the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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Green's Literal Translation
Hosea 11:4
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
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I led them with ropes, but they were ropes of love. I was like a person who set them free. I bent down and fed them.
I pulled them along with cords of a man, with ropes of love, And I became to them as one who lifts the yoke from their jaws; And I bent down and fed them.
I led them with cords of human kindness, with ropes of love. I lifted the yoke from their neck and bent down and fed them.
I led them with leather cords, with leather ropes; I lifted the yoke from their neck, and gently fed them.
I drew them with cords of man, with bands of love; and I was to them as those that lift up the yoke from their jaws; and I laid food before them.
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 food for them.
I led them gently with cords of a man, with bonds of love [guiding them], And I was to them as one who lifts up and eases the yoke [of the law] over their jaws; And I bent down to them and fed them.
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.
I drew them with cords of a man, with ties of love; And I was to them like those who lift up the yoke on their necks; And I bent down to him and I fed him.
Y schal drawe hem in the ropis of Adam, in the boondis of charite. And Y schal be to hem as he that enhaunsith the yok on the chekis of hem; and Y bowide doun to hym, that he schulde ete.
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 before them.
I led them with cords of kindness, with ropes of love; I lifted the yoke from their necks and bent down to feed them.
I led them with kindness and with love, not with ropes. I held them close to me; I bent down to feed them.
I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love; and I was to them as they that lift up the yoke on their jaws; and I laid food before them.
I made them come after me with the cords of a man, with the bands of love; I was to them as one who took the yoke from off their mouths, putting meat before them.
who was guiding them on through human means with reins made of love. With them I was like someone removing the yoke from their jaws, and I bent down to feed them.
I drew them with bands of a man, with cords of love; and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I gently caused them to eat.
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 fed them gently.
I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of loue, and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their iawes, and I laid meat vnto them.
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.
I led them with ropes of human kindness, with ties of love. I lifted the load from their neck and went down to feed them.
I led them with cords of human kindness, with bands of love. I was to them like those who lift infants to their cheeks. I bent down to them and fed them.
I led them with cordes of a man, euen with bandes of loue, and I was to them, as hee that taketh off the yoke from their iawes, and I laide the meat vnto them.
I drew them with cords of a man, with the bands of love; and I was to them as one who takes off the yoke from their neck, and I bent over them and fed them.
With human cords, used I to draw them, with the bands of love, so became I unto them like those who remove the yoke that was on their jaws, - and, holding out food to him, I let him eat.
I will draw them with the cords of Adam, with the bands of love: and I will be to them as one that taketh off the yoke on their jaws: and I put his meat to him that he might eat.
I led them with cords of compassion, 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.
I led them with cordes of a man [euen] with bandes of loue: and I was to them as he that taketh of the yoke from their iawes, and I layde meate to them.
When men were destroyed, I drew them with the bands of my love: and I will be to them as a man smiting another on his cheek: and I will have respect to him, I will prevail with him.
I drew them to me with affection and love. I picked them up and held them to my cheek; I bent down to them and fed them.
I led them with human cords,with ropes of love.To them I was like onewho eases the yoke from their jaws;I bent down to give them food.
I drew them with cords of a man, with ties of love; And I was to them like those who lift up the yoke on their necks; And I bent down to him and I fed him.
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 human ties, with the bands of love. I was to them like one who lifted up a yoke on their jaws, though I bent down to them and let them eat.
With cords of man I do draw them, With thick cords of love, And I am to them as a raiser up of a yoke on their jaws, And I incline unto him -- I feed [him].
I led them with coardes of frendshipe, & with bondes of loue. I was euen he, that layed the yocke vpon their neckes. I gaue them their fodder my self,
I drew them with gentle cords, [fn] With bands of love,And I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. [fn] I stooped and fed them.
I led them with cords of a man, with bonds of love, And I became to them as one who lifts the yoke from their jaws; And I bent down and fed them.
I led them with cords of a man, with bonds of love,And I became to them as one who lifts the yoke from their jaws;And I bent down and fed them.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
drew: Song of Solomon 1:4, Isaiah 63:9, John 6:44, John 12:32, 2 Corinthians 5:14
of a: 2 Samuel 7:14
I was: Leviticus 26:13
take off: Heb. lift up
and I laid: Hosea 2:8, Psalms 78:23-25, Psalms 105:40, John 6:32-58
Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 1:31 - bare thee Jeremiah 31:3 - with lovingkindness have I drawn Jeremiah 31:32 - in the Hosea 10:11 - but
Cross-References
The giants were in the earth in those days, and even afterwards when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore to them; they were heroes which existed from ancient time, the men of name.
And Jehovah scattered them from there, over the face of all the earth. And they stopped building the city.
On account of this its name is called Babel, because Jehovah confused the language of all the earth there. And Jehovah scattered them abroad from there on the face of all the earth.
And after he fathered Arpachshad, Shem lived five hundred years. And he fathered sons and daughters.
And after he fathered Salah, Arpachshad lived four hundred and three years. And he fathered sons and daughters.
Where shall we go up? Our brothers have melted our hearts, saying, We have seen there a people greater and taller than we, cities great and walled up to the heavens, and also the sons of Anak.
And Jehovah shall scatter you among the peoples, and you shall be left few in number among the nations to which Jehovah shall lead you away.
Hear, O Israel, you shall cross over the Jordan today, to go in to expel nations greater and mightier than yourself, cities great and walled up to the heavens;
And David made a name for himself when he returned, after he had struck the Syrians in the Valley of Salt, eighteen thousand men .
For, lo, Your enemies, O Jehovah; for, lo, Your enemies shall perish; all the evildoers shall be scattered.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love,.... 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;
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.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
I 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 cometh unto Me, except the father who hath sent me, draw him.’ He did not say, lead ‘him,’ but ‘draw him.’ This violence is done to the heart, not to the body. Why marvel? Believe and thou comest; love and thou art drawn. Think it not a rough and uneasy violence: it is sweet, alluring; the sweetness draws thee. Is not a hungry sheep drawn, when the grass is shewn it? It is not, I ween, driven on in body, but is bound tight by longing. So do thou too come to Christ. Do not conceive of long journeyings. When thou believest, then thou comest. For to Him who is everywhere, people come by loving, not by traveling.” So the Bride saith, “draw me and I will run after Thee” Song of Solomon 1:4. “How sweet,” says Augustine, when converted, “did it at once become to me, to want the sweetnesses of those toys; and what I feared to be parted from, was now a joy to part with. For Thou didst cast them forth from me, Thou true and highest Sweetness. Thou castedst them forth, and for them enteredst in Thyself, sweeter than all pleasure, though not to flesh and blood; brighter than all light, but more hidden than all depths; higher than all honor, but not to the high in their own conceits” .
: “Christ “drew” us also “with the cords of a man,” when for us He became Man, our flesh, our Brother, in order that by teaching, suffering, dying for us, He might in a wondrous way bind and draw us to Himself and to God; that He might redeem the earthly Adam, might transform and make him heavenly;” : “giving us ineffable tokens of His love. For He giveth Himself to us for our Food; He giveth us sacraments; by Baptism and repentance He conformeth us anew to original righteousness. Hence, He saith, “I, if I be lifted up from the earth, shall draw all men unto me” John 12:32; and Paul, “I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” Galatians 2:20. This most loving drawing, our dullness and weakness needoth, who ever, without grace, grovel amidst vile and earthly things.”
“All the methods and parts of God’s government are twined together, as so many twisted cords of love from Him, so ordered, that they ought to draw man with all his heart to love Him again.” : “Man, the image of the Mind of God, is impelled to zeal for the service of God, not by fear, but by love. No band is mightier, nor constrains more firmly all the feelings of the mind. For it holdeth not the body enchained, while the mind revolteth and longeth to break away, but it so bindeth to itself the mind and will, that it should will, long for, compass, nought beside, save how, even amid threats of death, to obey the commands of God. Bands they are, but bands so gentle and so passing sweet, that we must account them perfect freedom and the highest dignity.”
And I was to them as they that take off - (literally, “that lift up”) the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them Thus explained, the words carry on the description of God’s goodness, that He allowed not the yoke of slavery to weigh heavy upon them, as He saith, “I am the Lord your God, Which brought you out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen, and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright” Leviticus 26:13; and God appealeth to them, “Wherein have I wearied thee? testify against Me” Micah 6:3.
But the words seem more naturally to mean, “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.” “For plainly the yoke never rests on the jaws, but only passed over them, either when put on the neck, or taken off.” This, God seemed to them to be doing, ever placing some new yoke or constraint upon them. “And I, God” adds, all the while “was placing meat before them;” i. e., 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.” God did them all good, and they thought it all hardship.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 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!
