Hosea 7:16 — Compare All Translations

English (YLT) 1898 Young's Literal Translation by Robert Young

They turn back -- not to the Most High, They have been as a deceitful bow, Fall by sword do their princes, From the insolence of their tongue, This [is] their derision in the land of Egypt!

English ASV

They return, but not to him that is on high; they are like a deceitful bow; their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

English Amplified

They turn back, shift, or change, but not upwards [to the Most High]. They are like a deceitful bow; their princes shall fall by the sword for the insolence and rage of their tongue. This shall be [cause for] their derision and scorning in the land of Egypt.

English Amplified Classic Bible 1987

They turn back, shift, or change, but not upwards [to the Most High]. They are like a deceitful bow; their princes shall fall by the sword for the insolence and rage of their tongue. This shall be [cause for] their derision and scorning in the land of Egypt.

English Berean Standard Bible (BSB) 2025

They turn, but not to the Most High; they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword for the cursing of their tongue; for this they will be ridiculed in the land of Egypt.

English CSB 2017 - Christian Standard Bible

They turn, but not to what is above; they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword because of their insolent tongue. They will be ridiculed for this in the land of Egypt.

English Darby 1890 : Public Domain

They return, [but] not to the [Most] High: they are like a deceitful bow. Their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

English EASY 2024

They do not look up to me for help. They are as useless as a bow that cannot shoot an arrow properly. Their leaders are proud of their own strength, but they will die in battle. Then the people of Egypt will laugh at them.’

English ERV 2006 - Only For Website

But they were like a boomerang. They changed directions, but they did not come back to me. Their leaders bragged about their strength, but they will be killed with swords. And the people in Egypt will laugh at them.

They return, but not upwards; they are like a treacherous bow; their princes shall fall by the sword because of the insolence of their tongue. This shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

English GNT (Good News Translation)

They keep on turning away from me to a god that is powerless. They are as unreliable as a crooked bow. Because their leaders talk arrogantly, they will die a violent death, and the Egyptians will laugh.”

English God's Word - GW 1995

They don't return to the Most High. They are like a defective bow. Their officials will die in battle because they curse. The people in Egypt will ridicule them for this.

English HCSB 2004 - Copyrighted Only For Website

They turn, but not to what is above; they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword because of the cursing of their tongue. They will be ridiculed for this in the land of Egypt.

English KJV 1611

They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

English LSB

They turn, but not upward; They are like a deceitful bow; Their princes will fall by the sword Because of the indignation of their tongue. This will be their scoffing in the land of Egypt.

English MEV 2014 (Modern English Version)

They return, but not to the Most High. They are like a loose bow. Their princes will fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue. This will be their derision in the land of Egypt.

English NASB (New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995)

They turn, but not upward, They are like a deceitful bow; Their princes will fall by the sword Because of the insolence of their tongue. This will be their derision in the land of Egypt.

English NASU 1989 - New American Standard Update - Only for Website

They have again become useless, like a treacherous bow. Their princes shall fall by the sword because of the insolence of their tongues; thus they shall be mocked in the land of Egypt.

English NET Bible - 2005 (New English Translation)

They turn to Baal; they are like an unreliable bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword because their prayers to Baal have made me angry. So people will disdain them in the land of Egypt.

English NIRV 1996 - Copyrighted only for Website

I am the Most High God. But they do not turn to me. They are like a bow that does not shoot straight. Their leaders will be killed with swords. They will die because they have spoken too proudly. The people of Egypt will make fun of them."

English NIV

They do not turn to the Most High; they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword because of their insolent words. For this they will be ridiculed in the land of Egypt.

English NKJ 1982

They return, but not to the Most High; They are like a treacherous bow. Their princes shall fall by the sword For the cursings of their tongue. This shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

English NLT

They look everywhere except to heaven, to the Most High. They are like a crooked bow that always misses its target. Their leaders will be killed by their enemies because of their insolence toward me. Then the people of Egypt will laugh at them.

English NRSV 1989 - Only for website

They turn to that which does not profit; they have become like a defective bow; their officials shall fall by the sword because of the rage of their tongue. So much for their babbling in the land of Egypt.

English Passion Translation Bible 2020

They turned in the wrong direction to a god who is no god at all. They are like a warped bow that can’t shoot straight. Their leaders will be killed in war because of all their arrogant, defiant words. Oh, how the Egyptians will mock them!”

English RSV (Revised Standard Version)

They turn to Baal; they are like a treacherous bow, their princes shall fall by the sword because of the insolence of their tongue. This shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

English TL (The Living Bible) (1971)

“They look everywhere except to heaven, to the Most High God. They are like a crooked bow that always misses targets; their leaders will perish by the sword of the enemy for their insolence to me. And all Egypt will laugh at them.

English Tyndale 1537

They turn themselves, but not a right, and are become as a broken bow. Their princes shall be slain with the sword, for the malice of their tongues, such blasphemies have they learned in the land of Egypt.

Hosea 7:16 — Compare Translations