Hosea 13:5 — Word Study
WLCאֲנִ֥י יְדַעְתִּ֖יךָ בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר בְּאֶ֖רֶץ תַּלְאֻבֽוֹת׃
BSA◂Iʼănîy knew youyâdaʻ■ [to know, to ascertain by seeing, to learn] in the wildernessmidbâr [a desert or open field, like the one the Israelites wandered in] in the landʼerets [the soil or ground, a country, territory, or region] of droughttalʼûwbâh△ [a severe lack of water, desiccation]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אֲנִ֥י | I | Pronoun |
| יְדַעְתִּ֖יךָ | I knew you | Verb qal perfect first person common singular, suffix |
| בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר | in the wilderness | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| בְּאֶ֖רֶץ | in a land of | Preposition, noun common feminine singular construct |
| תַּלְאֻבֽוֹת׃ | drought | Noun common, feminine plural absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | I knew you in the wilderness, in the land of drought. |
| KJV | ¶ I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought. |
| ASV | I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought. |
| YLT | I — I have known thee in a wilderness, In a land of droughts. |
| WEB | I knew you in the wilderness, in the land of great drought. |
| BBE | I had knowledge of you in the waste land where no water was. |
Where they part company is in the nuances of the phrase יְדַעְתִּ֖יךָ — see How Translations Differ.
One main clause with two prepositional phrases providing context. The structure emphasizes the relationship between God and Israel in their struggles.







8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectאֲנִי
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 5 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Hosea 13:5
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — God's Relationship with Israelgenerated
Hosea 13:5 reflects on how the LORD knew Israel intimately during their time in the wilderness, a period marked by trials and dependence on Him. This verse emphasizes God's ongoing relationship with His people, reminding them of His faithfulness since their deliverance from Egypt, as noted in the preceding verse Hosea 13:4.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exodus 2:25 | God saw the Israelites and took notice. |
| 2 | Psalm 1:6 | For the LORD guards the path of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. |
| 3 | Psalm 31:7 | I will be glad and rejoice in Your loving devotion, for You have seen my affliction; You have known the anguish of my soul. |
| 4 | Psalm 142:3 | Although my spirit grows faint within me, You know my way. Along the path I travel they have hidden a snare for me. |
| 5 | Nahum 1:7 |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 12 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יְדַעְתִּ֖יךָ, ye.da'.Ti.khagenerated
The verb יָדַע (yada`) is a perfect form, indicating a completed action in the past. It conveys a deep sense of knowledge, not just intellectual but relational, suggesting familiarity and recognition. This word captures the essence of God's intimate awareness of His people.
In this context, the use of the first-person singular pronoun אֲנִי (aniy) emphasizes God's personal connection to Israel. The phrase יְדַעְתִּ֖יךָ (ye.da'.Ti.kha) directly addresses the people, highlighting the depth of His knowledge and care for them during their time of hardship.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree that the verse conveys God's intimate knowledge of Israel during their wilderness experience.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main clause is governed by the verb יְדַעְתִּ֖יךָ, I knew you, which is followed by two prepositional phrases: בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר (in the wilderness) and בְּאֶ֖רֶץ (in the land), both providing context for where this knowledge occurred.
The structure emphasizes the relationship between God and Israel, with the wilderness serving as a significant backdrop for their journey and dependence on Him.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates יְדַעְתִּ֖יךָ as σε, indicating a direct and personal address to Israel. This choice underscores the intimate relationship God has with His people, aligning with the Hebrew understanding of knowing someone deeply.
The Greek word ἐγὼ for 'I' also emphasizes the personal nature of God's declaration, reinforcing the connection between the speaker and the audience.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Hosea 13:5 tells us that God knew Israel during their time in the wilderness, a challenging period after their escape from Egypt. This verse highlights God's deep understanding and relationship with His people, especially in times of need.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies God's intimate understanding and relationship with His people during a difficult time, emphasizing His guidance and care.
The wilderness represents a place of testing and dependence on God, highlighting the challenges Israel faced after leaving Egypt.
It illustrates God's faithfulness and His ongoing relationship with Israel, reminding them of His presence and support in their journey.
We can understand that God is intimately aware of our struggles and is present with us in our own wilderness experiences.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I experienced God's presence during difficult times in my life?
- How can I deepen my relationship with God, knowing He desires to know me intimately?
- What does it mean for me to recognize God's guidance in my own wilderness experiences?
- How can I support others who are going through their own times of drought or struggle?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early church commentary, such as that from Jerome, reflects on God's relationship with Israel, emphasizing His knowledge of them in their struggles.
"But I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt: and thou shalt know no God but me, and there is no saviour beside me. I knew thee in the desert, in the land of drought.Early Church Fathers on Hosea 13 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Hosea 13:5 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleI did know thee in the wilderness,.... Where there were no food nor drink, where were scorpions, serpents, and beasts of prey; there the Lord knew them, owned them, and showed a fatherly affection
Read John Gill on Hosea 13 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryI did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought. I did know thee in the wilderness - i:e., did acknowledge thee as mine, and so took care of thee (Psalms 144:3; Amos 3:2).
Read Robert Jamieson on Hosea 13 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleI did know, owned, took care of, guided, and supplied, thee, O Israel, in thy fathers, in the wilderness; through which for forty years together thou wast moving, and foundest nothing for thy sustenance but what my miraculous goodness and power gave thee; through those many deserts thou never didst want. In the land of great drought; in the parched sands, where were no refreshing showers, no rivers or springs of water, to suffice so many cattle and men; where thou wentest as it were through flames and on sands, scorching as embers of a fire, a place fit for none but fiery serpents, or salamanders (if any such).
Read Matthew Poole on Hosea 13 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsHosea 13:5 I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought.Ver. 5. I knew thee in the wilderness, in a place of great drought] In terra torridissima, where I gave thee pluviam escatilem et petram aquatilem, as Tertullian phraseth it, where I gave thee bread from heaven, set the flint abroach, kept thy clothes whole and fit, kept back thine enemies, led thee by a pillar of cloud, sent thee in flesh at even and bread in the morning, served thee as never prince was served in his greatest pomp, Psalms 78:20; Psalms 78:24. And wilt thou yet kiss the calf, qui te nec servat, nec satiat, ut ego? who neither saveth thee, nor satisfieth thee, as I have done? not suffering thee to…
Read John Trapp on Hosea 13 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 5. I did know thee] I approved of thee; I loved thee; and by miraculously providing for thee in that land of drought, I demonstrated my love.
Read AdamClarke on Hosea 13 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges5. I did know, &c.] Better, It was I that knew, &c. ‘To know’=‘to take favourable notice of’, as Psalms 1:6 and often. in the land of great drought] Or, ‘of burning thirst’ (the word occurs nowhere else). Comp. the description in Hosea 2:3.
Read Cambridge on Hosea 13 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleI did know thee in the wilderness - “God so knew them, as to deserve to be known by them.
Read Albert Barnes on Hosea 13 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible5. The loving care of Jehovah manifested itself in a special manner during the wanderings in the desert, when hunger and thirst threatened to destroy them.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Hosea 13 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
I knew you in the wilderness, in the land of drought.
I knew you in the wilderness, in the land of great drought.
I knew you in the wilderness, in the land of drought.
I cared for you in the wilderness, in the dry desert where no water was.
Tyndale line
¶ I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought.
I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought.
I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought.
I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drouth.
I did knowe thee in the wildernesse, in the land of drought.
Strictly literal
I knew thee in the wilderness, in the land of drought.
I — I have known thee in a wilderness, In a land of droughts.
I have known you in a wilderness, || In a land of droughts.
I myself did provide for thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought.
I knew you in the wilderness, in the land of great dryness.
From the Latin
I knew thee in the desert, in the land of the wilderness.
Simplified
I looked after you in the wilderness; in that dry desert land it was like pasture to them
I had knowledge of you in the waste land where no water was.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely in wording, with all five words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls show one word on the leather, with the rest supplied by an editor, indicating some textual preservation but not a complete agreement.
אֲנִ֥י יְדַעְתִּ֖יךָ בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר בְּאֶ֖רֶץ תַּלְאֻבֽוֹת׃
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
[אני] [ידעתי׳כה] [במדבר] [בארץ] תלאבות
1 word on the leather — 4 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Hosea 13:5
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
אֲנִי, transliterated as aniy, is a first-person singular pronoun meaning 'I' or 'me.' It is often used for emphasis and can also imply possession, as in 'mine' or 'myself.' The word is derived from a form that indicates self-reference, and it appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.
