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's Unconditional Love for Gomer
Source: ESV Global Study Bible
OUTLINE OF HOSEA
I. The Prodigal Wife, Hosea 1:1-3:5
A. Her Unfaithfulness, Hosea 1:1-11
B. Her Punishment, Hosea 2:1-13
C. Her Restoration and Israel's, Hosea 2:14-23
D. Her Redemption, Hosea 3:1-5
II. The Prodigal People, Hosea 4:1-14:9
A. The Message of Judgment, Hosea 4:1-10:15
1. The indictment, Hosea 4:1-19
2. The verdict, Hosea 5:1-15
3. The plea of Israel, Hosea 6:1-3
4. The reply of the Lord, Hosea 6:4-11
5. The crimes of Israel, Hosea 7:1-16
6. The prophecy of judgment, Hosea 8:1-10:15
B. The Message of Restoration, Hosea 11:1-14:9
1. God's love for the prodigal people, Hosea 11:1-11
2. God's chastisement of the prodigal people, Hosea 11:12-13:16
3. God's restoration of the prodigal people, Hosea 14:1-9
Borrow Ryrie Study Bible - page 1292
Hosea 11:1 When Israel was a youth I loved him, And out of Egypt I called My son.
- Israel (KJV): Ho 2:15 De 7:7 Jer 2:2 Eze 16:6 Mal 1:2
- called (KJV): Ex 4:22 Mt 2:15
When Israel was a youth I loved him, And out of Egypt I called My son
Henry Morris - called my son. This verse was appropriated and modified by the Holy Spirit through Matthew, and applied to the child Jesus. When Joseph and Mary fled with Him to Egypt to escape Herod's slaughter of the children, He "was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son" (Matthew 2:15). Israel was thus taken as a type of God's only begotten Son, who was Himself Israel's substitute to endure the wrath of God, thus assuring Israel's ultimate repentance and restoration.
Believer's Study Bible - Chapter 11 is the second great love chapter in Hosea. Chapter 3 is the first. In ch. 11 God's love is like that of a father to a child, while in ch. 3 it is like that of a husband to a wife. The calling of Israel out of Egypt foreshadows the experience of Jesus, as noted in Matt. 2:13-15.
Ryrie - Israel. The nation, who was taken from Egypt and cared for by God (Ex. 4:22), though subsequently she proved to be unfaithful. Matthew uses Israel's call from Egypt as an analogy of Christ's coming from Egypt (Matt. 2:15).
Matthew Henry - Verses 1-7. 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.
Hosea 11:2 The more they called them, The more they went from them; They kept sacrificing to the Baals And burning incense to idols.
- they called: Ho 11:7 De 29:2-4 1Sa 8:7-9 2Ki 17:13-15 2Ch 36:15,16 Ne 9:30 Isa 30:9-11 Jer 35:13 44:16,17 Zec 1:4 7:11 Lu 13:34 Joh 3:19 Ac 7:51 2Co 2:15,16
The more they called them, The more they went from them; They kept sacrificing to the Baals And burning incense to idols.
Hosea 11:3 Yet it is I who taught Ephraim to walk, I took them in My arms; But they did not know that I healed them.
- taught: Ex 19:4 Nu 11:11,12 De 1:31 8:2 32:10-12 Isa 46:3 63:9 Ac 13:18
- I healed: Ho 2:8 7:1 14:4 Ex 15:26 23:25 Isa 1:2 30:26 Jer 8:22 30:17
Yet it is I who taught Ephraim to walk, I took them in My arms; But they did not know that I healed them
Hosea 11:4 I led them with cords of a man, with bonds of love, And I became to them as one who lifts the yoke from their jaws; And I bent down and fed them.
- drew: Song 1:4 Isa 63:9 Joh 6:44 12:32 2Co 5:14
- of a: 2Sa 7:14
- I was: Lev 26:13
- take off: Heb. lift up
- and I laid: Ho 2:8 Ps 78:23-25 105:40 Joh 6:32-58
I led them with cords of a man, with bonds of love, And I became to them as one who lifts the yoke from their jaws; And I bent down and fed them
Hosea 11:5 They will not return to the land of Egypt; But Assyria–he will be their king Because they refused to return to Me.
- shall not: Ho 7:16 8:13 9:3,6
- but: Ho 5:13 10:6 2Ki 15:19,29 17:3-6 18:11 Isa 8:6-8 Am 5:27 "They became tributaries to Salmanasser."
- because: Ho 6:1 2Ki 17:13,14 18:12 Jer 8:4-6 Am 4:6,8-10 Zec 1:4-6
They will not return to the land of Egypt; But Assyria–he will be their king Because they refused to return to Me
HM - shall not return. In the context of this chapter, Israel had been once-for-all called "out of Egypt" (Hosea 11:1). Because of their long, continuous rebellion against God, however, they were to be cast out of their land--this time into Assyria, rather than Egypt. However, Hosea had said shortly before this (Hosea 8:13) that "they shall return to Egypt." By this he meant not the actual land of Egypt, but rather the pagan ways and practices of Egypt. See also Hosea 9:3, where it says that "Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria." The one reference is metaphorical, the other literal. In Revelation 11:8, once again "the great city" (that is, Jerusalem) is "spiritually...called Sodom and Egypt."
BSB - Hosea prophesies the fall of Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom, which was accomplished by Sargon II of Assyria (722-705 B.C.) in 722 B.C., after a three-year siege begun by Shalmaneser V (cf. 2 Kin. 17:5-7). Exile does not negate hesed (see "Book note: Theme").
