Hosea 11:4

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 to him, the farther he moved from me, offering sacrifices to the images of Baal and burning incense to idols. 3I myself taught Israel how to walk, leading him along by the hand. But he doesn’t know or even care that it was I who took care of him. I led Israel along with my ropes of kindness and love. I lifted the yoke from his neck, and I myself stooped to feed him. 5“But since my people refuse to return to me, they will return to Egypt and will be forced to serve Assyria. 6War will swirl through their cities; their enemies will crash through their gates. They will destroy them, trapping them in their own evil plans.

Hosea 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 also suffered, and he personally rescued them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them. He lifted them up and carried them through all the years.
• John 6:44For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up.
• John 12:32And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.”
• 2 Corinthians 5:14Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.
• 2 Samuel 7:14I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do.
• Leviticus 26:13I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so you would no longer be their slaves. I broke the yoke of slavery from your neck so you can walk with your heads held high.
• Hosea 2:8She doesn’t realize it was I who gave her everything she has— the grain, the new wine, the olive oil; I even gave her silver and gold. But she gave all my gifts to Baal.
• Psalms 78:23But he commanded the skies to open; he opened the doors of heaven.
• Psalms 105:40They asked for meat, and he sent them quail; he satisfied their hunger with manna—bread from heaven.
• John 6:32Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers 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

• Cord
• God Continued...
• Rope

In the dictionaries

• Bands
• Cord
• Repenting
• Band
• God
• Hosea
• Jaw; Jawbone; Jaw Teeth
• Palm (of the Hand)
• Yoke
• Zechariah, Book of

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