Hosea 11

God’s love toward sinful Israel

“When Israel was a child,

I loved him,

and called my son out of Egypt.

11:1 Here God is speaking again. He is the One who loved Israel and called them out of Egypt – Hos 9:10; Deut 4:37; 7:7-8.⚜

2 But the more they called

them, the more they

went away from them.

They sacrificed to the Baals,

and burned incense to carved images.

3 And I taught Ephraim to walk,

taking them by their arms;

but they did not know

that I healed them.

11:3 Like a father God taught Israel how to behave.⚜

4 I drew them with human cords,

with bands of love.

And I was for them like those

who take off the yoke

from their jaws,

and I bent down and fed them.

11:4 Jer 31:3. In tender love God lifted the yoke of slavery in Egypt from them and fed them in the wilderness – Ex 2:23; 13:3; 16:13-18; Deut 7:8; Ps 78:25.⚜

5 “Will he not return

to the land of Egypt?

And the Assyrian will be his king,

because they refused

to return to me.

6 And the sword will whirl

over his cities,

and will make an end of his branches,

and destroy them,

because of their own plans.

7 And my people are bent

on backsliding from me.

Though they called them

to the Most High ,

none at all would exalt him.

8 “How can I give you up,

Ephraim? How can I

give you up, Israel?

How can I make you

like Admah?

How can I deal with you

like Zeboim?

My heart turns over within me,

my compassions are kindled.

9 I will not execute the fierceness

of my anger.

I will not destroy Ephraim again,

for I am God,

and not man;

the Holy One in your midst.

And I will not enter the city.

10 They will follow the LORD.

He will roar like a lion.

When he roars,

the children will come trembling

from the west.

11 They will come trembling like

a bird from Egypt,

and like a dove from the land

of Assyria;

and I will settle them in their houses,

says the LORD”.

11:8-11 Now God says He will not make a full end of Israel. He would punish the people but not completely destroy them. Israel would not become like Admah and Zeboim (cities near Sodom destroyed with Sodom – Gen 19:24-25; Deut 29:23; Jer 49:18). After sending Israel into exile He would gather them again – v 11.⚜

Israel’s guilt, the goodness God had shown to them in the past

12 Ephraim has surrounded

me with lies,

and the house of Israel

with deceit.

And Judah still wanders restlessly

against God,

and against the faithful holy ones.

11:12 Hosea now speaks again, and shows that if God shows compassion to Israel it will not be because they deserve it.⚜