אֲנִי, אָ֑נִי pron. 1s. comm. I
base
H589 אֲנִי, אָ֑נִי I
589 'aniy an-ee'
contracted from 595; I:--I, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, X
which, X who.
see HEBREW for 0595
אֲנִי (a.ni) — I.
I (first pers. sing. -usually used for emphasis)
Pron — PronounHPp1bs
יָדַע (yada`) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to know,' encompassing a wide range of senses including perception, recognition, and experience. It can refer to knowing someone intimately or being skilled in a task. The word has various forms, indicating actions such as making known or being made known. Lexicons note its use in both literal and figurative contexts, but there is no significant disagreement among them.
יָדַע 943 vb. know
Qal
know, learn to know
perceive
perceive and see; find out and discern
discriminate, distinguish
know by experience
recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess
consider
not know = not expect
know a person, be acquainted with
know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse
know how, to do a thing, be able to do it
be skilful in
abs. have knowledge, be wise
Niph.
be made known, be or become known, of things
make oneself known of pers.
be perceived
be instructed
Pi. cause to know
Pu. known
Hiph. make known, declare
Hoph. made known
Hithp. make oneself known
base
H3045 יָדַע know .. . know, learn to know
. perceive
. perceive and see; find out and discern
. discriminate, distinguish
. know by experience
. recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess
. consider
. not know = not expect
. know a person, be acquainted with
. know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse
. . know how, to do a thing, be able to do it
. be skilful in
. abs. have knowledge, be wise
. . be made known, be or become known, of things
. make oneself known of pers.
. be perceived
. be instructed
. cause to know
. known
. make known, declare
. made known
. make oneself known
3045 yada` yaw-dah'
a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing);
used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally,
euphemistically and inferentially (including observation,
care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation,
punishment, etc.) (as follow):--acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted
with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware,
(un-)awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, X
could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to)
discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel,
can have, be (ig-)norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause
to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have
(knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, + be
learned, + lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, X
prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man
of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell,
יָדַע (ya.da) — to know.
1) to know
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to know
1a1a) to know, learn to know
1a1b) to perceive
1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern
1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish
1a1e) to know by experience
1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess
1a1g) to consider
1a2) to know, be acquainted with
1a3) to know (a person carnally)
1a4) to know how, be skilful in
1a5) to have knowledge, be wise
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed
1b2) to make oneself known
1b3) to be perceived
1b4) to be instructed
1c) (Piel) to cause to know
1d) (Poal) to cause to know
1e) (Pual)
1e1) to be known
1e2) known, one known, acquaintance (participle)
1f) (Hiphil) to make known, declare
1g) (Hophal) to be made known
1h) (Hithpael) to make oneself known, reveal oneself
Aramaic equivalent: ye.da (יְדַע "to know" H3046)
V-Qal-Perf-1cs | Suff — Verb qal perfect first person common singular · suffixHVqp1cs/Sp2ms
מִדְבָּר (midbar) primarily means 'mouth' in the sense of an organ of speech, but it also refers to 'wilderness' or 'desert.' The word is derived from a root meaning to drive, suggesting open fields for pasturing cattle. It encompasses various forms of uninhabited land and is notably used in contexts related to the wilderness, such as the Wilderness of Sinai.
[מִדְבָּר] n.m. mouth, as organ of speech, Ct 4:3
ref
מִדְבָר 270 n.m. wilderness
tracts of land, used for the pasturage of flocks and herds
uninhabited land
large tracts of such land bearing various names, in certain districts of which there might be towns and cities
fig.
base
H4057a מִדְבָּר mouth, as organ of speech H4057b מִדְבָר wilderness
4057 midbar mid-bawr'
from 1696 in the sense of driving; a pasture (i.e. open
field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert;
also speech (including its organs):--desert, south, speech,
wilderness.
see HEBREW for 01696
מִדְבָּר (mid.bar) — mouth.
1) mouth
1a) mouth (as organ of speech)
מִדְבָּר (mid.bar) — wilderness.
1) wilderness
1a) pasture
1b) uninhabited land, wilderness
1c) large tracts of wilderness (around cities)
1d) wilderness (fig.)
מִדְבָּר (mid.bar) — Wilderness (of Sinai).
This name means wilderness, uninhabited land
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHRd/Ncmsa
wil'-der-nes.
