Hosea
Chapter 11
The Childhood of Israel
I loved Israel when he was a child; out of Egypt I called my son.
But the more I have called, the further they have gone from me,sacrificing to the Baals, burning incense to the idols.
Yet, I was the one who taught Ephraim to walk, guiding them by the arms; yet, they little realized that it was I who cared for them.
I led them with cords of kindness, with gentle leads of love, and I became for them as one who eases the yoke from their necks and stoops down to feed them.
If they refuse to come back to me, they will have to return to Egypt and be ruled by an Assyrian king.
Swords will flash in their cities, slaughtering their sons, and ending all their plans.
They insist on turning away from me; they cry out because the yoke is on them and no one lifts it.
How can I give you up, Ephraim? Can I abandon you like Admah or make you like Zeboiim? My heart is troubled inside me,and I am moved with compassion.
I will not vent my great anger; I will not return to destroy Ephraim, for I am God and not human. I am the Holy One in your midst, and I do not want to come to you in anger.
You will follow the Lord when he roars like a lion. When he roars, his sons will come trembling from the west; they will arrive, with fear, like sparrows from Egypt, like doves from Assyria, for I will lead them back to their homes again.
Commentaries
Judgement.
This marks the beginning of a series of short poems that focus on aspects of Israel’s joyful early history, contrasting with its current situation. Throughout, Israel’s unfaithfulness and infidelity are highlighted in opposition to the Lord’s steadfastness.
The Childhood of Israel.
The husband-wife metaphor shifts to that of father-son. Israel’s childhood begins with its departure from Egypt. For Matthew 2:15, this prophecy relates to the return of the child Jesus from his exile in Egypt. The Lord cared for Israel as a child (4), and in recalling Israel’s origins, the Lord turns his anger into compassion (8). Admah and Zeboiim (8) were cities near Sodom and Gomorrah that were destroyed along with them (Gn 19:24-25).