Hosea

CHAPTER 11

The Disappointment of a Parent

1^* When Israel was a child I loved him,^a

out of Egypt^* I called my son.^b

2The more I called them,

the farther they went from me,

Sacrificing to the Baals

and burning incense to idols.

3Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk,

who took them in my arms;^c

but they did not know that I cared for them.

4I drew them with human cords,

with bands of love;^*

I fostered them like those

who raise an infant to their cheeks;

I bent down to feed them.^d

5He shall return to the land of Egypt,^e

Assyria shall be his king,

because they have refused to repent.

6The sword shall rage in his cities:

it shall destroy his diviners,

and devour them because of their schemings.

7My people have their mind set on apostasy;

though they call on God in unison,

he shall not raise them up.

But Love Is Stronger and Restores

8How could I give you up, Ephraim,

or deliver you up, Israel?

How could I treat you as Admah,

or make you like Zeboiim?^{* f}

My heart is overwhelmed,

my pity is stirred.

9I will not give vent to my blazing anger,

I will not destroy Ephraim again;

For I am God and not a man,^g

the Holy One present among you;

I will not come in wrath.

10They shall follow the LORD,

who roars like a lion;^h

When he roars,

his children shall come frightened from the west,

11Out of Egypt they shall come trembling, like birds,

like doves, from the land of Assyria;

And I will resettle them in their homes,

oracle of the LORD.

* [11:1–3] After the image of husband-wife (chaps. 1–3), Hosea uses the image of parent-child (Ex 4:22; Is 1:2; Jer 3:19).

* [11:1] Out of Egypt: Hosea dates the real beginning of Israel from the time of the exodus. Mt 2:15 applies this text to the return of Jesus from Egypt.

* [11:4] I drew them…with bands of love: perhaps a reversal of the yoke imagery of the previous chapter, i.e., not forcing them like draft animals, but drawing them with kindness and affection.

* [11:8] Admah…Zeboiim: cities in the vicinity of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gn 14:2, 8) and destroyed with them (Gn 19:24–25; Dt 29:22).

a. [11:1] Dt 7:8; 10:15; Jer 2:1–9.

b. [11:1] Ex 4:22; Mt 2:15.

c. [11:3] Dt 1:31; 8:5.

d. [11:4] Dt 8:16.

e. [11:5] Dt 17:16.

f. [11:8] Dt 29:22.

g. [11:9] Nm 23:19; Is 31:3; Ez 28:2.

h. [11:10] Jl 4:16; Am 1:2; Jer 25:30.