Hoseachapter 11

1 When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son.

2 But the more I called Israel, the farther they departed from Me. They sacrificed to the Baals and burned incense to carved images.

3 It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them in My arms, but they never realized that it was I who healed them.

4 I led them with cords of kindness, with ropes of love; I lifted the yoke from their necks and bent down to feed them.

5 Will they not return to the land of Egypt and be ruled by Assyria because they refused to repent?

6 A sword will flash through their cities; it will destroy the bars of their gates and consume them in their own plans.

7 My people are bent on turning from Me. Though they call to the Most High, He will by no means exalt them.

8 How could I give you up, O Ephraim? How could I surrender you, O Israel? How could I make you like Admah? How could I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart is turned within Me; My compassion is stirred!

9 I will not execute the full fury of My anger; I will not turn back to destroy Ephraim. For I am God and not man— the Holy One among you— and I will not come in wrath.

10 They will walk after the LORD; He will roar like a lion. When He roars, His children will come trembling from the west.

11 They will come trembling like birds from Egypt and like doves from the land of Assyria. Then I will settle them in their homes, declares the LORD.

12 Ephraim surrounds Me with lies, the house of Israel with deceit; but Judah still walks with God and is faithful to the Holy One.

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition

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Chapter summary

The tenderest chapter in the prophets.

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The tenderest chapter in the prophets. 'When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt' (11:1): the line Matthew applies to the Christ-child's return from Egypt (Matthew 2:15). God remembers teaching Ephraim to walk, taking him up in his arms, drawing him with cords of a man and bands of love, lifting the yoke to feed him: 'but they knew not that I healed them.' Judgment is announced, and then divine anguish breaks in: 'How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? … my heart is turned within me' (11:8). He will not execute the fierceness of his anger, 'for I am God, and not man.'

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

Prophecy · Hosea — Hosea overview

A. 1–4 Out of Egypt I called my son and taught him to walk
B. 5–7 They refuse to return, so the sword falls on their cities
C. 8–12 How can I give you up, Ephraim? My heart turns within me

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Hosea 102 verses
- Hosea 10:6Yes, it will be carried to Assyria as tribute to the great king. Ephraim will be seized with shame; Israel will be ashamed of its wooden idols.
- Hosea 10:14the roar of battle will rise against your people, so that all your fortresses will be demolished as Shalman devastated Beth-arbel in the day of battle, when mothers were dashed to pieces along with their children.
- Read Hosea 10 →
Hosea 132 verses
- Hosea 13:4Yet I am the LORD your God ever since the land of Egypt; you know no God but Me, for there is no Savior besides Me.
- Hosea 13:16Samaria will bear her guilt because she has rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword; their little ones will be dashed to pieces, and their pregnant women ripped open.
- Read Hosea 13 →
Amos 52 verses
- Amos 5:4For this is what the LORD says to the house of Israel: “Seek Me and live!
- Amos 5:14Seek good, not evil, so that you may live. And the LORD, the God of Hosts, will be with you, as you have claimed.
- Read Amos 5 →
Matthew 21 verse
- Matthew 2:15where he stayed until the death of Herod. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”
- Read Matthew 2 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Exodus 41 verse
- Exodus 4:22Then tell Pharaoh that this is what the LORD says: ‘Israel is My firstborn son,
- Read Exodus 4 →
Jeremiah 181 verse
- Jeremiah 18:15Yet My people have forgotten Me. They burn incense to worthless idols that make them stumble in their ways, leaving the ancient roads to walk on rutted bypaths instead of on the highway.
- Read Jeremiah 18 →
Hosea 21 verse
- Hosea 2:13I will punish her for the days of the Baals when she burned incense to them, when she decked herself with rings and jewelry, and went after her lovers. But Me she forgot,” declares the LORD.
- Read Hosea 2 →
Isaiah 651 verse
- Isaiah 65:7both for your iniquities and for those of your fathers,” says the LORD. “Because they burned incense on the mountains and scorned Me on the hills, I will measure into their laps full payment for their former deeds.”
- Read Isaiah 65 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.