See DESERT; JUDAEA, WILDERNESS OF; WANDERINGS OF ISRAEL.
Wilderness
(1.) Heb. midhbar, denoting not a barren desert but a district or region suitable for pasturing sheep and cattle (Ps. 65:12; Isa. 42:11; Jer. 23:10; Joel 1:19; 2:22); an uncultivated place. This word is used of the wilderness of Beersheba (Gen. 21:14), on the southern border of Palestine; the wilderness of the Red Sea (Ex. 13:18); of Shur (15:22), a portion of the Sinaitic peninsula; of Sin (17:1), Sinai (Lev. 7:38), Moab (Deut. 2:8), Judah (
See DESERT.
אֶ֫רֶץ (erets) is a feminine noun meaning 'earth' or 'land.' It encompasses various meanings, including the whole earth, specific territories like Canaan, and even inhabitants of the land. It can refer to soil, ground, or regions, and is used in phrases related to distance and the living. There is a note on the plural form אֲרָצוֹת, which mainly appears in later texts to denote multiple lands.
אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land
earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)
earth, opp. to heaven, sky
earth = inhabitants of earth
land =
country, territory
district, region
trial territory
piece of ground
specif. land of Canaan, or Israel
= inhabitants of land
used even of Shᵉʼôl
ground, surface of ground
soil, as productive
אֶרֶץ in phrases
people of the land
in measurements of distance
the country of the plain, level or plain country
land of the living
end(s) of the earth
pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.
base
H776 אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land . . earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)
. earth, opp. to heaven, sky
. earth = inhabitants of earth
. land = . country, territory
. district, region
. trial territory
. piece of ground
. specif. land of Canaan, or Israel
. = inhabitants of land
. used even of Shᵉʼôl
. . ground, surface of ground
. soil, as productive
. אֶרֶץ in phrases . people of the land
. in measurements of distance
. the country of the plain, level or plain country
. land of the living
. end(s) of the earth
. pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.
776 'erets eh'-rets
from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth
(at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth,
field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.
אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: country/planet.
: country/field
1) land, earth
1a) earth
1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)
1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)
1a3) earth (inhabitants)
1b) land
1b1) country, territory
1b2) district, region
1b3) tribal territory
1b4) piece of ground
1b5) land of Canaan, Israel
1b6) inhabitants of land
1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world
1b8) city (-state)
1c) ground, surface of the earth
1c1) ground
1c2) soil
1d) (in phrases)
1d1) people of the land
1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance)
1d3) level or plain country
1d4) land of the living
1d5) end(s) of the earth
1e) (almost wholly late in usage)
1e1) lands, countries
1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan
אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: soil.
: soil
1) land, earth
1a) earth
1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)
1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)
1a3) earth (inhabitants)
1b) land
1b1) country, territory
Prep | N-cs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular constructHR/Ncfsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
תַּלְאֻבָה (tal'uwbah) refers to a state of drought or desiccation. It is noted in the plural form in the context of Hosea 13:6, indicating a significant intensity of drought. The word is derived from another Hebrew term, but the entries do not provide further details on its construction.
[תַּלְאֻבָה] n.f. drought;—only pl. intens., Ho 13:6.
ref
H8514 תַּלְאֻבָה, תַּלְאוּבָה
8514 tal'uwbah tal-oo-baw'
from 3851; desiccation:--great drought.
see HEBREW for 03851
תַּלְאֻבָה (tal.u.vah) — drought.
drought
N-fp — Noun common · feminine plural absoluteHNcfpa
drout. See FAMINE.
Drought
From the middle of May to about the middle of August the land of Palestine is dry. It is then the “drought of summer” (Gen. 31:40; Ps. 32:4), and the land suffers (Deut. 28:23: Ps. 102:4), vegetation being preserved only by the dews (Hag. 1:11). (See DEW.)
Was an evil to which Palestine was naturally subject, as no rain fell from May to September. During these months of summer, the ground became parched and cleft, the streams and springs became dry, and vegetation was kept from extinction by the dews at night and by artificial irrigation. If rain did not come in its season and abundantly, the distress was general and dreadful. A drought therefore is threatened as one of God’s sorest judgments, Job 24:19 Jer 50:38 Joe 1:10-20 Hag 1:11; and there are many allusions to its horrors in Scripture, De 28:23 Ps 32:4 102:4.
