Hosea 11:2 kjv
As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.
Hosea 11:2 nkjv
As they called them, So they went from them; They sacrificed to the Baals, And burned incense to carved images.
Hosea 11:2 niv
But the more they were called, the more they went away from me. They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images.
Hosea 11:2 esv
The more they were called, the more they went away; they kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols.
Hosea 11:2 nlt
But the more I called to him,
the farther he moved from me,
offering sacrifices to the images of Baal
and burning incense to idols.
Hosea 11 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Hosea 11:1 | "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son." | Parent-child love |
| Exodus 4:22 | "Israel is my firstborn son." | Sonship of Israel |
| Deut 7:7 | "The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples," | God's chosen people |
| Isa 43:1 | "But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.'" | God's redemptive calling |
| Jer 31:20 | "Is not Ephraim my dear son? Is he not my delightful child? For as often as I speak against him, I do remember him still. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him, declares the Lord." | God's tender mercy |
| Ps 103:8 | "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love." | God's attributes |
| Jer 2:11 | "Has a nation changed its gods? —yet they are no gods! But my people have changed their Glory for that which does not profit." | Idolatry contrast |
| Hos 2:8 | "For she did not know that I gave her grain, wine, and oil, and that I lavished on her silver and gold, which they used for Baal." | Idolatry's origin |
| Hos 4:12 | "My people inquire of a wooden idol, and their staff gives them answers; for a spirit of sexual immorality has led them astray, and they have left their God." | Spirit of immorality |
| Hos 8:5 | "The calf of Samaria shall be brought to confusion; his makers thereof are not God: for from the hand of the craftsman it came: yes, it is no god; it shall be broken in pieces." | Idol creation |
| Hos 9:10 | "I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstfruits of the fig tree at its first blosson." | God's initial discovery |
| Hos 10:1 | "Israel is a luxuriant vine that bears its own fruit. But as his fruit increased, he increased his altars; as his land prospered, he made his sacred pillars more splendid." | Fruitfulness and sin |
| Hos 13:5 | "I fed you in the wilderness, in the land of great drought." | God's provision |
| Neh 9:11 | "Your paths brought them through the Red Sea, and a path through the great waters." | Red Sea crossing |
| Ps 78:12 | "In the sight of their fathers he wrought wonders in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan." | Wonders in Egypt |
| Ps 78:13 | "He divided the sea and made them pass through; he made the waters stand like a heap." | Sea division |
| Ps 78:17 | "But they sinned still more against him by rebelling against the Most High in the desert." | Rebellion in wilderness |
| Hos 11:12 | "Ephraim has compassed me with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit; but Judah is yet unsubdued by God, and by the saints who are faithful." | Lies and deceit |
| Acts 7:41 | "And they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to the idol and rejoiced in the works of their own hands." | Calf worship |
| Matt 2:15 | "...that it might fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: ‘Out of Egypt I called my son.’" | Fulfillment citation |
| John 10:34 | Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’?" | Divine nature |
| Rom 11:26 | "and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written, 'The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish godlessness from Jacob.'" | Future salvation |
| 1 Cor 10:14 | "Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry." | Flee idolatry |
| 2 Cor 6:17 | "Therefore go out from among them, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you." | Separation from idolatry |
Hosea 11 verses
Hosea 11 2 Meaning
The verse describes God's relationship with Israel, likening it to a father's love for his son. Despite Israel's backsliding and frequent calling to worship idols, God brought them out of Egypt, nourished and healed them. However, when God called them, they did not return to Him; instead, they offered sacrifices to other gods, showing their persistent disobedience and preference for pagan worship.
Hosea 11 2 Context
Hosea's prophecy unfolds during a period of significant apostasy for the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The nation, once cherished as God's son, has deeply compromised its covenant relationship through pervasive idolatry and political entanglements. This chapter serves as a lament by God over Israel's persistent unfaithfulness, contrasting His enduring love and past actions with their present rebellion. Historically, this was a time of instability, with the Assyrian Empire looming as a major threat. The people’s turning to foreign gods was seen as a betrayal of the unique relationship God established with them, and a misguided attempt to secure protection. The verse highlights God's foundational acts of salvation, specifically the exodus from Egypt, which marked the birth of Israel as His people.
Hosea 11 2 Word Analysis
וְעָבָרוּ (wəʿāḇərū): "and they pass over" or "and they shall pass over." Refers to moving on, but here, in the context of their return. The Septuagint translates this as "and they shall return." This word implies a turning or crossing from one state to another.
לִי (lî): "to me." A prepositional phrase indicating direction and destination, highlighting where they should have turned.
כִּי (kî): "for" or "because." Introduces a reason for something. Here, it introduces their turning to me, or rather, their failing to do so.
שְׁאֵלִים (šəʾēlîm): "Baalim" or "lords." Plural of Ba'al. This word signifies the false gods they turned to, the powerful Canaanite deities associated with fertility and dominion. Their worship of these gods was a direct affront to Yahweh's exclusive sovereignty.
וּנְבִיאִים (ū·nəḇîʾîm): "and prophets." Here, it refers to the false prophets, those who prophesied in the name of idols or offered deceptive counsel, leading Israel further astray.
וְשַׁלְּמוּ (wəšal·lēmū): "and they pay" or "and they offer." Refers to paying vows or offering sacrifices.
לַשָּׁקֶר (laššeqer): "to falsehood" or "to lying." Emphasizes the vanity and deceitfulness of the idols and their worship. The sacrifices offered were to entities that could not profit or deliver.
וַאֲנִי (waʾănî): "and I." This emphatically contrasts God's persistent action and love with their turning away.
חִפַּשְׂתִּי (ḥippaś·tî): "I sought" or "I looked for." Implies actively searching, indicating God’s desire to find them and restore them, His diligent attention.
כֹּהֵן (kōhēn): "priest." Refers to priests who officiated at the high places or the temple. Here, the priests were also part of the spiritual defection.
יִקְרְאוּ (yiq·rəʾū): "they call." They called upon, invoked, or worshipped.
בִּשְׁמִי (bišmî): "in my name." A critical phrase. They should have called in His name, acknowledging His authority and covenant. Their failure to do so signifies their rejection of Him.
Groups of Words Analysis:
- "but they have not passed over to me": This phrase captures the essence of Israel's unreturned devotion, their failure to complete the journey back to their covenant Lord after He had drawn them out.
- "though I had poured out my spirit, healed them": Highlights God's lavish grace and tender care—His spirit upon them and His healing—which they received yet did not reciprocate with faithfulness.
- "they offer sacrifices to the Baals and burn incense to idols": This starkly juxtaposes God’s redemptive actions with their idolatrous response. The worship described is a contractual obligation to false gods for agricultural or other benefits, rather than covenantal relationship with the sovereign God.
Hosea 11 2 Bonus Section
The "Baalim" (lords) are consistently presented in scripture as a symbol of illicit sexual and spiritual union, which was often associated with fertility cults in the ancient Near East. Israel's turning to Baals, particularly the prominent deity Baal-Peor, is described as harlotry. The mention of prophets who offer sacrifices points to a complete systemic breakdown where religious leadership itself led the people astray. This verse sets the stage for the entire prophetic message of Hosea, which is a call to repentance from a God who loves His unfaithful spouse with a passionate, yet grieved, heart. The contrast between God's drawing out and healing, and Israel's giving "offerings" to idols, emphasizes that true provision and healing only come from Him.
Hosea 11 2 Commentary
This verse expresses the heartache of God over His people's persistent apostasy. God lovingly delivered Israel from Egyptian bondage, the foundational act of their nationhood, and poured out His nurturing presence and healing power upon them. Despite these immense mercies, Israel chose to worship false gods (Baals) and offer sacrifices to them, not out of ignorance, but as a deliberate redirection of their covenantal loyalty. They should have returned to God, seeking Him and offering their worship and sacrifices according to His commands. Instead, their allegiance shifted, enticed by the promises of fertility and prosperity attributed to the Canaanite deities. God's "seeking" them implies a persistent, longing search for their return, underscoring His desire for relationship over judgment. They called upon false names and offered to falsehoods, indicating the futility and deceitfulness of their chosen path, a direct violation of the First Commandment. The passage reveals God's sorrow at their self-destructive choice, preferring to offer themselves to spiritual ruin rather than to the God of their salvation.