Hosea 11

General context

"When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt." As they were called, they went away, sacrificing to Baalim and burning incense to graven images. The speaker taught Ephraim to walk, "taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them." He drew them "with cords of a man, with bands of love," lifted the yoke from their jaws and laid food before them. He will not return to Egypt, "but the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to return." The sword will abide on his cities "because of their own counsels." "My people are bent to backsliding from me," and none would exalt the most High. Then the speaker questions himself: "How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together." He will not execute the fierceness of his anger or return to destroy Ephraim, "for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee." They will walk after the Lord, who "shall roar like a lion"; the children will tremble from the west, "as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria," and be placed in their houses, "saith the Lord." The last verse turns: Ephraim surrounds the speaker with lies and the house of Israel with deceit, "but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints."

Cited passages: Hosea 11:1, Hosea 11:2, Hosea 11:3, Hosea 11:4, Hosea 11:5, Hosea 11:6, Hosea 11:7, Hosea 11:8, Hosea 11:9, Hosea 11:10, Hosea 11:11, Hosea 11:12

Hosea 11 (KJV)

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Historical context

The Lord speaks in the first person throughout, closing with "saith the Lord" in verse 11. Egypt appears at both ends of the past and future: the son was "called" out of it, and "He shall not return into the land of Egypt," though 8:13 and 9:3 said they would "return to Egypt"; the book prints both statements without reconciling them. The Assyrian "shall be his king," unnamed. Admah and Zeboim are given as comparisons only; Hosea does not say what became of them, while Deuteronomy 29:23 lists "Admah, and Zeboim, which the Lord overthrew in his anger." Matthew 2:15 quotes the opening line, "Out of Egypt have I called my son," as "spoken of the Lord by the prophet," without naming Hosea. "Cords of a man" is not explained. Verse 7 says "though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him" without saying who "they" are. Judah, which 5:5 said "shall fall with them," is here said to rule "with God" and be "faithful with the saints"; the chapter gives no reason for the different verdict. No king of Israel, date or event is named.

Cited passages: Hosea 11:11, Hosea 11:1, Hosea 11:5, Hosea 8:13, Hosea 9:3, Deuteronomy 29:23, Matthew 2:15, Hosea 11:4, Hosea 11:7, Hosea 5:5, Hosea 11:12

Literary context

The chapter is built on a parent and a child: love, calling, teaching to walk, holding by the arms, healing, cords and bands, lifting a yoke, setting out food. Against that stands the sword on the cities and a foreign king. The word "return" pivots: they "refused to return," and the speaker "will not return to destroy." Verse 8 is four questions the speaker asks himself, ending in a body image, "mine heart is turned within me," and "repentings" that are "kindled" the way anger was "kindled" in 8:5. The lion, which in 5:14 tore and went away, here roars while "They shall walk after the Lord" and "the children shall tremble from the west." The dove that in 7:11 went to Assyria "without heart" now comes "out of the land of Assyria." The chapter's tenderness is bracketed by accusation: verse 2 has them going from the ones who called, and verse 12 has Ephraim compassing the speaker "with lies," which chapter 12 continues with "Ephraim feedeth on wind."

Cited passages: Hosea 11:3, Hosea 11:4, Hosea 11:6, Hosea 11:5, Hosea 11:9, Hosea 11:8, Hosea 8:5, Hosea 5:14, Hosea 11:10, Hosea 7:11, Hosea 11:11, Hosea 11:2, Hosea 11:12, Hosea 12:1

Key moments

1. Called out of Egypt (Hosea 11:1). The Lord says he loved Israel as a child and called his son out of Egypt.
2. Taught to walk (Hosea 11:3). The Lord taught Ephraim to go, holding their arms, but they did not know he healed them.
3. The Assyrian his king (Hosea 11:5). Because they refused to return, the Assyrian will be his king.
4. How shall I give thee up (Hosea 11:8). Four questions end with the speaker's heart turned within him and repentings kindled.
5. God, and not man (Hosea 11:9). The Lord will not execute his fierce anger because he is God and not man.
6. A dove out of Assyria (Hosea 11:11). The children will come trembling like a bird from Egypt and a dove from Assyria to be placed in their houses.
7. Judah yet ruleth with God (Hosea 11:12). Ephraim surrounds the Lord with lies, but Judah is said to rule with God.

For reflection

The speaker says of Ephraim, "they knew not that I healed them," while describing arms, cords and food. What does the chapter offer as the reason a healed people did not know who healed them?

People in this chapter

• Jacob
• Judah

Also indexed here:

• Ephraim