am now.'
New Life Bible
She will go after her lovers but will not catch up with them. She will look for them but will not find them. Then she will say, ‘I will return to my first husband. For it was better for me then than now.'
New Revised Standard
She shall pursue her lovers, but not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them. Then she shall say, "I will go and return to my first husband, for it was better with me then than now."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, when she shall pursue her lovers, and not overtake them, and shall seek them and not find, then will she say, Let me go my way now! and return unto my first husband, for it was better with me, then, than, now!
Douay-Rheims Bible
And she shall follow after her lovers, and shall not overtake them: and she shall seek them, and shall not find, and she shall say: I will go, and return to my first husband: because it was better with me then than now.
Revised Standard Version
She shall pursue her lovers, but not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them. Then she shall say, 'I will go and return to my first husband, for it was better with me then than now.'
Young's Literal Translation
And she hath pursued her lovers, And she doth not overtake them, And hath sought them, and doth not find, And she hath said: I go, and I turn back unto My first husband, For -- better to me then than now.

Contextual Overview

6 "So I, the Lord, will block Israel's road with thorns, and I will build a wall. Then she will not be able to find her path. 7 She will run after her lovers, but she will not be able to catch up with them. She will look for her lovers, but she will not be able to find them. Then she will say, ‘I will go back to my husband. Life was better for me when I was with him. Life was better then than it is now.' 8 "Israel didn't know that I, the Lord, was the one who gave her grain, wine, and oil. I kept giving her more and more silver and gold, but she used this silver and gold to make statues of Baal. 9 So I will return and take back my grain at the time it is ready to be harvested. I will take back my wine at the time the grapes are ready. I will take back my wool and linen. I gave those things to her so that she could cover her naked body. 10 Now I will strip her. She will be naked, so all her lovers can see her. No one will be able to save her from my power. 11 I will take away all her fun. I will stop her festivals, her New Moon celebrations, and her days of rest. I will stop all her special feasts. 12 I will destroy her vines and fig trees. She said, ‘My lovers gave these things to me.' But I will change her gardens—they will become like a wild forest. Wild animals will come and eat from those plants. 13 "Israel served false gods, so I will punish her. She burned incense to those false gods. She dressed up—she put on her jewelry and nose ring. Then she went to her lovers and forgot me." This is what the Lord has said.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

she shall follow: Hosea 5:13, 2 Chronicles 28:20-22, Isaiah 30:2, Isaiah 30:3, Isaiah 30:16, Isaiah 31:1-3, Jeremiah 2:28, Jeremiah 2:36, Jeremiah 2:37, Jeremiah 30:12-15, Ezekiel 20:32, Ezekiel 23:22

I will: Hosea 5:15, Hosea 6:1, Hosea 14:1, Psalms 116:7, Jeremiah 3:22-25, Jeremiah 31:18, Jeremiah 50:4, Jeremiah 50:5, Lamentations 3:40-42, Luke 15:17-20

first: Jeremiah 2:2, Jeremiah 3:1, Jeremiah 31:32, Ezekiel 16:18, Ezekiel 23:4

for: Hosea 13:6, Deuteronomy 6:10-12, Deuteronomy 8:17, Deuteronomy 8:18, Deuteronomy 32:13-15, Nehemiah 9:25, Nehemiah 9:26, Jeremiah 14:22, Daniel 4:17, Daniel 4:25, Daniel 4:32, Daniel 5:21

Reciprocal: Genesis 20:6 - withheld 1 Samuel 25:39 - kept his servant Psalms 119:67 - but now Ecclesiastes 7:14 - set Jeremiah 2:31 - Have I been Lamentations 1:2 - among Lamentations 1:7 - remembered Hosea 2:13 - she went Hosea 2:16 - Ishi Luke 15:18 - will arise

Cross-References

Genesis 2:14
The name of the third river was Tigris. This river flowed east of Assyria. The fourth river was the Euphrates.
Genesis 2:15
The Lord God put the man in the Garden of Eden to work the soil and take care of the garden.
Genesis 2:20
The man gave names to all the tame animals, to all the birds in the air, and to all the wild animals. He saw many animals and birds, but he could not find a companion that was right for him.
Genesis 2:21
So the Lord God caused the man to sleep very deeply. While he was asleep, God took one of the ribs from the man's body. Then he closed the man's skin where the rib had been.
Genesis 3:23
So the Lord God forced the man out of the Garden of Eden to work the ground he was made from.
Numbers 16:22
But Moses and Aaron bowed to the ground and cried out, "God, you know what people are thinking. Please don't be angry with all these people. Only one man really sinned."
Numbers 27:16
" Lord , you are the God who knows what people are thinking. I pray that you will choose a leader for these people.
Job 4:19
So surely people are worse! They live in houses of clay built on dust. They can be crushed as easily as a moth!
Job 27:3
as long as I have life in me, as long as breath from God is in my nostrils,
Job 33:6
You and I are the same before God. He used clay to make us both.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And she shall follow after her lovers,.... Before mentioned; that is, in her affections and desires, with great eagerness and earnestness, as men pursue what they are bent upon; otherwise, being hedged in and walled up, she could not go after them in a proper sense:

but she shall not overtake them; they fleeing from her, and she pent up:

she shall seek them, but shall not find them; shall not be able to enjoy them, or act according to her wishes and desires, with respect to the performance of sacrifices, rites, and ceremonies, as before observed:

then shall she say; in her heart, finding all endeavours fruitless, and that the things sought after were never to be had; the hedges and wall, the obstructions in the way, were never to be removed, while in such a pursuit; wherefore after a long time, many hundreds of years, even in the latter day, being convinced of her sin and folly in rejecting Christ, and pursuing after other objects, she will take up the following resolution:

I will go and return to my first husband; either the God of Israel, whom the ten tribes departed from by worshipping the calves Jeroboam set up; but in the latter day will seek the Lord their God again, who was a husband to them, and shall cleave to him again, and all Israel shall be saved: so the Targum,

"I will go and return to the service of my first master, for it was well with me when I served him; henceforth I will not serve idols:''

or Christ, who was promised and prophesied of as a husband to the Jewish church, Isaiah 54:5 and whom they believed in, and expected as such, but when he came rejected him; but now being convinced of their error shall seek David their King, appoint themselves one head, and embrace Christ as their husband, and adhere to him; see Hosea 3:5:

for then was it better with me than now; while in the faith, and hope, and expectation of the true Messiah; having a spiritual apprehension of him, true faith in him, and comfort from him, as held forth in the promise; being then possessed of the good land, in the enjoyment of the word and ordinances, and of all religious and civil privileges, but now deprived of them. This may be applied to the case of true believers in Christ, having partially departed from him, and being restored. Christ is a husband to them, who has betrothed them to himself, and they have given themselves to him, and have been loved, nourished, cherished, and provided for by him, and for a while had much nearness, familiarity, and communion with him; but unbelief prevailing, first love waxing cold, and being got into a carnal and sleepy frame, neglect both private and public worship, fall into sin, and removed from church communion, and so may be said to have departed from Christ their husband; but being recovered by divine grace, and sensible of their sins, resolve to return to him again by repentance and acknowledgment, by doing their first works, and by attendance on his word and ordinances; instigated hereunto very much by remembering how it has been with them when they kept close to him, and observing the difference between those times and the present; how they had then the presence of God and Christ, and communion with them, and the secret discoveries of the love of God; in what lively exercise the graces of the Spirit were; what delight and profit they had in ordinances, and what peace, joy, and comfort, in their souls; all which now they want; see Job 29:2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And she shall follow after - The words rendered “follow after and seek” (רדך, בקשׁ) are intensive and express “eager, vehement pursuit,” and “diligent search.” They express, together, a pursuit, whose minuteness is not hindered by its vehemence, nor its extent and wideness by its exactness. She shall seek far and wide, minutely and carefully, everywhere and in all things, and shall fail in all. For eighteen hundred years the Jews have chased after a phantom, a Christ, triumphing, after the manner of the kings of the earth, and it has ever escaped them. The sinful soul will too often struggle on, in pursuit of what God is withdrawing, and will not give over, until, through God’s persevering mercy, the fruitless pursuit exhausts her, and she finds it hopeless. Oh the willfulness of man, and the unwearied patience of God!

Then shall she say, I will go and return - She encourages herself tremblingly to return to God. The words express a mixture of purpose and wish. Before, she said, “Come, let me go after my lovers;” now, she says, “Come let me go and return,” as the progical in the Gospel, “I will arise and go to my Father.”

To my first husband - “God is the ‘first Husband’ of the soul, which, while yet pure, He, through the love of the Holy Spirit, united with Himself. Him the soul longeth for, when it findeth manifold bitternesses, as thorns, in those delights of time and sense which it coveted. For when the soul begins to be gnawed by the sorrows of the world which she loveth, then she understandeth more fully, how it was better with her, with her former husband. Those whom a perverse will led astray, distress mostly converts.” “Mostly, when we cannot obtain in this world what we wish, when we have been wearied with the impossibility of our search of earthly desires, then the thought of God returns to the soul; then, what was before distasteful, becomes pleasant to us; He whose commands had been bitter to the soul, suddenly in memory grows sweet to her, and the sinful soul determines to be a faithful wife.” And God still vouchsafes to be, on her return, the Husband even of the adulterous soul, however far she had strayed from Him.

For then it was better with me than now - It is the voice of the prodigal son in the Gospel, which the Father hears, “How many hired servants of my Father have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!” “I will serve,” Israel would say, “the living and true God, not the pride of people, or of evil spirits, for even in this life it is much sweeter to bear the yoke of the Lord, than to be the servant of men.” In regard to the ten tribes, the “then” must mean the time before the apostasy under Jeroboam. God, in these words, softens the severity of His upbraiding and of His sentences of coming woe, by the sweetness of promised mercy. Israel was so impatient of God’s threats, that their kings and princes killed those whom He sent unto them. God wins her attention to His accusations by this brief tempering of sweetness.


 
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