---
title: "Clarke"
description: "Verse Hosea 11:1. When Israel was a child — In the infancy of his political existence. I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. — Where he was greatly"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/hosea/11"
---

Verse [Hosea 11:1](../../../kjv/hosea/11/1). ***When Israel was a child*** — In the infancy of *his* *political existence*.
***I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.*** — Where he was greatly oppressed; and in this I gave the proof of my *love*. I *preserved* my people in their affliction there, and *brought* them safely out of it.

Verse [Hosea 11:3](../../../kjv/hosea/11/3). ***I taught Ephraim also to go*** — An allusion to a mother or nurse *teaching a child to walk*, directing it how to *lift and lay* *its feet*, and supporting it in the meantime *by the arms*, that it may use its feet with the greater ease. This is a passage truly pathetic.

Verse [Hosea 11:4](../../../kjv/hosea/11/4). ***I 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, endeavours 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 yoke on their jaws*** — I did every thing that mercy could suggest, and justice permit, to make their *duty* their *delight* and *profit*. There appears to be here an illusion to the *moving and pulling forward* the *collar* or *yoke of beasts* which have been hard at work, to let in the cool air between it and their neck, so as to refresh them, and prevent that *heat*, which with the *sweat* would scald their necks, and take off not only the *hair*, but the *skin*. I have often done this at the land ends, in ploughing, when at the *turnings* the cattle were permitted a few moments to draw their breath after the hard pull that terminated the furrow at either end of the field: -
***And I laid meat unto them.*** — Giving them at the same time a bite of *grass* or *hay*, to encourage them to go on afresh. The metaphor is strong and expressive; and he who ever had or saw the management of cattle in the *plough* or *cart* must admire it. Thus God acted with the people on *whose necks* was the *yoke of his law*. How many privileges, advantages, and comforts did he mingle with his precepts, to make them at once a righteous and happy people!

Verse [Hosea 11:5](../../../kjv/hosea/11/5). ***He shall not return into - Egypt*** — I have brought them thence already, with the design that the *nation* should never return thither again; but as they have sinned, and forfeited my favour and protection, they shall go *to Assyria*; and this *because* *they refused to return* to me. This view of the verse removes every difficulty.

Verse [Hosea 11:6](../../../kjv/hosea/11/6). ***The sword shall abide on his cities*** — Israel was agitated with external and intestine wars from the time of *Jeroboam the Second*. Although *Zechariah* his son reigned *twelve* years, yet it was in *continual troubles*; and he was at last slain by the rebel *Shallum*, who, having reigned one month, was slain by *Menahem*. *Pekahiah* succeeded his father Menahem, and reigned two years, and was killed by *Pekah*, son of Remaliah. He joined Rezin, king of Syria, and made an irruption into the land of Judah; but Ahaz having obtained succour from *Tiglath-Pileser*, king of Assyria, Pekah was defeated, and the tribes of Reuben, Gad, Naphtali, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, were carried away captives by the Assyrian king; and in a short time after, *Hosea*, son of Elah, slew Pekah, and usurped the kingdom, which he could not possess without the assistance of *Shalmaneser*, who for his services imposed a tribute on the Israelitish king. Wishing to rid himself of this yoke, he applied to the king of Egypt; but this being known to Shalmaneser, he came against Samaria, and after a three years' siege took and destroyed it. Thus the sword rested on their cities; it continued in the land till all was ruined. See *Calmet*.

Verse [Hosea 11:7](../../../kjv/hosea/11/7). ***Though they called them to the Most High*** — *Newcome* is better: "And though *they call on him together because of the yoke,* *he will not raise it*. He shall receive no *refreshment*." See the metaphor, [Hosea 11:4](../../../kjv/hosea/11/4).

Verse [Hosea 11:8](../../../kjv/hosea/11/8). ***How shall I give thee up*** — [Hosea 6:4](../../../kjv/hosea/6/4), where we have similar words from similar feeling.
***Mine heart is turned within me*** — *Justice* demands thy *punishment;* *Mercy* pleads for thy *life*. As thou *changest*, Justice resolves to *destroy*, or Mercy to *save*. My heart is oppressed, and I am weary with *repenting*- with so frequently changing my purpose. All this, though spoken after the manner of men, shows how merciful, compassionate, and loath to punish the God of heaven is. What *sinner* or *saint* upon earth has not been a subject of these *gracious* operations?

Verse [Hosea 11:9](../../../kjv/hosea/11/9). ***I will not execute*** — Here is the *issue* of this conflict in the Divine mind. Mercy triumphs over Judgment; Ephraim shall be spared. *He is God, and not man*. He cannot be affected by human caprices. They are now *penitent*, and implore mercy; he will not, as *man* would do, punish them for former offenses, when they have fallen into his hand. The *holy place* is in Ephraim, and *God is in* *this holy place*; and he will not *go into the cities*, as he did into Sodom and Gomorrah, to destroy them. Judgment is his strange work. How exceedingly affecting are these two verses!

Verse [Hosea 11:10](../../../kjv/hosea/11/10). ***They shall walk after the Lord*** — They shall discern the operations of his providence, when,
***He shall roar like a lion*** — When he shall utter his majestic voice, Cyrus shall make his decree. The *people shall tremble*- be in a state of commotion; every one hurrying to avail himself of the opportunity to return to his own land.

Verse [Hosea 11:11](../../../kjv/hosea/11/11). ***They shall tremble as a bird*** — Those of them that are in *Egypt* shall also be called thence, and shall *speed* hither *as a* *bird*. Those in *Assyria* shall also be called to return, and they shall *flee as doves* to their windows. All shall, in the fulness of time, return to their own land. And,
***I will place them in their houses, saith the Lord.*** — They shall have their *temple* once more, and all their holy ordinances.

Verse [Hosea 11:12](../../../kjv/hosea/11/12). ***Ephraim compasseth me about with lies*** — I think this verse does not well *unite* with the *above*; it belongs to *another* *subject*, and should begin the following chapter, as in the Hebrew.
***Judah yet ruleth with God*** — There is an allusion here to [Genesis 32:24](../../../kjv/genesis/32/24), where *Jacob*, having "wrestled with the Angel," had his name changed to *Israel*, one that *rules with God*. That glory the *Israelites* had lost by their idolatry; but *Judah* still retained the true worship, and alone deserved the name of Israel.
Bp. *Newcome* translates this clause thus: -
"But hereafter they shall come down a people of God, even a faithful people of saints."
Even allowing this to be the most correct view of the original, I do not see what we gain by this change.

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