Hosea 11:6 The sword will whirl against their cities, And will demolish their gate bars And consume them because of their counsels.
- the sword: Ho 10:14 13:16 Lev 26:31,33 De 28:52 32:25 Jer 5:17 Mic 5:11
- consume: Ps 80:11-16 Isa 9:14 18:5 27:10 Eze 15:2-7 20:47 Mal 4:1
The sword will whirl against their cities, And will demolish their gate bars And consume them because of their counsels.
Hosea 11:7 So My people are bent on turning from Me. Though they call them to the One on high, None at all exalts Him.
- are bent: Ho 4:16 14:4 Ps 78:57,58 Pr 14:14 Jer 3:6,8,11 8:5 14:7, they called me, Ho 11:2 7:16 2Ch 30:1-11 Ps 81:11 Am 5:4-6,14,15
- none at all would exalt him: Heb. together they exalted not
So My people are bent on turning from Me. Though they call them to the One on high, None at all exalts Him
Hosea 11:8 How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I surrender you, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart is turned over within Me, All My compassions are kindled.
- How shall I give: Ho 6:4 Jer 9:7 La 3:33 Mt 23:37 Lu 19:41,42
- Admah: Ge 14:8 19:24,25 De 29:23 Isa 1:9,10 Am 4:11 Zep 2:9 2Pe 2:6 Jude 1:7 Rev 11:8 18:18
- Mine: De 32:36 Jud 10:16 2Sa 24:16 2Ki 13:23 Ps 106:45 Isa 63:15 Jer 3:12 31:20 Am 7:3,6
- heart: La 1:20
How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I surrender you, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? These cities were destroyed with Sodom and Gomorrah (Deut. 29:23).
My heart is turned over within Me, All My compassions are kindled.
BSB - Israel deserves a judgment like that of Admah and Zeboiim, twin sisters of Sodom and Gomorrah (cf. Gen. 10:19; 19:24; Deut. 29:23).
Hosea 11:9 I will not execute My fierce anger; I will not destroy Ephraim again. For I am God and not man, the Holy One in your midst, And I will not come in wrath.
- not execute: Ho 14:4 Ex 32:10-14 De 32:26,27 Ps 78:38 Isa 27:4-8 48:9 Jer 30:11 31:1-3 Eze 20:8,9,13,14,21-23
- return: 1Sa 26:8 2Sa 20:10
I will not execute My fierce anger; I will not destroy Ephraim again.
For I am God and not man, the Holy One in your midst, And I will not come in wrath. -This profound declaration is the foundation of Israel's hope. God remains faithful to His covenant promises not because His people deserve His mercy, but because of who He is. Unlike fallen, fickle, and vindictive men, God is perfectly holy, unchanging, and faithful to His own character. As "the Holy One in your midst," He acts in complete harmony with His holiness, justice, mercy, and steadfast love. His holiness is not merely one attribute among many; it is the perfection that undergirds all His attributes. Therefore, His promises can never fail. The believer's hope ultimately rests not in human faithfulness but in the unchanging character of God Himself (cf. Mal. 3:6; 2 Tim. 2:13).
Hosea 11:10 They will walk after the LORD, He will roar like a lion; Indeed He will roar And His sons will come trembling from the west.
- walk: Isa 2:5 49:10 Jer 2:2 7:6,9 31:9 Mic 4:5 Zec 10:12 Joh 8:12 Ro 8:1 2Pe 2:10
- he shall roar like: Isa 31:4 42:13 Jer 25:30 Joe 3:16 Am 1:2 3:4,8
- shall tremble: Job 37:1 Ps 2:11 119:120 Isa 64:2 Jer 5:22 33:9 Hab 3:16 Ac 24:25
- west: Zec 8:7
They will walk after the LORD, He will roar like a lion
Indeed He will roar And His sons will come trembling from the west. Though judgment was imminent, Hosea now looks beyond it to a future day of restoration. The LORD Himself will roar like a lion, not in judgment as in Hosea 5:14, but as a shepherd-king summoning His scattered people home. Just as a lion's roar causes its cubs to respond, so God's powerful call will gather His repentant people from the nations. Israel will come trembling, not in terror, but with reverent awe and eager obedience, as the LORD restores and regathers her to the land He promised to their fathers.
Hosea 11:11 They will come trembling like birds from Egypt And like doves from the land of Assyria; And I will settle them in their houses, declares the LORD.
- out: Ho 3:5 9:3-6 Isa 11:11 Zec 10:10
- as a dove: Ho 7:11 Isa 60:8
- and I: Jer 31:12 Eze 28:25 36:33,34 37:21,25 Am 9:14,15 Ob 1:17
They will come trembling like birds from Egypt And like doves from the land of Assyria; And I will settle them in their houses, declares the LORD
Hosea 11:12 Ephraim surrounds Me with lies And the house of Israel with deceit; Judah is also unruly against God, Even against the Holy One who is faithful.
- compasseth: Ho 7:16 12:1,7 Ps 78:36 Isa 29:13 44:20 59:3,4 Mic 6:12
- Judah: Ho 4:15 2Ki 18:4-7 2Ch 29:1-32:33
- ruleth: Ge 32:28 1Co 6:2 Rev 1:6 3:21 5:10
- saints: or, most holy
Ephraim surrounds Me with lies And the house of Israel with deceit; Judah is also unruly against God, Even against the Holy One who is faithful