Hosea 2:12
New International Version
I will ruin her vines and her fig trees, which she said were her pay from her lovers; I will make them a thicket, and wild animals will devour them.

New Living Translation
I will destroy her grapevines and fig trees, things she claims her lovers gave her. I will let them grow into tangled thickets, where only wild animals will eat the fruit.

English Standard Version
And I will lay waste her vines and her fig trees, of which she said, ‘These are my wages, which my lovers have given me.’ I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall devour them.

Berean Standard Bible
I will destroy her vines and fig trees, which she thinks are the wages paid by her lovers. So I will make them into a thicket, and the beasts of the field will devour them.

King James Bible
And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, whereof she hath said, These are my rewards that my lovers have given me: and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them.

New King James Version
“And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, Of which she has said, ‘These are my wages that my lovers have given me.’ So I will make them a forest, And the beasts of the field shall eat them.

New American Standard Bible
“And I will destroy her vines and fig trees, Of which she said, ‘They are my wages for prostitution Which my lovers have given me.’ And I will turn them into a forest, And the animals of the field will devour them.

NASB 1995
“I will destroy her vines and fig trees, Of which she said, ‘These are my wages Which my lovers have given me.’ And I will make them a forest, And the beasts of the field will devour them.

NASB 1977
“And I will destroy her vines and fig trees, Of which she said, ‘These are my wages Which my lovers have given me.’ And I will make them a forest, And the beasts of the field will devour them.

Legacy Standard Bible
And I will make desolate her vines and fig trees, Of which she said, ‘These are my wages Which my lovers have given me.’ And I will make them a forest, And the beasts of the field will devour them.

Amplified Bible
“I will destroy her vines and her fig trees Of which she has said, ‘These are my wages Which my lovers have given me.’ And I will make them a forest, And the animals of the open country will devour them.

Christian Standard Bible
I will devastate her vines and fig trees. She thinks that these are her wages that her lovers have given her. I will turn them into a thicket, and the wild animals will eat them.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I will devastate her vines and fig trees. She thinks that these are her wages that her lovers have given her. I will turn them into a thicket, and the wild animals will eat them.

American Standard Version
And I will lay waste her vines and her fig-trees, whereof she hath said, These are my hire that my lovers have given me; and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them.

Contemporary English Version
She said, "My lovers gave me vineyards and fig trees as payment for sex." Now I, the LORD, will ruin her vineyards and fig trees; they will become clumps of weeds eaten by wild animals.

English Revised Version
And I will lay waste her vines and her fig trees, whereof she hath said, These are my hire that my lovers have given me: and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I will destroy her grapevines and fig trees. She said that they were gifts from her lovers. I will turn her vineyards into a forest, and wild animals will devour them.

Good News Translation
I will destroy her grapevines and her fig trees, which she said her lovers gave her for serving them. I will turn her vineyards and orchards into a wilderness; wild animals will destroy them.

International Standard Version
I'll destroy her vines and her fig trees, about which she said, 'These are the earnings that my lovers paid me. I'll make them grow into a forest, and the wild animals will eat from them.'

Majority Standard Bible
I will destroy her vines and fig trees, which she thinks are the wages paid by her lovers. So I will make them into a thicket, and the beasts of the field will devour them.

NET Bible
I will destroy her vines and fig trees, about which she said, "These are my wages for prostitution that my lovers gave to me!" I will turn her cultivated vines and fig trees into an uncultivated thicket, so that wild animals will devour them.

New Heart English Bible
I will lay waste her vines and her fig trees, about which she has said, 'These are my wages that my lovers have given me; and I will make them a forest,' and the animals of the field shall eat them.

Webster's Bible Translation
And I will destroy her vines and her fig-trees, of which she hath said, These are my rewards that my lovers have given me: and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them.

World English Bible
I will lay waste her vines and her fig trees, about which she has said, ‘These are my wages that my lovers have given me,’ and I will make them a forest, and the animals of the field shall eat them.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And made desolate her vine and her fig tree, "" Of which she said, They [are] a wage to me, "" That my lovers have given to me, "" And I have made them for a forest, "" And a beast of the field has consumed them.

Young's Literal Translation
And made desolate her vine and her fig-tree, Of which she said, A gift they are to me, That my lovers have given to me, And I have made them for a forest, And consumed them hath a beast of the field.

