Hosea 7:11
in Hosea 7So Ephraim has become like a silly, senseless dove—calling out to Egypt, then turning to Assyria.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Ephraim is like a silly dove, without understanding: they call unto Egypt, they go to Assyria.
KJV
Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.
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This verse in Hosea 7
Commentary
11 notes on this verseEphraim also is like a silly dove, without heart,.... Or understanding; which comes and picks up the corns of grain, which lie scattered about, and does not know that the net is spread for it; and when its young are taken away, it is unconcerned, and continues its nest in the same place still; and, when frightened, flees not to its dove house, where it would be safe, but flies about here and there, and so becomes a prey to others.
This site's exposition
a silly dove without heart
on Hosea 7:11-12
Ephraim's foreign policy is pictured as a dove without sense, fluttering between Egypt and Assyria for help instead of trusting the Lord who could have kept either power at a distance. The two empires the kings courted for alliance are the very net the Lord will spread, bringing Israel down like birds caught out of the air, a chastisement fitted exactly to the sin it answers. As their congregation hath heard points back to warnings already given and already ignored, so the coming judgment is not a surprise but a promise finally kept.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
One may ask: Why was Ephraim compared with a dove and not with other birds? The other birds hurry to protect their offspring even at the risk of life, and when they see a bird of prey, snake, raven or crow approaching their nest, they fly to and fro, and attack with their beak, and wound with their claws, and with a crying voice show the parent's suffering. Only the dove does not grieve for or miss [its] robbed offspring. Ephraim is rightly compared with this bird because he does not suffer for his devastated people but is indifferent to its salvation.
"And Ephraim became like a bird deceived, not having a heart. They called upon Egypt, they went to the Assyrians. But when they shall go, I will spread my net upon them: I will bring them down as the fowls of the air; I will strike them as their congregation hath heard." LXX: "And Ephraim was like a foolish dove, without understanding; they called to Egypt, they went to Assyria. I will spread my net over them; I will bring them down like birds of the heavens; I will discipline them according to the report made to their congregation."
A commentator
Philoxenus of Mabbug13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 5 -- Second Discourse on Simplicity · Written before 523.
proposed
And the prophet of God abuseth those who are foolish in respect of good things, and wise in respect of evil things. "Ephraim is like a silly dove, without understanding; he cometh to Egypt and he goeth to Assyria, and in the way of repentance …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
): Ephraim is like a silly dove without heart. To be harmless as a dove, without gall, and not to hurt or injure others, is commendable; but to be sottish as a dove, without heart, that knows not how to defend herself and provide for her own safety, is a shame.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
Like a silly dove - Ephraim is now become like the dove in weakness and fear, as well as in imprudence and liableness to be deceived. Without heart - Without either discretion or courage.
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Their sin and punishment shall make them a laughing-stock to all about them. Note, Those that are treacherous and deceitful in their dealings with God, and passionate and outrageous in their conduct towards men, will justly be made a derision to their neighbours, for they make themselves ridiculous.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Ephraim is - (become) like a silly dove “There is nothing more simple than a dove,” says the Eastern proverb. Simplicity is good or bad, not in itself, but according to some other qualities of the soul, good or evil, with which it is united, to which it opens the mind, and which lead it to good or mislead it to evil.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
As this prophecy was written in the reign of Hoshea, the allusion is probably to the alliance with So or Sabacho II (of which a record has been found on the clay cylindrical seals in Koyunjik), which ended in the overthrow of Hoshea and the deportation of Israel (2Ki 17:3-6).
Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart - A bird that has little understanding; that is easily snared and taken; that is careless about its own young, and seems to live without any kind of thought. It has been made, by those who, like itself, are without heart, the symbol of conjugal affection. Nothing worse could have been chosen, for the dove and its mate are continually quarrelling. They call to Egypt, they go to Assyria - They strive to make these their allies and friends; but in this they showed that they were without heart, had not a sound understanding; for these were rival nations, and Israel could not attach itself to the one without incurring the jealousy and displeasure of the other. Thus, like the silly dove, they were constantly falling into snares; sometimes of the Egyptians, at others of the Assyrians. By the former they were betrayed; by the latter, ruined.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
without a heart to discern between what was good for them and what was bad for them.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
10 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְהִ֣י | vayhi | and he has become | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| אֶפְרַ֔יִם | ʾefrayim | Ephraim | H669 → | 180 times |
| כְּיוֹנָ֥ה | keyonah | like a dove | H3123 → | |
| פוֹתָ֖ה | fotah | silly | H6601 → | |
| אֵ֣ין | ʾein | there not | H369 → | 789 times |
| לֵ֑ב | lev | [is] heart | H3820 → | 595 times |
| מִצְרַ֥יִם | mitzrayim | Egypt | H4714 → | 641 times |
| קָרָ֖אוּ | karau | they have called | H7121 → | 733 times |
| אַשּׁ֥וּר | ʾashur | Assyria | H804 → | 151 times |
| הָלָֽכוּ׃ | halakhu | they have gone | H1980 → | 1546 times |
וַיְהִ֣יand he has become
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
אֶפְרַ֔יִםEphraim
ʾefrayimH669 →180 times
כְּיוֹנָ֥הlike a dove
keyonahH3123 →
פוֹתָ֖הsilly
fotahH6601 →
אֵ֣יןthere not
ʾeinH369 →789 times
לֵ֑ב[is] heart
levH3820 →595 times
מִצְרַ֥יִםEgypt
mitzrayimH4714 →641 times
קָרָ֖אוּthey have called
karauH7121 →733 times
אַשּׁ֥וּרAssyria
ʾashurH804 →151 times
הָלָֽכוּ׃they have gone
halakhuH1980 →1546 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hosea 4:11Promiscuity, wine, and new wine take away understanding.
it leads to
- Proverbs 20:1
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by them is not wise.
- Luke 21:34
But watch yourselves, or your hearts will be weighed down by dissipation, drunkenness, and the worries of life—and that day will spring upon you suddenly like a snare.
- Isaiah 28:7
These also stagger from wine and stumble from strong drink: Priests and prophets reel from strong drink and are befuddled by wine. They stumble because of strong drink, muddled in their visions and stumbling…
- Proverbs 20:1
Through
Hosea 11:11They 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.
it leads to
- Isaiah 11:11
On that day the Lord will extend His hand a second time to recover the remnant of His people from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and…
- Isaiah 60:8
Who are these who fly like clouds, like doves to their shelters?
- Zechariah 10:10
I will bring them back from Egypt and gather them from Assyria. I will bring them to Gilead and Lebanon until no more room is found for them.
- Isaiah 11:11
Through
Hosea 5:13When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah his wound, then Ephraim turned to Assyria and sent to the great king. But he cannot cure you or heal your wound.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 30:12
For this is what the LORD says: “Your injury is incurable; your wound is grievous.
- 2 Kings 15:19
Then Pul king of Assyria invaded the land, and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver in order to gain his support and strengthen his own grip on the kingdom.
- Jeremiah 30:12
About Hosea
Who and where
3 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PlaceThe NileEgyptThe land where Joseph rose, where Israel grew into a nation in bondage, where the Passover lamb was slain and the sea opened, and…
- PlaceUpper MesopotamiaAssyriaMesopotamian empire whose capital Nineveh repented at Jonah's preaching and fell to Nahum's burden in 612 BC; the rod of God's ang…
- PlaceJudeaEphraimThe town near the wilderness where Jesus withdrew with His disciples before the last Passover (John 11:54).
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, COMMENTARY ON HOSEA 2:7; Jerome, Commentary on Hosea 7:11-12; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Philoxenus of Mabbug, 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 5 -- Second Discourse on Simplicity.