Hosea 11:4 - Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Bible Comments

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.

I drew them with 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 (Hosea 11:1)

I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them - as the humane farmer occasionally loosens the straps under the jaws, by which the yoke is bound on the neck of oxen, and lays food before them to eat. An appropriate image of God's deliverance of Israel from the Egyptian yoke, and of His feeding them in the wilderness. This view seems better than Pusey's 'I was to them (in their sight, I was regarded by them) as they that lift up the yoke on their jaws - i:e., that raise the yoke (not being already upon them) to place it over their jaws. And I (God adds) was (all the while) placing meat before them.' While God was taking all manner of care of them, and providing for them all things richly to enjoy, He was regarded by them as One who, instead of laying food before them, was lifting the yoke over their jaws.

Hosea 11:4

4 I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take offa the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.