Hosea 14:3

Green's Literal Translation

Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride on horses. We shall not say any more to the work of our hands, Our gods! For in You the fatherless finds mercy.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
Assyria will not save us. We will not ride on war horses. We will never again say, ‘Our God' to something we made with our hands. This is because you are the one who shows mercy to orphans."

New American Standard Bible
"Assyria will not save us, We will not ride on horses; Nor will we say again, 'Our god' To the work of our hands; For in You the orphan finds mercy."

New Century Version
Assyria cannot save us, nor will we trust in our horses. We will not say again, ‘Our gods,' to the things our hands have made. You show mercy to orphans."

New English Translation
Assyria cannot save us; we will not ride warhorses. We will never again say, ‘Our gods' to what our own hands have made. For only you will show compassion to Orphan Israel!"

Update Bible Version
Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride on horses; neither will we say anymore to the work of our hands, [You are] our gods; for in you the fatherless finds mercy.

Webster's Bible Translation
Ashur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, [Ye are] our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.

Amplified Bible
"Assyria will not save us; We will not ride on horses [relying on military might], Nor will we say again to [the idols who are] the work of our hands, 'You are our gods.' For in You [O LORD] the orphan finds love and compassion and mercy."

English Standard Version
Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride on horses; and we will say no more, ‘Our God,' to the work of our hands. In you the orphan finds mercy."

World English Bible
Assyria can't save us. We won't ride on horses; Neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, 'Our gods!' For in you the fatherless finds mercy."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Assur schal not saue vs, we schulen not stie on hors; and we schulen no more seie, Oure goddis ben the werkis of oure hondis; for thou schalt haue merci on that modirles child, which is in thee.

English Revised Version
Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.

Berean Standard Bible
Assyria will not save us, nor will we ride on horses. We will never again say, 'Our gods!' to the work of our own hands. For in You the orphan finds compassion."

Contemporary English Version
Assyria can't save us, and chariots can't help. So we will no longer worship the idols we have made. Our Lord , you show mercy to orphans."

American Standard Version
Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses; neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods; for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.

Bible in Basic English
Assyria will not be our salvation; we will not go on horses; we will not again say to the work of our hands, You are our gods; for in you there is mercy for the child who has no father.

Complete Jewish Bible
Take words with you, and return to Adonai ; say to him, "Forgive all guilt, and accept what is good; we will pay instead of bulls [the offerings of] our lips.

Darby Translation
Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, [Thou art] our God; because in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Take with you words, and return unto the LORD; say unto Him: 'Forgive all iniquity, and accept that which is good; so will we render for bullocks the offering of our lips.

King James Version (1611)
Asshur shall not saue vs, we will not ride vpon horses, neither will wee say any more to the work of our hands, Yee are our gods: for in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercie.

New Living Translation
Assyria cannot save us, nor can our warhorses. Never again will we say to the idols we have made, ‘You are our gods.' No, in you alone do the orphans find mercy."

New Life Bible
Assyria will not save us. We will not ride on horses. And we will never say again, ‘Our god,' to what we have made with our hands. For those who have no father find loving-kindness in You."

New Revised Standard
Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses; we will say no more, ‘Our God,' to the work of our hands. In you the orphan finds mercy."

Geneva Bible (1587)
Asshur shal not saue vs, neither wil we ride vpon horses, neither will we say any more to the worke of our handes, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercie.

George Lamsa Translation
And say, Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses; neither will we call any more the work of our hands, gods; for thou wilt have mercy upon the fatherless.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Assyria, shall not save us, Upon horses, will we not ride, neither will we say any more - Our god! to the work of our own hands! For, in thee, shall the fatherless, find compassion.

Douay-Rheims Bible
(14-4) Assyria shall not save us, we will not ride upon horses, neither will we say any more: The works of our hands are our gods: for thou wilt have mercy on the fatherless that is in thee.

Revised Standard Version
Assyria shall not save us, we will not ride upon horses; and we will say no more, 'Our God,' to the work of our hands. In thee the orphan finds mercy."

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Asshur shalbe no more our helper, neither will we ride vpon horses any more, neither wyll we say any more to the worke of our handes, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercie.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Take with you words, and turn to the Lord your God: speak to him, that ye may not receive the reward of unrighteousness, but that ye may receive good things: and we will render in return the fruit of our lips.

Good News Translation
Assyria can never save us, and war horses cannot protect us. We will never again say to our idols that they are our God. O Lord , you show mercy to those who have no one else to turn to."

Christian Standard Bible®
Assyria will not save us,we will not ride on horses,and we will no longer proclaim, ‘Our gods!’ to the work of our hands.For the fatherless receives compassion in you.”

Hebrew Names Version
Ashshur can't save us. We won't ride on horses; Neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, 'Our gods!' For in you the fatherless finds mercy."

King James Version
Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.

Lexham English Bible
Assyria will not save us; we will not ride on horses, and we will say no more, "Our God," to the work of our hands because in you the fatherless child finds mercy.

Young's Literal Translation
Asshur doth not save us, on a horse we ride not, Nor do we say any more, Our God, to the work of our hands, For in Thee find mercy doth the fatherless.'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Assur shalbe no more oure helper, nether will we ryde vpon horses eny more. As for the workes of oure hondes, we wil nomore call vpon them: For it is thou that art oure God, thou shewest euer mercy vnto the fatherlesse.

New King James Version
Assyria shall not save us, We will not ride on horses, Nor will we say anymore to the work of our hands, "You are our gods.' For in You the fatherless finds mercy."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Assyria will not save us, We will not ride on horses; Nor will we say again, 'Our god,' To the work of our hands; For in You the orphan finds mercy."

Legacy Standard Bible
Assyria will not save us;We will not ride on horses,Nor will we say again, ‘Our god,'To the work of our hands;For in You the orphan finds compassion."

Contextual Overview

¹ O Israel, return to Jehovah your God, for you have fallen by your sin. ² Take words with you and return to Jehovah. Say to Him, Lift up all iniquity and receive us well, that we may repay with the calves of our lips. ³ Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride on horses. We shall not say any more to the work of our hands, Our gods! For in You the fatherless finds mercy.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Asshur: Hosea 5:13, Hosea 7:11, Hosea 8:9, Hosea 12:1, 2 Chronicles 16:7, Psalms 146:3, Jeremiah 31:18-22

we will not: Deuteronomy 17:16, Psalms 20:7, Psalms 20:8, Psalms 33:17, Isaiah 30:2, Isaiah 30:16, Isaiah 31:3, Isaiah 36:8

neither: Hosea 14:8, Hosea 2:17, Isaiah 1:29, Isaiah 2:20, Isaiah 27:9, Ezekiel 36:25, Ezekiel 37:23, Ezekiel 43:7-9, Micah 5:10-14, Zechariah 13:2

for: Exodus 22:22-24, Psalms 10:14, Psalms 68:5, Psalms 146:9, Proverbs 23:10, Proverbs 23:11, John 14:18

Reciprocal: Genesis 10:11 - Asshur Numbers 24:22 - the Kenite Deuteronomy 4:30 - if thou Deuteronomy 10:18 - doth Joshua 11:6 - horses Joshua 24:23 - put away 1 Samuel 7:4 - General 2 Kings 16:7 - and save 1 Chronicles 1:17 - Asshur Ezra 4:2 - Assur Isaiah 2:7 - their land is Isaiah 2:8 - worship Isaiah 10:20 - no more Isaiah 31:1 - stay on horses Jeremiah 2:36 - as thou wast Jeremiah 49:11 - thy fatherless Lamentations 5:3 - General Ezekiel 29:16 - the confidence Micah 5:13 - graven Zephaniah 1:3 - stumblingblocks

Cross-References

Genesis 19:24
And Jehovah rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from Jehovah out of the heavens.

Numbers 34:12
And the border shall go down to the Jordan, and the end of it shall be at the Salt Sea. This shall be your land according to its borders all around.

Deuteronomy 3:17
and the Arabah, the Jordan and its border, from Chinnereth even to the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, under the Slopes of Pisgah eastward.

Joshua 3:16
that the waters stood still, those coming down from above rose up into a heap, very far above the city Adam, which is beside Zaretan; and those going down by the sea of the Arabah, the SaltSea, were completely cut off. And the peoplepassed over opposite to Jericho.

Psalms 107:34
a fruitful land to a salty desert; because of the wickedness of those who live in it.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Ashur shall not save us,.... This is still a continuation of the words repenting and returning Israel are directed to make use of before the Lord, declaring they would not do any more as they had done; to Assyria, or the kings of Assyria, as the Targum, for help, and desire assistance, and expect deliverance and salvation from thence; see Hosea 5:13;

we will not ride upon horses; to seek for help elsewhere; or go to Egypt for them, as they had done; or put their trust in them for safety, in a time of war; or think to make their escape by them when in danger; see Psalms 20:8;

neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, [ye are] our gods; that is, say so to, or concerning, their idols, which were made by their hands, or by their orders, as they had formerly done to the golden calf in the wilderness, and to the calves at Dan and Bethel; see

Exodus 32:4; now, by all these expressions is meant, that they would determine not to put any confidence in any creature, or in any creature performance; that they would not trust in their own merits, but in the mercy of God through Christ for the of their sins; nor in any works of righteousness for their justification before God, and acceptance with him; nor expect salvation in any other way than by the free grace of God, and his abundant mercy in Christ:

for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy; and in thee only; hereby declaring that the Lord was the only Saviour; that there was salvation in Christ, and in no other; and that they would have no other saviour but him; that they would look to the mercy of God proclaimed in him, and communicated from and through him, the mercy seat, and to his mercy alone for eternal life; in whom the most destitute persons, as the fatherless, who are destitute of friends, of help and assistance, of counsel and advice, find favour, kindness, and mercy, even such as are most hopeless and helpless; which is a great encouragement to look to the Lord, to trust in him, and hope in his mercy.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Asshur shall not save us - After prayer for pardon and for acceptance of themselves, and thanksgiving for acceptance, comes the promise not to fall back into their former sins. Trust in man, in their own strength, in their idols, had been their besetting sins. Now, one by one, they disavow them.

First, they disclaim trust in man, and making “flesh their arm” Jeremiah 17:5. Their disclaimer of the help of the Assyrian, to whom they had so often betaken themselves against the will of God, contains, at once, that best earnest of true repentance, the renewal of the confession of past sins, and the promise to rely no more on any princes of this world, of whom he was then chief. The horse, in like way, is the symbol of any warlike strength of their own. As the Psalmist says, “Some put their trust in chariots and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God” Psalms 20:7; and, “a horse is a vain thing for safety, neither shall he deliver any by his great strength” Psalms 33:17; and Solomon, “The horse is prepared for the day of battle but salvation is of the Lord” Proverbs 21:31. War was almost the only end for which the horse was used among the Jews. If otherwise, it was a matter of great and royal pomp. It was part of a standing army. Their kings were especially forbidden to “multiply horses” Deuteronomy 17:16 to themselves. Solomon, indeed, in his prosperity, broke this, as well as other commands of God. The pious king Hezekiah, although possessed at one time of large treasure, so kept that command as to furnish matter of mockery to Rabshakeh, the blaspheming envoy of Assyria, that he had neither horses nor horsemen 2 Kings 18:23. The horses being procured from Egypt 1 Kings 10:28, the commerce gave fresh occasion for idolatry.

Neither will we say anymore to the work of our hands, ye are our gods - This is the third disavowal. Since it was folly and sin to trust in the creatures which God had made, apart from God, how much more, to trust in things which they themselves had made, instead of God, and offensive to God!

For in Thee the fatherless findeth mercy - (or, O Thou, in whom). He is indeed fatherless who hath not God for his Father. They confess then, that they were and deserved to be thus “fatherless” and helpless, a prey to every oppressor; but they appeal to God by the title which He had taken, “the Father of the fatherless” Psalms 68:5, that He would have mercy on them, who had no help but in Him. : “We promise this, they say, hoping in the help of Thy mercy, since it belongeth to Thee and is for Thy Glory to have mercy on the people which believeth in Thee, and to stretch forth Thine Hand, that they may be able to leave their wonted ills and amend their former ways.”