Hosea 13:6
but when they had grazed, they became full, they were filled, and their heart was lifted up; therefore they forgot me.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse highlights that Israel's abundance, meant to be a blessing, actually became the very reason they forgot God. Their "pasture" – the land God provided – was so rich that it led to fullness, pride, and ultimately, a complete overlooking of their Benefactor.
God is describing how Israel, like sheep in a lush pasture, became so content and prosperous in the Promised Land that they grew proud and forgot their generous Provider. This verse points to a recurring theme where abundance, instead of fostering gratitude, often leads to self-sufficiency and a turning away from God, just as He warned them in Deuteronomy. This forgetfulness is what sets the stage for their eventual judgment and the consequences that follow.
Ever noticed how good times can sometimes feel harder to navigate than bad times? This verse reveals why.
Hosea uses a powerful image of livestock: when the sheep are given a lush pasture, they don't just get full – they become complacent, even unruly. Israel experienced God's incredible generosity, a land flowing with milk and honey. They were 'filled' not just with food, but with prosperity and ease.
The Trap of 'Their Pastures'
This abundance, described as 'their pastures,' wasn't just about food. It represented everything they desired and received. But instead of drawing them closer to God, this prosperity became a snare. They became so satisfied with what they had, and how they had it, that it blinded them to the Giver.
What happens when we have 'enough'? This verse points to a dangerous human tendency.
The verse states, 'they were filled, and their heart was exalted.' This 'exaltation' is more than just happiness; it's pride. When things are going well, it's easy to start believing we've earned it all, or that we are in control. We begin to think highly of ourselves and our achievements, rather than humbly acknowledging God's hand.
The Slippery Slope to Forgetting
This pride directly leads to the core problem: 'therefore they forgot me.' When we feel self-sufficient and proud, the Giver of all good things fades from our minds. We don't actively decide to forget God; rather, our focus shifts from Him to His gifts, and eventually, even to ourselves. The very blessings meant to sustain them became the reason they abandoned their Source.
Understand the original words
lebab · Hebrew Noun
In Scripture, the heart is considered the center of human personality, encompassing the intellect, will, emotions, and moral character. It is the seat of a person's inner life and the primary organ of faith or rebellion toward God.
shakach · Hebrew Verb
To forget God in the biblical sense is not a mere lapse of memory, but a willful abandonment of His covenant, laws, and authority. It signifies a shift in allegiance from the Creator to idols or self-sufficiency.
This verse vividly captures a recurring theme in Israel's history: the danger of prosperity leading to pride and forgetfulness of God, a pattern God repeatedly warned them against.
~1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
God delivers the Israelites from slavery in Egypt through mighty acts of judgment and power, beginning their journey to the Promised Land.
~1406 BC
Conquest of Canaan
The Israelites, led by Joshua, enter and conquer the land of Canaan, a fertile region described as flowing with milk and honey, fulfilling God's promises.
c. 1400 BC - 722 BC
Period of the Judges and Monarchy
Israel experiences cycles of faithfulness and unfaithfulness, prosperity and oppression, often forgetting God during times of abundance and peace.
c. 750 BC— this verse
Ministry of Hosea
Hosea prophesies to the Northern Kingdom of Israel during a time of outward prosperity but deep spiritual decay and idolatry.
722 BC
This passage directly warns Israel not to forget God when they are full and prosperous in the promised land, mirroring the consequence Hosea highlights.
Deuteronomy 32:15This verse uses similar imagery of Israel 'waxing fat' and kicking, directly linking prosperity with forsaking God, which is the core theme in Hosea 13:6.
Psalm 106:15This Psalm speaks of God giving the Israelites their desire but sending leanness into their souls, illustrating how granted desires can lead to spiritual decline and forgetfulness of God.
John 6:26-27Jesus rebukes those seeking Him only for the loaves and fishes, revealing the human tendency to follow God for earthly provisions rather than for Himself, a parallel to Israel's self-serving pursuit of abundance.
Luke 12:16-19The parable of the rich fool shows how material abundance can lead to pride and a focus on self, causing a person to forget their dependence on God, echoing the heart of Hosea's message.
pulpitHosea 13:6: "According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten me."
Verse 6. - According to their pasture so were they filled. The literal rendering is, according to their pasturing so were they filled. The reference is rather to the care in pasturing than to the pasture-ground. By God's care to the sheep of his pasture they waxed full. They were filled, and their heart was exalted. Two consequences followed from God's…
pooleHosea 13:6: "According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten me."
According to their pasture, so were they filled; when they were come into Canaan, that land of springs, brooks, and rivers, that land of wheat, barley, vines, olives, and figs, as Deu 8:7-9 ; when they had abundance of all things for delight, as well as for necessary sustenance; when I had, like a good, careful, and wise shepherd, brought them into this…
The verse highlights that Israel's abundance, meant to be a blessing, actually became the very reason they forgot God. Their "pasture" – the land God provided – was so rich that it led to fullness, pride, and ultimately, a complete overlooking of their Benefactor.
God is describing how Israel, like sheep in a lush pasture, became so content and prosperous in the Promised Land that they grew proud and forgot their generous Provider. This verse points to a recurring theme where abundance, instead of fostering gratitude, often leads to self-sufficiency and a turning away from God, just as He warned them in Deuteronomy. This forgetfulness is what sets the stage for their eventual judgment and the consequences that follow.
God is describing how Israel, like sheep in a lush pasture, became so content and prosperous in the Promised Land that they grew proud and forgot their generous Provider. This verse points to a recurring theme where abundance, instead of fostering gratitude, often leads to self-sufficiency and a turning away from God, just as He warned them in Deuteronomy. This forgetfulness is what sets the stage for their eventual judgment and the consequences that follow.
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Fall of Samaria and Assyrian Exile
The Northern Kingdom of Israel is conquered by the Assyrian Empire, its people deported, marking the end of its existence as a nation.
"but when they had grazed, they became full, they were filled, and their heart was lifted up; therefore they forgot me." — The verse highlights that Israel's abundance, meant to be a blessing, actually became the very reason they forgot God. Their "pasture" – the land God provided – was so rich that it led to fullness, p…
