Hosea11
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
2The more the prophets called them, the more they went from them: they sacrificed unto the Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.
3Yet I taught Ephraim to walk; I took them on my arms; but they knew not that I healed them.
4I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love; and I was to them as they that lift up the yoke on their jaws; and I laid food before them.
5They shall not return into the land of Egypt; but the Assyrian shall be their king, because they refused to return to me.
6And the sword shall fall upon their cities, and shall consume their bars, and devour them, because of their own counsels.
7And my people are bent on backsliding from me: though they call them to him that is on high, none at all will exalt him.
8How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I cast thee off, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboiim? my heart is turned within me, my compassions are kindled together.
9I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee; and I will not come in wrath.
10They shall walk after Jehovah, who will roar like a lion; for he will roar, and the children shall come trembling from the west.
11They shall come trembling as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria; and I will make them to dwell in their houses, saith Jehovah.
12Ephraim compasseth me about with falsehood, and the house of Israel with deceit; but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the Holy One.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Hosea 11.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: God's regard for Israel; their ingratitude. (1-7). The Divine mercy yet in store. (8-12).
vv1-7
When Israel were weak and helpless as children, foolish and froward as children, then God loved them; he bore them as the nurse does the sucking child, nourished them, and suffered their manners. All who are grown up, ought often to reflect upon the goodness of God to them in their childhood. He took care of them, took pains with them, not only as a father, or a tutor, but as a mother, or nurse. When they were in the wilderness, God showed them the way in which they should go, and bore them up, taking them by the arms. He taught them the way of his commandments by the ceremonial law given by Moses. He took them by the arms, to guide them, that they might not stray, and to hold them up, that they might not stumble and fall. God's spiritual Israel are all thus supported. It is God's work to draw poor souls to himself; and none can come to him except he draw them. With bands of love; this word signifies stronger cords than the former. He eased them of the burdens they had long groaned under. Israel is very ungrateful to God. God's counsels would have saved them, but their own counsels ruined them. They backslide; there is no hold of them, no stedfastness in them. They backslide from me, from God, the chief good. They are bent to backslide; they are ready to sin; they are forward to close with every temptation. Their hearts are fully set in them to do evil. Those only are truly happy, whom the Lord teaches by his Spirit, upholds by his power, and causes to walk in his ways. By his grace he takes away the love and dominion of sin, and creates a desire for the blessed feast of the gospel, that they may feed thereon, and live for ever.
vv8-12
God is slow to anger, and is loth to abandon a people to utter ruin, who have been called by his name. When God was to give a sacrifice for sin, and a Saviour for sinners, he spared not his own Son, that he might spare us. This is the language of the day of his patience; but when men sin that away, then the great day of his wrath comes. Man's compassions are nothing in comparison with the tender mercies of our God, whose thoughts and ways, in receiving returning sinners, are as much above ours as heaven is above the earth. God knows how to pardon poor sinners. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and therein declares his righteousness, now Christ has purchased the pardon, and he has promised it. Holy trembling at the word of Christ will draw us to him, not drive us from him, the children tremble, and flee to him. And all that come at the gospel call, shall have a place and a name in the gospel church. The religious service of Israel were mere hypocrisy, but in Judah regard was had to God's laws, and the people followed their pious forefathers. Let us be faithful: those who thus honour God, he will honour, but such us despise Him shall be lightly esteemed.
Key Words
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
נַעַר: (concretely) a boy (as active), from the age of infancy to adolescence; by implication, a servant; also (by interch. of sex), a girl (of similar latitude in age)
אָהַב: to have affection for (sexually or otherwise)
מִצְרַיִם: Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower Egypt
קָרָא: to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
הָלַךְ: to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
פָּנִים: the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
זָבַח: to slaughter an animal (usually in sacrifice)
בַּעַל: Baal, a Phoenician deity
Cross References
Hosea 11Matthew explicitly applies 'out of Egypt have I called my son' to Jesus' childhood flight and return.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Identifies Israel as God's firstborn son in Egypt, establishing the core paternal-filial metaphor.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Lists Admah and Zeboiim as cities overthrown alongside Sodom and Gomorrah.
Supported by JFB
Depicts God bearing Israel in the wilderness like a father carrying his young child.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Uses the same Hebrew idiom of bowels/compassion growing warm or kindled.
Supported by JFB
The mother's bowels 'yearned' (kindled) for her son, matching the language of God's compassion.
Supported by JFB
Confirms 'God is not a man' that He should lie or change His mind.
Supported by JFB
Parallels the Lord's voice and judgment with the roaring of a lion.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Declares 'I am the Lord that healeth thee' in the context of wilderness care.
Supported by JFB
God describes breaking the bands of Israel's Egyptian yoke so they could walk upright.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Historical record of Israel's secret alliance with Egypt, provoking the Assyrian captivity.
Supported by JFB
Ephraim is called a dear son; God's bowels are troubled for him in deep compassion.
Supported by JFB
Paul's speech references God bearing with or carrying Israel in the wilderness.
Supported by JFB
Threatens that they shall not dwell in the Lord's land, but return to Egypt-like bondage.
Supported by JFB
Historical reference naming the allied cities of Admah and Zeboiim.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Ephraim is previously compared to a silly dove calling to Egypt and Assyria.
Supported by JFB
Jesus speaks of the Father drawing people, echoing the 'cords of a man' drawing them.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Judah's faithfulness contrasted with Israel, recalling how Jacob ruled as a prince with God.
Supported by JFB