Smith's Literal Translation
And I destroyed her vine and her fig tree, of which she said, They are wages to me which those loving me gave to me: and I set them for a forest, and the beasts of the field ate them.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I will destroy her vines, and her fig trees, of which she said: These are my rewards, which my lovers have given me: and I will make her as a forest, and the beasts of the field shall devour her.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And I will corrupt her vines and her fig trees, about which she said, ‘These rewards, they are mine, my lovers have given them to me.’ And I will place her in a narrow forest, and the beasts of the field will devour her.

New American Bible
I will lay waste her vines and fig trees, of which she said, “These are the fees my lovers have given me”; I will turn them into rank growth and wild animals shall devour them.

New Revised Standard Version
I will lay waste her vines and her fig trees, of which she said, “These are my pay, which my lovers have given me.” I will make them a forest, and the wild animals shall devour them.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, of which she said, These are presents which my lovers have given me; and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And I shall destroy her vines and fig trees, of which she said: ‘they are gifts which my lovers gave to me’, and I shall make them a forest, and the animals of the wilderness will devour them
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And I will lay waste her vines and her fig-trees, Whereof she hath said: 'These are my hire That my lovers have given me'; And I will make them a forest, And the beasts of the field shall eat them.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And I will utterly destroy her vines, and her fig-trees, all things of which she said, These are my hire which my lovers have given me: and I will make them a testimony, and the wild beasts of the field, and the birds of the sky, and the reptiles of the earth shall devour them.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Israel's Adultery Rebuked
11I will put an end to all her exultation: her feasts, New Moons, and Sabbaths—all her appointed feasts. 12I will destroy her vines and fig trees, which she thinks are the wages paid by her lovers. So I will make them into a thicket, and the beasts of the field will devour them. 13I will punish her for the days of the Baals when she burned incense to them, when she decked herself with rings and jewelry, and went after her lovers. But Me she forgot,” declares the LORD.…

Cross References
Isaiah 5:6
I will make it a wasteland, neither pruned nor cultivated, and thorns and briers will grow up. I will command the clouds that rain shall not fall on it.”

Jeremiah 12:4
How long will the land mourn and the grass of every field be withered? Because of the evil of its residents, the animals and birds have been swept away, for the people have said, “He cannot see what our end will be.”

Joel 1:7
It has laid waste My grapevine and splintered My fig tree. It has stripped off the bark and thrown it away; the branches have turned white.

Amos 4:9
“I struck you with blight and mildew in your growing gardens and vineyards; the locust devoured your fig and olive trees, yet you did not return to Me,” declares the LORD.

Micah 6:15
You will sow but not reap; you will press olives but not anoint yourselves with oil; you will tread grapes but not drink the wine.

Deuteronomy 28:30
You will be pledged in marriage to a woman, but another man will violate her. You will build a house but will not live in it. You will plant a vineyard but will not enjoy its fruit.

Isaiah 17:10-11
For you have forgotten the God of your salvation and failed to remember the Rock of your refuge. Therefore, though you cultivate delightful plots and set out cuttings from exotic vines— / though on the day you plant you make them grow, and on that morning you help your seed sprout—yet the harvest will vanish on the day of disease and incurable pain.

Jeremiah 5:17
They will devour your harvest and food; they will consume your sons and daughters; they will eat up your flocks and herds; they will feed on your vines and fig trees. With the sword they will destroy the fortified cities in which you trust.”

Ezekiel 15:6-8
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so I will give up the people of Jerusalem. / And I will set My face against them. Though they may have escaped the fire, yet another fire will consume them. And when I set My face against them, you will know that I am the LORD. / Thus I will make the land desolate, because they have acted unfaithfully,’ declares the Lord GOD.”

Zephaniah 1:13
Their wealth will be plundered and their houses laid waste. They will build houses but not inhabit them, and plant vineyards but never drink their wine.

Matthew 21:19
Seeing a fig tree by the road, He went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. “May you never bear fruit again!” He said. And immediately the tree withered.

Mark 11:13-14
Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if there was any fruit on it. But when He reached it, He found nothing on it except leaves, since it was not the season for figs. / Then He said to the tree, “May no one ever eat of your fruit again.” And His disciples heard this statement.

Luke 13:6-9
Then Jesus told this parable: “A man had a fig tree that was planted in his vineyard. He went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. / So he said to the keeper of the vineyard, ‘Look, for the past three years I have come to search for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Therefore cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ / ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone again this year, until I dig around it and fertilize it. ...

John 15:2
He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful.

Romans 11:17-21
Now if some branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others to share in the nourishment of the olive root, / do not boast over those branches. If you do, remember this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. / You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” ...


Treasury of Scripture

And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, whereof she has said, These are my rewards that my lovers have given me: and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them.

destroy.

Hosea 2:5
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.

Hosea 9:1
Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor.

I will.

Psalm 80:12
Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her?

Isaiah 5:5
And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:

Isaiah 7:23
And it shall come to pass in that day, that every place shall be, where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings, it shall even be for briers and thorns.

Jump to Previous
Animals Beast Beasts Consumed Desolate Destroy Eat Field Fig Fig-Tree Fig-Trees Food Forest Gift Hire Lay Pay Payments Rewards Ruin These Thicket Trees Vine Vines Wages Waste Whereof Wild
Jump to Next
Animals Beast Beasts Consumed Desolate Destroy Eat Field Fig Fig-Tree Fig-Trees Food Forest Gift Hire Lay Pay Payments Rewards Ruin These Thicket Trees Vine Vines Wages Waste Whereof Wild
Hosea 2
1. The idolatry of the people.
6. God's judgments against them.
14. His promises of reconciliation with them.














I will lay waste
This phrase indicates a divine judgment and action. The Hebrew root word here is "שָׁמֵם" (shamem), which means to desolate or devastate. In the context of Hosea, God is expressing His intention to bring desolation as a consequence of Israel's unfaithfulness. Historically, this reflects the covenantal relationship where blessings and curses were contingent upon Israel's obedience (Deuteronomy 28).

her vines and fig trees
Vines and fig trees are symbolic of prosperity and peace in ancient Israel. The vine is often associated with Israel itself (Psalm 80:8), and the fig tree represents security and abundance (1 Kings 4:25). By targeting these, God is addressing the false sense of security and self-reliance that Israel has developed, believing their prosperity comes from their alliances and idolatry rather than from God.

which she claims are her wages from her lovers
This phrase highlights Israel's spiritual adultery. The "lovers" refer to the foreign nations and deities Israel pursued, believing they provided her prosperity. The Hebrew word for "wages" is "אֶתְנָן" (etnan), often used in the context of a harlot's payment. This metaphor underscores Israel's infidelity and misplaced trust, as they attributed their blessings to these alliances rather than to God.

I will make them a thicket
The transformation into a "thicket" suggests chaos and neglect. The Hebrew word "יַעַר" (ya'ar) implies a wild, overgrown forest. This imagery conveys the reversal of order and blessing, turning what was once cultivated and fruitful into something untamed and unproductive. It serves as a warning of the consequences of turning away from God.

and the beasts of the field will devour them
This phrase signifies complete destruction and loss. In the ancient Near Eastern context, wild beasts were often seen as a threat to agriculture and human habitation. The presence of these beasts indicates abandonment and divine judgment, as the land reverts to a state of wilderness. Scripturally, this echoes the curses for disobedience found in Leviticus 26:22, where God warns of wild animals as a form of judgment.

(12) Destroy.--For this read, with margin, make desolate. The vine and fig tree are employed as the symbol of possession and peace (1Kings 4:25; Isaiah 36:16, &c.). The desolation may be by fire or drought.

Make them a forest.--The LXX. render make them a testimony, reading in the Hebrew text l''ed instead of l'ya'ar. The latter certainly yields a more vivid sense. The rest of the verse in the LXX. is amplified: "And the wild beasts of the field, and the birds of the heaven, and the creeping things of the earth shall devour them." While no candid critic will deny the possibility that such words may have originally stood in the text, it is a priori more probable that it is a gloss from Hosea 2:18 (Hosea 2:20 in LXX.). Even so late as in Hadrian's days wild beasts rushed in upon the blood-stained ruins of Jerusalem.

Verse 12. - And I will destroy (make desolate) her vines and her fig trees, whereof she said, These are my rewards that my lovers have given me. God had already threatened to deprive Israel of the means of support - the corn, wine, wool, and flax; he now threatens the removal of the very sources whence that support was derived. The vine and fig tree are usually conjoined, and by a common synecdoche convey the idea of all those sources that combine to support life and supply its luxuries. When the united kingdom of Judah and Israel, before the disruption, had obtained the zenith of prosperity in the reign of Solomon, it is thus expressed: Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon." Yet Israel knew not the time of her merciful visitation, and not only turned aside to idols, but most stupidly and most inexcusably attributed the many mercies she enjoyed to the idols which she worshipped. Like a foul adulteress despising the tokens of her husband's affection and delighting in the rewards of lewdness received from licentious paramours, Israel forfeited all her privileges, and forced the Lord to withdraw his bounties and destroy their very source. גֶפֶן rad. גפן, equivalent to תאן, to be bent, from the arch made by its drooping boughs, תְאֵנָה, rad. תאן, equivalent to תנן, to extend from its length. And I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them. The places where fig trees flourished and vines abounded shall be stripped of those trees, with their pleasant fruits - shall become a forest. The vineyards being no longer hedged or fenced, no longer cultivated or cared for, the beasts of the field shall, in consequence, find free ingress and roam there at large, devouring and devastating at pleasure. The Septuagint translates the first part of the above sentence by καὶ θήσομαι αὐτὰ εἰς μαρτύριον, "and I will make them a testimony," thus reading, according to Jerome, עֵד, instead of יעַרַ; while Cyril comments on the words so read as follows: "For these things being taken away shall testify as it were against Israel's depravity, and render their punishment more signal, and make the wrath conspicuous." The context, however, militates against the reading in question, for in time of war or general devastation places, through neglect, grow trees and brushwood, where wild beasts lair and lay waste. The explanation of the verse is well given by Kimchi in his commentary: "Because she said, 'These are the hire of my harlotry;' because she said that from the hand of her lovers came the corn and must and oil and all good things; - I will make them a desolation, that she may know whether she had those good things from me or from them. אתנה, because he has compared her to a harlot, he calls those good things אתנה, equivalent to אחנן וינה; while their signification is identical with חנאי, and their root, תנה [extend, reach, give], the aleph being prosthetic. But Jonathan renders אתנה by יְקַר, precious things. And he mentions the vine and the fig tree because grapes and figs are the best part of the food of man after the produce of the earth (i.e. corn); and already he had said, 'I will also take away my corn in its season.'"

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
I will destroy
וַהֲשִׁמֹּתִ֗י (wa·hă·šim·mō·ṯî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 8074: To stun, devastate, stupefy

her vines
גַּפְנָהּ֙ (gap̄·nāh)
Noun - common singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 1612: A vine, the grape

and fig trees,
וּתְאֵ֣נָתָ֔הּ (ū·ṯə·’ê·nā·ṯāh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 8384: Of foreign derivation, the fig

which
אֲשֶׁ֣ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

she thinks
אָמְרָ֗ה (’ā·mə·rāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

are the wages
אֶתְנָ֥ה (’eṯ·nāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 866: The wages (of a harlot)

paid
נָֽתְנוּ־ (nā·ṯə·nū-)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

by her lovers.
מְאַֽהֲבָ֑י (mə·’a·hă·ḇāy)
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 157: To have affection f

So I will make
וְשַׂמְתִּ֣ים (wə·śam·tîm)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

them into a thicket,
לְיַ֔עַר (lə·ya·‘ar)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3293: A copse of bushes, a forest, honey in the comb

and the beasts
חַיַּ֥ת (ḥay·yaṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 2416: Alive, raw, fresh, strong, life

of the field
הַשָּׂדֶֽה׃ (haś·śā·ḏeh)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7704: Field, land

will devour them.
וַאֲכָלָ֖תַם (wa·’ă·ḵā·lā·ṯam)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 398: To eat


Links
Hosea 2:12 NIV
Hosea 2:12 NLT
Hosea 2:12 ESV
Hosea 2:12 NASB
Hosea 2:12 KJV

Hosea 2:12 BibleApps.com
Hosea 2:12 Biblia Paralela
Hosea 2:12 Chinese Bible
Hosea 2:12 French Bible
Hosea 2:12 Catholic Bible

OT Prophets: Hosea 2:12 I will lay waste her vines (Ho Hs Hos.)
Hosea 2:11
Top of Page
Top of Page