Hosea 11:1

¶ When Israel [was] a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.

When Israel {H3478} was a child {H5288}, then I loved {H157} him, and called {H7121} my son {H1121} out of Egypt {H4714}.

"When Isra'el was a child, I loved him; and out of Egypt I called my son.

When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son.

When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.

Hosea 11:1 opens with a poignant and tender declaration of God's enduring love for the nation of Israel, recalling their earliest days as a people. This verse sets a foundational tone for understanding God's persistent grace and unwavering commitment, even in the face of Israel's future unfaithfulness.

Context

The Book of Hosea serves as a prophetic message delivered to the Northern Kingdom of Israel (often referred to as Ephraim) during a period of significant spiritual apostasy and political instability. Through Hosea, God uses the powerful metaphor of a faithful husband (God) and a wayward wife (Israel) to depict their covenant relationship. This particular verse looks back to the very origins of Israel as a nation, emphasizing God's initial act of choosing and redeeming them. The phrase "called my son out of Egypt" is a direct historical reference to the Exodus from Egyptian bondage, a pivotal event that shaped Israel's identity as God's chosen people and established their covenant relationship with Him.

Key Themes

  • God's Paternal Love and Initiative: The expressions "I loved him" and "my son" underscore the deep, intimate, and fatherly affection God had for Israel from their beginning. It highlights His sovereign choice and the unconditional nature of His love, initiating the relationship and providing deliverance when they were helpless. This divine love is a central theme throughout the prophets, such as in Jeremiah 31:3.
  • Divine Redemption and Deliverance: The act of calling "my son out of Egypt" refers to God's powerful and miraculous liberation of Israel from slavery. This act of redemption established Israel as a free nation, bound to God by covenant, demonstrating His faithfulness to His promises and His power to deliver.
  • Typological Significance: This verse holds profound prophetic importance, as it is directly quoted and applied to Jesus Christ in the New Testament. Matthew 2:15 explicitly states that "Out of Egypt have I called my son," referring to Joseph and Mary bringing the infant Jesus back from Egypt after Herod's death. This highlights a powerful typology, where Jesus embodies the true Israel, fulfilling the nation's destiny and representing God's ultimate Son.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "loved" is 'ahab, which conveys a deep, affectionate, and committed love, often used in the context of covenant relationships between God and His people. The term "son" (ben) emphasizes the intimate, familial bond God established with Israel, portraying Him as their divine Father and Israel as His cherished child. This familial language sets the stage for understanding the subsequent discipline and restoration described in Hosea.

Related Scriptures

  • Exodus 4:22: "And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn." This earlier declaration reinforces the "son" imagery.
  • Deuteronomy 8:5: "Thou shalt consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee." This highlights the father-son relationship's disciplinary aspect.
  • Matthew 2:15: The direct New Testament fulfillment of this prophecy in the life of Jesus.

Practical Application

Hosea 11:1 serves as a powerful reminder of the unchanging nature of God's love and His initiative in salvation. Just as He loved Israel in their infancy and delivered them from bondage, He extends that same steadfast love and desire for relationship to His people today. This verse encourages us to reflect on God's redemptive work in our own lives, acknowledging His grace and faithfulness even when we stumble. Furthermore, the typological fulfillment in Jesus Christ reminds us that God's ultimate plan of salvation centers on His perfect Son, inviting us to find our identity and redemption in Him, recognizing Him as the ultimate "Son out of Egypt" who brings true freedom.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Matthew 2:15

    And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

  • Exodus 4:22

    And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel [is] my son, [even] my firstborn:

  • Hosea 13:4

    Yet I [am] the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for [there is] no saviour beside me.

  • Hosea 2:15

    And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.

  • Jeremiah 2:2

    Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land [that was] not sown.

  • Deuteronomy 7:7

    The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye [were] the fewest of all people:

  • Ezekiel 16:6

    ¶ And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee [when thou wast] in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee [when thou wast] in thy blood, Live.

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