Hosea 4:16

16 The people of Israel are stubborn. They are as stubborn as a young cow. So how can I take care of them like lambs in a meadow?

Hosea 4:16 Meaning and Commentary

Hosea 4:16

For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer
A heifer or young cow Israel is compared unto; the rather, because of the object of their idolatrous worship, the calves at Dan and Bethel: the Septuagint calls them "heifers": which they are hereby put in mind of, and upbraided with; as also to express their brutish stupidity in worshipping such idols, in which they obstinately persisted: and so were like a "refractory" and "untamed" heifer, as some F23 render it, which will not be kept within bounds, either within doors or without, but breaks through, and passes over, all fences and enclosures; as they did, who transgressed the laws of God, and would not be restrained by them: or like a heifer unaccustomed to the yoke, which will not submit to it, but wriggles its neck from under it: so the Israelites would not be subject to the yoke of the law of God, were sons of Belial, children without a yoke; or like one, though yoked, yet would not draw the plough, but slid back in the furrows, even though goaded; so they, though stimulated by the prophets, whose words were as goads and pricks to push them on, yet would not hearken to them, but pulled away the shoulder, and slid back from the ways and worship of God; hence called backsliding Israel, ( Jeremiah 3:6 ) , and this is either a reason why Judah should not follow their example, because backsliders, or why they should be punished, as follows: now,
or "therefore" F24, the Lord will feed them as a lamb in a large place:
not that they were like lambs for the good properties of them, innocence, harmlessness, meekness, and patience; nor fed as the Lord feeds his lambs, and gathers them in his arms; but either as a heifer in sheep pasture, in short commons, for that creature cannot live where sheep and lambs can; or rather as a lamb that is alone, separate from the flock, not under the care of any shepherd; but exposed to every beast of prey upon a large common, on a wild desert and uncultivated place; afraid of every thing it hears and sees; bleating after its dam, of whose sustenance and nourishment it is destitute; and so is expressive of the state and condition of Israel in captivity, in the large Assyrian empire; and dispersed among the nations, where they were weak and helpless, destitute of all good things, and exposed to all dangers, and to every enemy. Aben Ezra and Kimchi understand the words in a good sense, that the Lord would have fed them as lambs in a large place, in an affluent manner, but that they rebelled and backslided: and to this sense the Targum seems to incline, which paraphrases the whole verse thus,

``for as an ox which is fattened and kicks, so Israel rebels because of the multitude of good things; now the Lord will lead them as a choice lamb in a valley,''
or plain: and so Noldius, "though Israel is refractory" notwithstanding the Lord will feed them
; and indeed the phrase is used in a good sense in ( Isaiah 30:23 ) , but there herds and flocks are spoken of, and not a single lamb, as here; though Kimchi thinks the singular is put for the plural, lamb for lambs.
FOOTNOTES:

F23 (hrro) "refractaria", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Tarnovius, Schmidt; "indomita", Calvin, Drusius.
F24 (htew) "quare, ideo, nunc itaque", Schmidt; "igitur nunc", Coeceius.

Hosea 4:16 In-Context

14 "I will not punish your daughters when they become prostitutes. I will not judge your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery. After all, the men themselves have sex with sinful women. They offer sacrifices where temple prostitutes earn their living. People who can't understand will be destroyed!
15 "Israel, you are not faithful to me. But I do not want Judah to become guilty too. "My people, do not go to Gilgal to offer sacrifices. Do not go up to Bethel to worship other gods. Do not take an oath and say, 'You can be sure that the LORD is alive.'
16 The people of Israel are stubborn. They are as stubborn as a young cow. So how can I take care of them like lambs in a meadow?
17 The people of Ephraim have joined themselves to other gods. And nothing can be done to help them.
18 They continue to be unfaithful to me even when their drinks are gone. And their rulers love to do shameful things.
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