Hosea 2:5
For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.
Cross-reference
Hosea 2:2 calls to charge the mother with harlotries; verse 5 explains her motive for pursuing lovers.
In Hosea 2:8, God reveals that He, not her lovers, gave the grain and oil—contrasting her false belief in verse 5.
Hosea 2:12 shows God destroying the vines she called wages from lovers—judgment directly linked to her false claim.
In Hosea 8:9, Ephraim hires lovers in Assyria—the same harlotry image of chasing foreign powers for provision.
Hosea 4:12-15 continues the harlotry imagery: Israel consults idols and commits spiritual adultery at high places, same theme.
Hosea 3:1 commands loving an adulterous woman again, mirroring God's continued love despite the harlotry in verse 5.
Hosea 9:10 recalls Israel's apostasy at Baal-peor, a specific instance of the unfaithfulness described in the main verse, linking to Baal worship.
Hosea 4:5 pronounces destruction on 'your mother' — the same unfaithful Israel introduced in verse 5.
Ezekiel 23:40-44 describes sending for lovers and adorning herself—strikingly similar to Gomer's pursuit of providers.
In Revelation 2:20-23, Jezebel's sexual immorality and idolatry mirror Israel's spiritual adultery in Hosea, showing the same sin pattern in the NT church.
Ezekiel 23:5-34 develops the harlotry allegory with two sisters, detailing their adultery with Assyria and Babylon, mirroring Hosea.
Ezekiel 16:16 continues: Jerusalem used her garments to make high places for harlotry, similar to Hosea's lovers providing clothing.
Ezekiel 16:15 portrays Jerusalem as a harlot trusting in her beauty, paralleling Hosea's depiction of Israel's unfaithfulness.
Jeremiah 44:18 continues the same logic: the people believe stopping worship caused lack, echoing Hosea's theme of attributing provision to false gods.
In Jeremiah 44:17, people similarly claim that serving the queen of heaven brought plenty, mirroring Israel's false attribution of provision to other gods.
Jeremiah 3:1-9 expands the harlotry metaphor: Israel and Judah commit spiritual adultery on every high hill.
Jeremiah 2:27 describes Israel calling a tree 'father' and a stone 'mother' — directly echoing the idolatry of attributing provision to false gods as in Hosea.
Jeremiah 2:20 echoes the same accusation: Israel played the harlot on every high hill, breaking the yoke.
Isaiah 57:8 continues the harlotry metaphor—uncovering the bed and making covenants with lovers—mirroring Hosea's accusation.
Leviticus 20:5 uses the same 'whoring after' idolatry language, directly paralleling Hosea's metaphor of Israel's unfaithfulness to God.
Ezekiel 23:25 intensifies the harlot metaphor: God's judgment through her lovers becomes brutal mutilation, echoing Hosea's condemnation.
Micah 1:7 directly echoes the hire of harlotry used for idols, connecting to Hosea's description of Israel's lovers providing goods.
Ezekiel 16:35 directly addresses Jerusalem as a prostitute, using the same metaphor of spiritual adultery as Hosea 2:5.
Ezekiel 16:13 lists the same kind of provisions (oil, flour) that God gave Israel, contrasting with Hosea where she credits her lovers.
Jeremiah 30:14 notes that all her lovers have forgotten her, showing the consequence of the unfaithfulness described in Hosea 2:5.
Jeremiah 2:33 rebukes Israel for directing their course to seek love from idols, directly echoing Hosea's 'I will go after my lovers'.
Ezekiel 16:28-34 reverses Hosea: Jerusalem pays her lovers instead of receiving gifts, a deliberate contrast in the harlotry theme.
Jeremiah 11:13 highlights the multitude of altars to Baal, showing the widespread nature of the spiritual adultery Hosea condemns.
Isaiah 50:1 uses marriage imagery with a divorce certificate, implying unfaithfulness led to separation, akin to Hosea's adulterous metaphor.
Revelation 17:1-5 expands the whore metaphor to Babylon the Great, representing global idolatry and corruption, echoing Hosea's accusation.
Ezekiel 23:17 shows the lovers defiling her in bed—echoing the consequences of the harlotry Hosea condemns.
Ezekiel 23:16 portrays Oholibah lusting after Babylonian lovers—a parallel to Israel chasing false providers.
Isaiah 1:21 uses the same harlot metaphor for Jerusalem's unfaithfulness, but focuses on social injustice rather than idolatry.