Berean Standard Bible
Hosea 11:4
4I led them with cords of kindness, with ropes of love; I lifted the yoke from their necks and bent down to feed them.
Hosea 11:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.
- New International Version (NIV)I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love. To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them.
- English Standard Version (ESV)I led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love, and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bent down to them and fed them.
- New King James Version (NKJV)I drew them with gentle cords, With bands of love, And I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. I stooped and fed them.
Context of Hosea 11:4
2But the more I called Israel, the farther they departed from Me. They sacrificed to the Baals and burned incense to carved images. 3It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms, but they never realized that it was I who healed them. I led them with cords of kindness, with ropes of love; I lifted the yoke from their necks and bent down to feed them. 5Will they not return to the land of Egypt and be ruled by Assyria because they refused to repent? 6A sword will flash through their cities; it will destroy the bars of their gates and consume them in their own plans.
Read all of Hosea 11Hosea 11:4 word by word
בְּחַבְלֵ֨י אָדָ֤ם אֶמְשְׁכֵם֙ בַּעֲבֹת֣וֹת אַהֲבָ֔ה וָאֶהְיֶ֥ה לָהֶ֛ם כִּמְרִ֥ימֵי עֹ֖ל עַ֣ל לְחֵיהֶ֑ם וְאַ֥ט אֵלָ֖יו אוֹכִֽיל׃Read the interlinear
- I led themמָשַׁךְmâshak · to drawH4900
- with cordsחֶ֫בֶלchebel chêbel · cordH2256
- of kindnessאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- with ropesעֲבֹת‛ăbôth ‛ăbôth ‛ăbôthâh · cordH5688
- of loveאַהֲבָה'ahăbâh · loveH160
- I liftedהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
- I liftedרוּםrûm · to exaltH7311
- the yokeעֹל‛ôl ‛ôl · yokeH5923
- fromעַל‛al · uponH5921
- their necksלְחִיlechîy · jawH3895
- and bent downנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186
- and bent downאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
- to feed themאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
Cross-references for Hosea 11:4
- Isaiah 63:9In all their distress, He too was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them. In His love and compassion He redeemed them; He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
- John 6:44“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.
- John 12:32And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw everyone to Myself.”
- 2 Corinthians 5:14For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all, therefore all died.
- 2 Samuel 7:14I will be his Father, and he will be My son. When he does wrong, I will discipline him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men.
- Leviticus 26:13I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians. I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk in uprightness.
- Hosea 2:8For she does not acknowledge that it was I who gave her grain, new wine, and oil, who lavished on her silver and gold— which they crafted for Baal.
- Psalms 78:23Yet He commanded the clouds above and opened the doors of the heavens.
- Psalms 105:40They asked, and He brought quail and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.
- John 6:32Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.
Commentaries on Hosea 11:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4I drew them with cords of a man - This is a reference to leading strings, one end of which is held by the child, the other by the nurse, by which the little one, feeling some support, and gaining confidence, endeavors to walk. God, their heavenly Father, made use of every means and method to teach them to walk in the right and only safe path; for, as the Targum says, "As beloved children are drawn I drew them by the strength of love." That take of the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4I drew them with the cords of a man - o“Wanton heifers such as was Israel, are drawn with ropes; but although Ephraim struggled against Me, I would not draw him as a beast, but I drew him as a man, (not a servant, but a son) with cords of love.” “Love is the magnet of love.”: “The first and chief commandment of the law, is not of fear, but of love, because He willeth those whom He commandeth, to be sons rather than servants.”: “Our Lord saith, No man…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4God cared for the young nation of Israel with kindness and love.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. cords of a man--parallel to "bands of love"; not such cords as oxen are led by, but humane methods, such as men employ when inducing others, as for instance, a father drawing his child, by leading-strings, teaching him to go (Ho 11:1). I was ... as they that take off the yoke on their jaws ... I laid meat--as the humane husbandman occasionally loosens the straps under the jaws by which the yoke is bound on the neck of oxen and lays food before them to…Read the comment
Topics related to Hosea 11:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Hosea 11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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