New King James Version
Hosea 10:11
11Ephraim is a trained heifer That loves to thresh grain; But I harnessed her fair neck, I will make Ephraim pull a plow. Judah shall plow; Jacob shall break his clods.”
Hosea 10:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn; but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to ride; Judah shall plow, and Jacob shall break his clods.
- New International Version (NIV)Ephraim is a trained heifer that loves to thresh; so I will put a yoke on her fair neck. I will drive Ephraim, Judah must plow, and Jacob must break up the ground.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Ephraim was a trained calf that loved to thresh, and I spared her fair neck; but I will put Ephraim to the yoke; Judah must plow; Jacob must harrow for himself.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“Israel is like a trained heifer treading out the grain— an easy job she loves. But I will put a heavy yoke on her tender neck. I will force Judah to pull the plow and Israel to break up the hard ground.
Context of Hosea 10:11
9“O Israel, you have sinned from the days of Gibeah; There they stood. The battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity Did not overtake them. 10When it is My desire, I will chasten them. Peoples shall be gathered against them When I bind them for their two transgressions. Ephraim is a trained heifer That loves to thresh grain; But I harnessed her fair neck, I will make Ephraim pull a plow. Judah shall plow; Jacob shall break his clods.” 12Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the Lord, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you. 13You have plowed wickedness; You have reaped iniquity. You have eaten the fruit of lies, Because you trusted in your own way, In the multitude of your mighty men.
Read all of Hosea 10Hosea 10:11 word by word
וְאֶפְרַ֜יִם עֶגְלָ֤ה מְלֻמָּדָה֙ אֹהַ֣בְתִּי לָד֔וּשׁ וַאֲנִ֣י עָבַ֔רְתִּי עַל־ט֖וּב צַוָּארָ֑הּ אַרְכִּ֤יב אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ יַחֲר֣וֹשׁ יְהוּדָ֔ה יְשַׂדֶּד־ל֖וֹ יַעֲקֹֽב׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Ephraimאֶפְרַ֫יִם'ephrayim · EphraimH669
- an heiferעֶגְלָה‛eglâh · heiferH5697
- taughtלָמַדlâmad · to learn: teachH3925
- lovethאָהֵב'âhab 'âhêb · to love: loverH157
- to tread outדּוּשׁdûsh dôsh dîysh · to treadH1758
- but I passed overעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
- upon her fairטוּבţûb · goodnessH2898
- neckצַוָּארtsavvâ'r tsavvâr tsavvârôn tsavvâ'râh · neckH6677
- to rideרָכַבrâkab · to rideH7392
- Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
- shall plowחָרַשׁchârash · to plow/plotH2790
- Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
- shall break his clodsשָׂדַדώâdad · to harrowH7702
Cross-references for Hosea 10:11
- Hosea 4:16“For Israel is stubborn Like a stubborn calf; Now the Lord will let them forage Like a lamb in open country.
- Jeremiah 50:11“Because you were glad, because you rejoiced, You destroyers of My heritage, Because you have grown fat like a heifer threshing grain, And you bellow like bulls,
- Hosea 2:5For their mother has played the harlot; She who conceived them has behaved shamefully. For she said, ‘I will go after my lovers, Who give me my bread and my water, My wool and my linen, My oil and my drink.’
- Hosea 3:1Then the Lord said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by a lover and is committing adultery, just like the love of the Lord for the children of Israel, who look to other gods and love the raisin cakes of the pagans.”
- Hosea 9:1Do not rejoice, O Israel, with joy like other peoples, For you have played the harlot against your God. You have made love for hire on every threshing floor.
- Deuteronomy 25:4“You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.
- Romans 16:18For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.
- Hosea 11:4I 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.
- 2 Chronicles 28:5Therefore the Lord his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria. They defeated him, and carried away a great multitude of them as captives, and brought them to Damascus. Then he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who defeated him with a great slaughter.
- Isaiah 28:24Does the plowman keep plowing all day to sow? Does he keep turning his soil and breaking the clods?
Commentaries on Hosea 10:11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11Ephraim is as a heifer that is taught - One thoroughly broken in to the yoke. And loveth to tread out - Goes peaceably in the yoke; and is pleased because, not being muzzled, she eats of the corn. I passed over upon her fair neck - I brought the yoke upon it, that she should not tread out the corn merely, but draw the plough and drag the harrow. These operations of husbandry are all referred to here, with some others. Ephraim shall tread out the corn…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11Ephraim is an heifer that is taught and that loveth to tread out the corn - The object of the metaphor in these three verses seems to be, to picture, under operations of husbandry, what God willed and trained His people to do, how they took as much pains in evil, as He willed them to do for good. One thing only they did “which” He willed, but not because He willed it - what pleased themselves. Corn was threshed in the East chiefly by means of oxen, who…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-15Verses 9-15 Because God does not desire the death and ruin of sinners, therefore in mercy he desires their chastisement. The children of iniquity still remained in Israel. The enemies would be gathered against them. It is just with God to make those know what hardships mean, who indulge themselves in ease and pleasure. Let them cleanse their hearts from all corrupt affections and lusts, and be a broken and contrite spirit. Let them abound in works of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11Because Israel did not keep the covenant, the Lord gave her a heavy burden. This was divine correction to bring her back to him.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. taught--that is, accustomed. loveth to tread out ... corn--a far easier and more self-indulgent work than ploughing. In treading corn, cattle were not bound together under a yoke, but either trod it singly with their feet, or drew a threshing sledge over it (Is 28:27, 28): they were free to eat some of the corn from time to time, as the law required they should be unmuzzled (De 25:4), so that they grew fat in this work. An image of Israel's freedom…Read the comment
Topics related to Hosea 10:11
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Hosea 10
- 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries