Original Word: בָּשְׁנָה
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: boshnah
Pronunciation: bosh-nah
Phonetic Spelling: (bosh-naw')
KJV: shame
NASB: shame
Word Origin: [feminine from H954 (בּוּשׁ - ashamed)]

1. shamefulness

shame

Feminine from buwsh; shamefulness -- shame.

see HEBREW buwsh

Word Origin
fem. noun from bosh
Definition
shame
NASB Translation
shame (1).

בָּשְׁנָה noun feminine shame (בּשֶׁן Ew^{§ 168 f.}) Hosea 10:6.

Entry Overview

בָּשְׁנָה occurs once in the Hebrew Scriptures, in Hosea 10:6, where it is translated “shame”. Though rare, the term stands at the center of Hosea’s oracle of judgment, making it a strategic theological signpost.

Canonical Context

Hosea prophesies during the waning days of the Northern Kingdom. The prophet repeatedly indicts Israel for covenant infidelity expressed through calf worship at Bethel (also called Beth-aven, “house of wickedness,” Hosea 10:5). In verse 6, Hosea foresees the calf’s removal to Assyria and the consequent humiliation of the nation: “It will be carried to Assyria as tribute for the great king. Ephraim will be seized with shame; Israel will be ashamed of its own counsel” (Hosea 10:6). The single word בָּשְׁנָה thus crystallizes the disgrace that overtakes a people who trusted in idols and political alliances rather than in the LORD.

Historical Significance

1. Political Failure

Hosea ministered between the reigns of Jeroboam II and the fall of Samaria (circa 753–722 BC). Israel’s diplomatic “counsel” involved tribute and treaties with Assyria and Egypt (Hosea 5:13; Hosea 7:11). The confiscation of the golden calf—a king-sponsored cult object—signaled the collapse of those strategies. בָּשְׁנָה marks Israel’s public disgrace before the same empire in which it had placed false confidence.

2. Religious Exposure

The calf, once paraded as a symbol of national identity, becomes evidence in God’s lawsuit against Israel (Hosea 10:2). When the idol is led away, the emptiness of Israel’s worship is laid bare. Shame replaces pride as the covenant curses of Deuteronomy 28:36 roll into view.

Theological Themes

1. Shame as Covenant Sanction

Torah teaches that obedience brings honor, while rebellion brings reproach (Leviticus 26:14–17). Hosea’s use of בָּשְׁנָה underscores that shame is not merely an emotion but a judicial verdict administered by the covenant LORD.

2. Idolatry and Misplaced Counsel

Hosea links shame to “its own counsel,” exposing self-directed wisdom that excludes God (Proverbs 14:12; Isaiah 30:1–3). בָּשְׁנָה therefore functions as a prophetic alarm, warning that any strategy apart from divine guidance ends in humiliation.

3. Hope beyond Shame

While Hosea 10 announces judgment, the book ends with restoration (Hosea 14:4–7). Shame, though devastating, is ultimately remedial—driving the remnant back to covenant faithfulness where “the righteous will walk in [the LORD’s] ways” (Hosea 14:9).

Prophetic and Pastoral Implications

1. Warning against Cultural Idols

Modern believers must discern contemporary “calves”—material security, political power, or religious formalism—and remember that God alone is worthy of trust (1 John 5:21).

2. Comfort for the Disgraced

The gospel answers human shame through Christ, who “endured the cross, scorning its shame” (Hebrews 12:2). The single Old Testament occurrence of בָּשְׁנָה thus foreshadows the Messiah’s redemptive reversal of disgrace.

3. Integrity in Counsel

Church leaders and congregations are called to consult Scripture and the Spirit rather than expedient alliances. As Hosea warns, counsel divorced from divine truth invites the same outcome—בָּשְׁנָה.

New Testament Resonance

Romans 9:33 quotes Isaiah to reveal that faith in Christ prevents shame: “He who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” Peter echoes the promise (1 Peter 2:6). The prophets’ message reaches its climactic fulfillment in the cross and resurrection, where ultimate honor supplants ultimate shame.

Conclusion

Though בָּשְׁנָה appears only once, its placement in Hosea 10:6 magnifies a central biblical motif: idolatry and self-reliance culminate in public disgrace, but humble repentance restores honor under the covenant God. The word stands as both a sober warning and an invitation to the grace that removes shame for all who return to the LORD.

בָּשְׁנָה֙ בשנה bā·šə·nāh bāšənāh basheNahInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts