Hosea

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Hosea 11 – Skeptic's Annotated Bible answered

A response and reply to the notes on Hosea 11 in the Skeptic's Annotated Bible (SAB).

King James Version

SAB comment

My comment

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

Matthew (2:15) claims that the flight of Jesus' family to Egypt is a fulfillment of this verse. But Hosea 11:1 is not a prophecy. It is a reference to the Hebrew exodus from Egypt and has nothing to do with Jesus. Matthew tries to hide this fact by quoting only the last part of the verse ("Out of Egypt I have called my son").

The author of the SAB creates a definition for the use of prophecy which doesn't cover Biblical usage and next says the Bible doesn't use prophecy according to his definition and therefore contains contradictions.
But of course we have to consider the use of prophecy as the Bible uses it. It is its own genre, and there is no example in literature outside the Bible. So therefore the use by Matthew is correct by definition.
On the particulars, the author of the SAB reads this verse as “When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and I called that child out of Egypt.’ But with John Gill I read this as: “When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and therefore I called my son Jesus Christ out of Egypt.’ I.e. God loved his people, and therefore send Jesus Christ to this earth.

2 As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.

3 I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.

4 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.

5 He shall not return into the land of Egypt, but the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to return.

(11:3-5) Will Ephraim return to Egypt?

See chapter 8:13.

6 And the sword shall abide on his cities, and shall consume his branches, and devour them, because of their own counsels.

7 And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him.

"None at all would exalt him."
The featured quote at Godisajoke.com.

Indeed the quote of those bent on backsliding. But this site seems to have been taken over by advertisers.

8 How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.

9 I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city.

10 They shall walk after the LORD: he shall roar like a lion: when he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west.

God can roar like a lion.

John Gill explains the comparison to a lion as follows:

Christ, the essential Word of God: and so Jarchi, according to Lyra, interprets it of the Messiah to come; who is compared to a lion for his strength and courage, and for the fierceness of his wrath against his enemies; and his voice, in his word, is like the roaring of a lion, exceeding loud, and reaching far, even the uttermost parts of the earth; as it did in the first times of the Gospel, and will in the last; and which the Jews particularly, in each of the parts of the world, will hear, and Gentiles also, and be affected with it; for it will be also very strong, powerful, and efficacious; which is another reason of its being compared to a lion roaring; see Joel 3:16;

11 They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria: and I will place them in their houses, saith the LORD.

12 Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints.