Hosea 2:7

King James Version (KJV)

And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake

Other Translations

asv (asv)

eBible.org engASV USFM

Contend with your mother, contend; for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband; and let her put away her whoredoms from her face, and her adulteries from between her breasts;

darby (darby)

eBible.org Darby 1890 plaintext

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.

lxxbrent (lxxbrent)

Septuagint (Brenton 1851) eBible USFM

And their mother went a-whoring: she that bore them disgraced [them]: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, and my garments, and my linen clothes, my oil and all my necessaries.

vul1914 (vul1914)

Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)

Et sequetur amatores suos, et non apprehendet eos: et quæret eos, et non inveniet, et dicet: Vadam, et revertar ad virum meum priorem: quia bene mihi erat tunc magis quam nunc.

web (web)

WorldEnglish.Bible — CC0 modern update of ASV

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 it was better with me than now.’

ylt (ylt)

Bible.com YLT98 plain UTF-8

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.

Explanations by Age Level

Explain Like I'm 5

This verse tells us that God made everything! Before there was anything at all - no toys, no houses, no animals, no people, not even the ground we walk on or the sky above us - there was only God. And God is so amazing and powerful that He made everything we see just by wanting it to exist. He made the whole world, the stars, the moon, the sun, and everything in it. God was there first, and He made everything else!

Explain Like I'm 10

Genesis 1:1 is like the opening line of the greatest story ever told. It tells us that before anything existed - no universe, no planets, no life - God was there. The word "beginning" doesn't mean God had a beginning, but rather the beginning of everything else. God created both "heaven" (the sky and space) and "earth" (our planet and everything on it). This verse teaches us that God is the source of everything, that He existed before time itself, and that He has the power to create something from nothing. It's the foundation that helps us understand who God is and where everything came from.

Explain Like I'm 15

Genesis 1:1 establishes several crucial theological and philosophical concepts. The Hebrew word "bereshit" (in the beginning) indicates the commencement of time and space, not God's beginning, since God is eternal. "Elohim" (God) is a plural noun used with singular verbs, possibly hinting at the Trinity. The verb "bara" (created) is used exclusively for divine creation and implies creation ex nihilo (from nothing), distinguishing God's creative act from human making or forming. "Heaven and earth" is a merism representing the totality of creation - everything that exists. This verse refutes atheism (God exists), pantheism (God is distinct from creation), polytheism (one God created all), and materialism (matter is not eternal). It establishes God as transcendent, eternal, and omnipotent, setting the foundation for understanding reality, purpose, and meaning.

Biblical Commentary

Historical Context

Genesis 1:1 was written by Moses around 1450-1410 BC during the Israelites' wilderness wanderings. This opening statement would have been particularly meaningful to the Israelites who had just come out of Egypt, where they were surrounded by polytheistic creation myths. This verse establishes monotheism and God's sovereignty over all creation.

Hebrew Insights

The Hebrew text reveals deeper meanings: "Bereshit" can also mean "in the beginning of" or "when God began to create," suggesting an ongoing relationship between God and creation. "Elohim" is grammatically plural but takes singular verbs, emphasizing both God's majesty and unity. The verb "bara" appears only with God as the subject in Scripture, indicating a type of creation that only God can perform.

Theological Significance

This verse establishes fundamental truths about God's nature: He is eternal (existing before creation), transcendent (separate from creation), omnipotent (able to create from nothing), and personal (actively involved in creation). It also establishes the material world as good and purposeful, not illusory or evil as some philosophies suggest.

Cross References

This verse connects with John 1:1-3 ("In the beginning was the Word"), Hebrews 11:3 ("By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command"), and Colossians 1:16 ("For in him all things were created"). These passages reinforce the truth that God, through Christ, is the creator of all things.