Hosea 11:1 kjv
When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
Hosea 11:1 nkjv
"When Israel was a child, I loved him, And out of Egypt I called My son.
Hosea 11:1 niv
"When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.
Hosea 11:1 esv
When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.
Hosea 11:1 nlt
"When Israel was a child, I loved him,
and I called my son out of Egypt.
Hosea 11 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Hosea 11:1 | "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son." | Foundation of God's relationship |
| Exodus 4:22-23 | "Israel is my firstborn son...Let my son go." | God calling Israel His son |
| Deuteronomy 14:1 | "You are sons of the LORD your God." | Israel as God's children |
| Isaiah 63:9 | "In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them." | God's compassionate involvement |
| Jeremiah 3:19 | "How can I put you among the children and give you this beautiful land..." | God's desire for adoption |
| Jeremiah 31:9 | "I will cause them to walk by a river of water in a straight way... for I am a father to Israel..." | God as Father to Israel |
| Matthew 2:15 | "Out of Egypt I called my son." | Fulfillment of prophecy in Jesus |
| John 3:16 | "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son..." | God's love manifested in giving |
| Romans 8:14 | "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God." | Identity of believers as God's sons |
| Romans 9:4 | "...the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the law and the worship and the promises." | Israel's divine privileges |
| Galatians 4:4-7 | "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son... so that we might receive adoption as sons." | Adoption through Christ |
| 1 John 4:8 | "God is love." | Essential nature of God |
| Malachi 1:2-3 | "‘Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?’ declares the LORD. ‘Yet I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated.’" | God's sovereign choice and love |
| Psalm 103:13 | "As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him." | Fatherly compassion of God |
| Psalm 27:10 | "For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the LORD will take me in." | God's enduring care |
| Isaiah 49:15 | "Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?" | God's steadfast love |
| Acts 7:35-36 | "This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ God sent him as both a ruler and a redeemer." | Moses' rejection and God's action |
| Acts 13:33 | "...God fulfilled this promise to us their children by raising up Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you.’" | Jesus as the beloved Son |
| Hebrews 12:5-7 | "And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not lightly esteem the discipline of the Lord..." | God's discipline as a sign of love |
| 1 Peter 1:18-19 | "...with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot." | Redemption by Christ's sacrifice |
| Revelation 21:7 | "The one who conquers will have this inheritance, and I will be his God, and he will be my son." | Sonship for the faithful |
Hosea 11 verses
Hosea 11 1 Meaning
God declares His love for Israel as a Father to His son, referencing their exodus from Egypt. This divine paternal affection stands in contrast to Israel's recurring unfaithfulness. The verse establishes God's enduring love despite human failing.
Hosea 11 1 Context
Hosea chapter 11 begins by contrasting God's past faithfulness and love with Israel's current idolatry and rebellion. The prophet recounts God's paternal care from their youth, specifically their deliverance from Egyptian bondage. Despite this foundational act of love and the establishment of their nation, Israel has repeatedly turned away from God. This verse serves as the foundation for the subsequent lament and indictment in the chapter, highlighting the sorrow God experiences over His people's persistent sin, yet also reaffirming His unyielding love and redemptive purpose. Historically, this addresses the period following the exodus, leading up to the divided kingdom and eventual Assyrian captivity, illustrating a pattern of God's gracious calling and Israel's repeated apostasy.
Hosea 11 1 Word Analysis
When (כִּי - ki): Can function as "when," "for," or "because," setting a causal or temporal link. Here, it marks a past time and provides a reason for God's relationship with Israel.
Israel (יִשְׂרָאֵל - Yisra'el): Refers to Jacob after his wrestling with God. It signifies the entire covenant people, descendants of Jacob.
was (הָיָה - hayah): Past tense of "to be," indicating existence or state.
a child (נַעַר - na‘ar): Denotes a youth, boy, or servant. It emphasizes Israel's early state as a young nation, dependent on God.
I loved (אָהַבְתִּי - ahavti): First-person singular, perfect tense of "to love." Expresses God's deep, volitional affection and covenant commitment.
him (אֹתוֹ - otho): Masculine singular direct object pronoun, referring to Israel.
and (וְ - ve): Conjunction linking clauses.
out of (מִן - min): Preposition indicating origin or source.
Egypt (מִצְרַיִם - Mitsrayim): The land of bondage from which God delivered His people.
I called (קָרָאתִי - qara'ti): First-person singular, perfect tense of "to call." Signifies calling to oneself, summoning, or naming. In this context, it means to summon them to follow and become His.
my son (בְּנִי - bini): "My son." Affirms a special, intimate relationship akin to fatherhood, emphasizing God's role as progenitor and protector. This title is a crucial element of God's covenant with Israel.
Group of words: "When Israel was a child" (כִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל נַעַר - ki Yisra'el na‘ar) emphasizes Israel's infancy and immaturity as a nation when God first formed a covenant relationship.
Group of words: "out of Egypt I called my son" (וּמִמִּצְרַיִם קָרָאתִי בְּנִי - u’mimmitsrayim qara’ti b’ni) links the foundational redemptive act of the Exodus directly to Israel's identity as God's beloved son, signifying adoption and divine designation.
Hosea 11 1 Bonus Section
The father-son imagery here establishes a familial bond rooted in divine action and choice. While God is referred to as a Father in many contexts throughout the Old Testament, this verse strongly emphasizes His nurturing and protective role during Israel's infancy as a nation. The repetition of God calling His people "son" across scripture, including the New Testament, cements this intimate and preferential relationship. This paternal love is not earned but is a deliberate act of covenant love, forming the basis of God's interaction with Israel throughout their history, despite their many failings as a "disobedient and rebellious generation" (Psalm 78:8).
Hosea 11 1 Commentary
This verse encapsulates the core of God's relationship with Israel as described in the Old Testament: a divine Father who lovingly brought His chosen people out of bondage, yet whose love was often met with rejection and rebellion. The phrase "out of Egypt I called my son" is particularly significant as it's a direct reference to the Exodus, the defining moment of God's deliverance and Israel's formation as a nation under His care. Matthew's use of this verse in relation to Jesus' return from Egypt (Matt 2:15) highlights Jesus as the ultimate fulfillment of God's calling and His true Son, embodying the ideal relationship that Israel, in its history, failed to fully live up to. It underscores God's enduring love and plan of redemption even in the face of human sin.