Christian Standard Bible
Hosea 11:4
4I led them with human cords, with ropes of love. To them I was like one who eases the yoke from their jaws; I bent down to give them food.
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
2Israel called to the Egyptians even as Israel was leaving them. They kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols. 3It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the hand, but they never knew that I healed them. I led them with human cords, with ropes of love. To them I was like one who eases the yoke from their jaws; I bent down to give them food. 5Israel will not return to the land of Egypt and Assyria will be his king, because they refused to repent. 6A sword will whirl through his cities; it will destroy and devour the bars of his gates, because of their schemes.
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
Words taken from the KJV.
- I drewמָשַׁךְmâshak · to drawH4900
- them with cordsחֶ֫בֶלchebel chêbel · cordH2256
- of a manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- with bandsעֲבֹת‛ăbôth ‛ăbôth ‛ăbôthâh · cordH5688
- of loveאַהֲבָה'ahăbâh · loveH160
- and I was to them as they that take offרוּםrûm · to exaltH7311
- the yokeעֹל‛ôl ‛ôl · yokeH5923
- on their jawsלְחִיlechîy · jawH3895
- and I laidנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186
- meatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
Cross-references for Hosea 11:4
- Isaiah 63:9In all their suffering, he suffered, and the angel of his presence saved them. He redeemed them because of his love and compassion; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of the past.
- John 6:44No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day.
- John 12:32As for me, if I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all people to myself.”
- 2 Corinthians 5:14For the love of Christ compels us, since we have reached this conclusion, that one died for all, and 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 a rod of men and blows from mortals.
- Leviticus 26:13I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, so that you would no longer be their slaves. I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to live in freedom.
- Hosea 2:8She does not recognize that it is I who gave her the grain, the new wine, and the fresh oil. I lavished silver and gold on her, which they used for Baal.
- Psalms 78:23He gave a command to the clouds above and opened the doors of heaven.
- Psalms 105:40They asked, and he brought quail and satisfied them with bread from heaven.
- John 6:32Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, Moses didn’t give you the bread from heaven, but my Father 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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