Hosea · Chapter 11 · God's Love
Hosea 11:4 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context
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Both translations, side by side
WEB · World English Bible
"I drew them with cords of a man, with ties of love; and I was to them like those who lift up the yoke on their necks; and I bent down to him and I fed him."
KJV · King James Version
"I drew4900 them with cords2256 of a man120, with bands5688 of love160: and I was to them as they that take off7311 the yoke5923 on their jaws3895, and I laid5186 meat398 unto them. take off: Heb. lift up"
How the translations differ: The WEB is a modern public-domain revision of the 1901 ASV; the KJV dates to 1611. The KJV uses bands, they, that, take, while the WEB renders these as ties, like, those, who. Both translate the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text — the differences are stylistic, not theological.
In context
Hosea 11:4 in Hosea 11
A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is Hosea 11:4 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of Hosea 11. Read the full chapter →
- v.2 They called to them, so they went from them. They sacrificed to the Baals, and burned incense to engraved images.
- v.3 Yet I taught Ephraim to walk. I took them by his arms; but they didn’t know that I healed them.
- v.4 I drew them with cords of a man, with ties of love; and I was to them like those who lift up the yoke on their necks; and I bent down to him and I fed him.
- v.5 “They won’t return into the land of Egypt; but the Assyrian will be their king, because they refused to repent.
- v.6 The sword will fall on their cities, and will destroy the bars of their gates, and will put an end to their plans.
Book background
About the Book of Hosea
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Genre
- Minor prophet
- Author
- Hosea
- Date written
- c. 755–710 BC
- Audience
- The northern kingdom of Israel
- Chapters
- 14
God commanded Hosea to marry Gomer, an unfaithful woman, as a living picture of Israel's spiritual adultery. Despite repeated betrayal, Hosea kept loving and redeeming her — illustrating God's relentless covenant love for a faithless people. The book's declaration "I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice" (6:6) was quoted by Jesus.
Setting: Northern Israel in the decades before its fall to Assyria (722 BC).
Key themes: covenant love · unfaithfulness · judgment · restoration · mercy
Memorisation aid
How to memorise Hosea 11:4
Hosea 11:4 contains 37 words in 4 clauses. Learn one clause at a time, then chain them. The first-letter mnemonic (FLM) under each clause is a memory hook — once you can speak the FLM from memory, the full clause follows.
- 1
I drew them with cords of a man
IDTWCO
- 2
with ties of love
WTOL
- 3
and I was to them like those who lift up the yoke on their necks
AIWTTL
- 4
and I bent down to him and I fed him.
AIBDTH
Frequently asked
FAQ about Hosea 11:4
What does Hosea 11:4 say?
Hosea 11:4 reads: "I drew them with cords of a man, with ties of love; and I was to them like those who lift up the yoke on their necks; and I bent down to him and I fed him." — from the Old Testament, Hosea (Minor prophet). The full verse is shown above with both the World English Bible (WEB) and King James Version (KJV) translations side by side.
What book of the Bible is Hosea 11:4 in?
Hosea 11:4 is in the book of Hosea, traditionally attributed to Hosea and written around c. 755–710 BC. Hosea is minor prophet in the Old Testament, originally addressed to The northern kingdom of Israel. Best known for Hosea's marriage as a picture of God's love.
What is Hosea 11:4 about?
Hosea 11:4 is primarily a Bible verse about God's Love. Within Hosea, God commanded Hosea to marry Gomer, an unfaithful woman, as a living picture of Israel's spiritual adultery. Read the full passage above with surrounding context.
What is the difference between Hosea 11:4 in WEB and KJV?
Hosea 11:4 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "I drew them with cords of a man, with ties of love; and I was to them like those who lift up the yoke on their necks; and I bent down to him and I fed him.". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "I drew4900 them with cords2256 of a man120, with bands5688 of love160: and I was to them as they that take off7311 the yoke5923 on their jaws3895, and I laid5186 meat398 unto them. take off: Heb. lift up". The WEB is a modern public-domain translation that updates the KJV's 1611 English while keeping a similar formal-equivalence style. Both render the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text.
How long is Hosea 11:4?
Hosea 11:4 is 37 words in the WEB translation (155 characters), broken into 4 clauses. It is a longer verse, often broken into smaller phrases for memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 11 seconds.
How can I memorise Hosea 11:4?
To memorise Hosea 11:4, split it into its 4 natural clauses and learn one at a time. Repeat the full verse out loud five times, then write it from memory. Saving the verse as a photo wallpaper using our verse image studio helps daily review — the visual association with a memorable background dramatically improves recall.
Why does Hosea 11:4 matter in Hosea?
God commanded Hosea to marry Gomer, an unfaithful woman, as a living picture of Israel's spiritual adultery. Despite repeated betrayal, Hosea kept loving and redeeming her — illustrating God's relentless covenant love for a faithless people. The book's declaration "I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice" (6:6) was quoted by Jesus. Hosea 11:4 sits within this larger story — Hosea as a whole emphasises covenant love, unfaithfulness, judgment.
How can I apply Hosea 11:4 today?
Many readers use Hosea 11:4 as a daily reminder verse — saving it as a phone wallpaper, sharing it on Pinterest, or memorising it for prayer. The verse studio on this page lets you download Hosea 11:4 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.
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