They have dealt faithlessly with the LORD; for they have borne alien children. Now the new moon shall devour them with their fields.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The phrase "now shall a month devour them with their portions" isn't just about a short time until destruction; it dramatically connects their chosen "portions" – their idols and worldly possessions – to their ultimate consumption. This implies that what they relied on instead of God will be the very things swept away with them in a swift, devastating judgment.
They have dealt faithlessly with the LORD; for they have borne alien children. Now the new moon shall devour them with their fields.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Israel has broken their covenant with God, engaging in idolatry that has produced "alien children" – offspring raised in apostasy, estranged from the Lord. This spiritual infidelity has sealed their doom, as judgment is now imminent and will swiftly consume both the people and all their possessions.
Hosea's message is stark: the people have been unfaithful. But what does it mean to 'bear alien children,' and how does this connect to their unfaithfulness?
God uses the intimate imagery of marriage to describe His covenant relationship with Israel. To 'deal treacherously' is a profound betrayal, like a spouse being unfaithful.
Children of Betrayal
When Hosea says they have 'borne alien children,' it's not just about literal offspring. It signifies a generation raised in spiritual adultery – steeped in idolatry and estranged from God. Whether through intermarriage with foreigners or simply by raising their own children in ways that directly opposed God's commands, the result is the same: children who are 'alien' to the LORD. This means they are not recognized as truly belonging to God, mirroring the parents' own deep unfaithfulness.
This generational rebellion deepens the crisis, as the very ones who should carry on God's heritage are instead perpetuating apostasy.
The consequence is immediate and severe: 'Now the new moon shall devour them with their fields.' What does this terrifying imagery of rapid destruction reveal about God's judgment?
The phrase 'now shall a month devour them' is a powerful, unsettling image of impending and swift judgment. It emphasizes that the time for reckoning is not distant; it's immediate.
The Speed of Judgment
Several interpretations exist, but they all point to a rapid and total end:
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Understand the original words
bagad · Hebrew Verb
A state of unfaithfulness, treachery, or hypocrisy, often used in the prophets to describe Israel’s breaking of their covenant relationship with God through idolatry.
chodesh · Hebrew Noun
The beginning of the month in the Hebrew calendar, which was marked by specific sacrifices and celebrations; often criticized by the prophets when observed with ritualistic hypocrisy instead of sincere obedience.
This prophecy was delivered during a time of intense geopolitical pressure and internal decay for the northern kingdom of Israel, directly preceding and during the Assyrian invasions that would ultimately lead to its destruction.
c. 740 BC
Reign of Pekah in Israel
During this period, King Pekah of Israel allied with King Rezin of Aram (Syria) against Judah. This alliance and conflict set the stage for Assyrian intervention.
c. 734-732 BC— this verse
Assyrian Invasion of Israel
King Tiglath-pileser III of Assyria invaded Israel in response to the anti-Assyrian coalition. Many Israelites were deported, and the northern kingdom was significantly weakened.
c. 732 BC
Fall of Samaria
The capital city of Samaria, along with other northern cities, fell to the Assyrians, marking the beginning of the end for the northern kingdom.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and End of Israel
After a three-year siege, the capital Samaria finally fell to the Assyrian king Shalmaneser V, leading to the final destruction of the northern Kingdom of Israel and widespread exile.
This passage directly parallels Hosea's accusation of faithlessness by comparing Israel's betrayal of God to a wife's infidelity in marriage, highlighting the broken covenant relationship.
Hosea 2:4This verse echoes the theme of 'children of whoredom,' showing that the children born into this faithless generation were themselves seen as estranged from God due to their parents' spiritual adultery.
Isaiah 57:6This verse speaks of people choosing idols as their 'portions,' which resonates with Hosea 5:7 where the people will be consumed 'with their portions,' implying their idols and possessions will offer no salvation.
Zechariah 11:8This passage uses the imagery of destruction within a short time ('one month' or 'three shepherds') to describe the swift and complete judgment coming upon the people, similar to the rapid 'month' of judgment in Hosea.
2 Kings 15:29This historical account describes the invasion of Tiglath-pileser, which matches the scholarly context's suggestion that the 'month' of judgment in Hosea refers to a specific, swift military conquest and the subsequent loss of possessions.
barnesHosea 5:7: "They have dealt treacherously against the LORD: for they have begotten strange children: now shall a month devour them with their portions."
They have dealt treacherously - Literally, "have cloaked," and so, acted deceitfully. The word is used of treachery of friend toward his friend, of the husband to his wife, or the wife husband. "Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel, saith the Lord" Jeremiah 3:20 . G…
jfbHosea 5:7: "They have dealt treacherously against the LORD: for they have begotten strange children: now shall a month devour them with their portions."
- treacherously—as to the marriage covenant (Jer 3:20).strange children—alluding to "children of whoredoms" (Ho 1:2; 2:4). "Strange" or foreign implies that their idolatry was imported from abroad [Henderson]. Or rather, "regarded by God as strangers, not His," as being reared in idolatry. The case is desperate, when not only the existing, but…
The phrase "now shall a month devour them with their portions" isn't just about a short time until destruction; it dramatically connects their chosen "portions" – their idols and worldly possessions – to their ultimate consumption. This implies that what they relied on instead of God will be the very things swept away with them in a swift, devastating judgment.
Israel has broken their covenant with God, engaging in idolatry that has produced "alien children" – offspring raised in apostasy, estranged from the Lord. This spiritual infidelity has sealed their doom, as judgment is now imminent and will swiftly consume both the people and all their possessions.
Israel has broken their covenant with God, engaging in idolatry that has produced "alien children" – offspring raised in apostasy, estranged from the Lord. This spiritual infidelity has sealed their doom, as judgment is now imminent and will swiftly consume both the people and all their possessions.
"They have dealt faithlessly with the LORD; for they have borne alien children. Now the new moon shall devour them with their fields." — The phrase "now shall a month devour them with their portions" isn't just about a short time until destruction; it dramatically connects their chosen "portions" – their idols and worldly possessions…
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Last reviewed October 2026