SEV Biblia, Chapter 11:4
Con cuerdas humanas los traje, con cuerdas de amor; y fui para ellos como los que alzan el yugo de sobre sus mejillas, y allegué hacia él la comida.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Hosea 11:4
Verse 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!
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 4. I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love , etc.] As Ephraim is compared to a heifer in the preceding chapter, here he is said to be drawn; but not with such cords and bands as cattle are, but with such as men are; in a rational and gentle way, in a kind, loving, tender, humane, friendly, and fatherly way and manner; so the Lord drew Israel on in the wilderness, till he was brought to Canaan’s land, by bestowing kind favours upon them, and by making precious promises to them. So the Lord deals with his spiritual Israel; he draws them out of the present state and circumstances, in which they are by nature, to himself, and to his Son, and to follow after him, and run in the ways of his commandments; and which he does not by force and compulsion against their wills, nor by mere moral persuasion, but by the invincible power of his grace, sweetly working upon them, and attracting them; he does it by revealing Christ in them, in the glories of his person and in the riches of his grace, and by letting in his love into their hearts; and by kind invitations, precious promises, and divine teachings, attended with his powerful and efficacious grace; (see Jeremiah 31:3 John 6:44 Song of Solomon 1:4); and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws ; as one that is merciful to his beast; as a kind and humane husbandman, when his cattle have been hard at work, takes off their bridles or muzzles, or the yokes on them, fastened with a halter about their jaws, that they may have liberty to feed on food set before them, as the next clause shows. So the Targum, “my word was to them as a good husbandman, who lightens the shoulder of oxen, and looses “the bridles” on their jaws.”
This may refer to Israel’s deliverance from their bondage in Egypt; and be spiritually applied to Christ, the essential Word of God, breaking and taking the yoke of sin, Satan, and the law from off his people, and bringing them into the liberty of the children of God. Schmidt reads and interprets the words quite otherwise, “and I was to them as they that lift up the yoke upon their jaws”; not remove it from them but put it on them; expressing their ignorance and ingratitude, who, when the Lord drew them in the kind and loving manner he did, reckoned it as if he put a yoke upon them, and treated them rather as beasts than men; but this seems not to agree with what follows: and I laid meat unto them : or declined, or brought it down to them, to their very mouths; referring to the manna and quails he rained about their tents. So the Targum, “and, even when they were in the wilderness, I multiplied to them good things to eat.”
And thus in a spiritual sense the Lord gives meat to them that fear him, while in the wilderness of this world; he brings it near, and sets it before them, in the ministry of the word and ordinances; even that meat which endures to everlasting life, the flesh of Christ, which is meat indeed; and the doctrines of the Gospel, which are milk for babes, and strong meat for more experienced saints.
Matthew Henry Commentary
The idolatry of Israel. (Hos. 10:1-8) They are exhorted to repentance (Hos. 10:9-15)
Hos. 10:1-8 A vine is only valuable for its fruit; but Israel no brought no fruit to perfection. Their hearts were divided. God is the Sovereign of the heart; he will have all, or none. Were the stream of the heart wholly after God, it would run strongly, and bear down all before it. Their pretences to covenant with God were false. Even the proceeding of justice was as poisonous hemlock. Alas, how empty a vin is the visible church even at this day! But all earthly prosperity is but a collection of bubbles, soon destroyed like foam upon the water Sinners will in vain seek shelter from that Judge, whom they no despise as a Saviour.
Hos. 10:9-15 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 gathere against them. It is just with God to make those know what hardship mean, who indulge themselves in ease and pleasure. Let them cleans their hearts from all corrupt affections and lusts, and be a broken an contrite spirit. Let them abound in works of piety towards God, and of justice and charity towards one another: herein let them sow to the Spirit. Seeking the Lord is to be every day's work, but there ar special occasions when to seek him. Christ shall come as the Lord ou righteousness, and grant us of it abundantly. If we sow in righteousness, we shall reap according to mercy; a reward not of debt but of grace. Even the gains of sin yield the sinner no satisfaction As our comforts, so our confidences in the service of sin wil certainly fail us. Come and seek the Lord, and thy hope in him shal not deceive thee. See what cruel work war makes. Whatever mischief is done, it is sin that does it. What miseries men's sins bring on them even in this world __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
בחבלי 2256 אדם 120 אמשׁכם 4900 בעבתות 5688 אהבה 160 ואהיה 1961 להם כמרימי 7311 על 5923 על 5921 לחיהם 3895 ואט 328 אליו 413 אוכיל׃ 398
