God’s Word Translation
Hosea 11:4
4I led them with cords of human kindness, with ropes of love. I removed the yokes from their necks. I bent down and fed 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
2The more I called them, the farther they went away. They sacrificed to other gods—the Baals, and they burned incense to idols. 3I was the one who taught the people of Ephraim to walk. I took them by the hand. But they didn’t realize that I had healed them. I led them with cords of human kindness, with ropes of love. I removed the yokes from their necks. I bent down and fed them. 5“They will not return to Egypt. Instead, Assyria will rule them because they have refused to return to me. 6War will sweep through their cities, demolish their city gates, and put an end to their 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
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 troubles he was troubled, and he was the Messenger who saved them. In his love and compassion he reclaimed them. He always held them and carried them in the past.
- John 6:44People cannot come to me unless the Father who sent me brings them to me. I will bring these people back to life on the last day.
- John 12:32When I have been lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people toward me.”
- 2 Corinthians 5:14Clearly, Christ’s love guides us. We are convinced of the fact that one man has died for all people. Therefore, all people have died.
- 2 Samuel 7:14I will be his Father, and he will be my Son. If he sins, I will punish him with a rod and with blows inflicted by people.
- Leviticus 26:13I am the Lord your God. I brought you out of Egypt so that you are no longer slaves of the Egyptians. I have broken their power over you and made you live as a free people.
- Hosea 2:8“She doesn’t believe that I gave her grain, new wine, and olive oil. I gave her plenty of silver and gold, but she used it to make statues of Baal.
- Psalms 78:23In spite of that, he commanded the clouds above and opened the doors of heaven.
- Psalms 105:40The Israelites asked, and he brought them quail and filled them with bread from heaven.
- John 6:32Jesus said to them, “I can guarantee this truth: Moses didn’t give you 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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