Hosea 7 · Verse 11

Hosea 7:11

Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.
Hosea 7:11, King James Version

Hosea 7:11 in other translations

BSBSo Ephraim has become like a silly, senseless dove— calling out to Egypt, then turning to Assyria.
WEB“Ephraim is like an easily deceived dove, without understanding. They call to Egypt. They go to Assyria.
ASVAnd Ephraim is like a silly dove, without understanding: they call unto Egypt, they go to Assyria.
YLTAnd Ephraim is as a simple dove without heart, Egypt they called on-- to Asshur they have gone.
DARBYAnd Ephraim is become like a silly dove without understanding: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.
BBEAnd Ephraim is like a foolish dove, without wisdom; they send out their cry to Egypt, they go to Assyria.
WebsterEphraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.

What does Hosea 7:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
11. like a silly dove--a bird proverbial for simplicity: easily deceived. without heart--that is, understanding. call to Egypt--Israel lying between the two great rival empires Egypt and Assyria, sought each by turns to help her against the other. As this prophecy was written in the reign of Hoshea, the allusion is probably to the alliance with So or Sabacho II (of which a record has been found on the clay cylindrical seals in Koyunjik), which ended in the overthrow of Hoshea and the deportation of Israel (2Ki 17:3-6). As the dove betrays its foolishness by fleeing in alarm from its nest only to fall into the net of the fowler, so Israel, though warned that foreign alliances would be their ruin, rushed into them.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 11 Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart - A bird that has little understanding; that is easily snared and taken; that is careless about its own young, and seems to live without any kind of thought. It has been made, by those who, like itself, are without heart, the symbol of conjugal affection. Nothing worse could have been chosen, for the dove and its mate are continually quarrelling. They call to Egypt, they go to Assyria - They strive to make these their allies and friends; but in this they showed that they were without heart, had not a sound understanding; for these were rival nations, and Israel could not attach itself to the one without incurring the jealousy and displeasure of the other. Thus, like the silly dove, they were constantly falling into snares; sometimes of the Egyptians, at others of the Assyrians. By the former they were betrayed; by the latter, ruined.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Hosea 7:8-16

Israel was as a cake not turned, half burnt and half dough, none of it fit for use; a mixture of idolatry and of the worship of Jehovah. There were tokens of approaching ruin, as grey hairs are of old age, but they noticed them not. The pride which leads to break the law of God leads to self-flattery. The mercy and grace of God are the only refuge to which obstinate sinners never think of fleeing. Though they may…

Read the full comment on Hosea 7:8-16 →

Hosea 7:11 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיְהִ֣יvay.Hiand he has becomeH1961
אֶפְרַ֔יִם'ef.Ra.yimEphraimH669
כְּיוֹנָ֥הke.yo.Nahlike a doveH3123
פוֹתָ֖הfo.TahsillyH6601
אֵ֣ין'einthere notH369
לֵ֑בLev[is] heartH3820
מִצְרַ֥יִםmitz.Ra.yimEgyptH4714
קָרָ֖אוּka.Ra.'uthey have calledH7121
אַשּׁ֥וּר'a.ShurAssyriaH804
הָלָֽכוּ\׃ha.La.khuthey have goneH1980

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Hosea 7:11

  • Hosea 5:13

    When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.

  • Hosea 12:1

    Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt.

  • Hosea 4:11

    Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.

  • Hosea 11:11

    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.

  • Jeremiah 2:18

    And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?

  • Hosea 9:3

    They shall not dwell in the Lord’s land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria.

  • Proverbs 6:32

    But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.

  • Proverbs 17:16

    Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?

  • Proverbs 15:32

    He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.

  • Hosea 14:3

    Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.

  • Isaiah 30:1-6

    Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin: That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt! Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion. For his princes were at Zoan, and his ambassadors came to Hanes. …

  • Jeremiah 2:36

    Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? thou also shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
a silly.
11:11
without.
4:11; Pr 6:32; 15:32; *marg:
Pr 17:16
they call.
5:13; 8:8,9; 9:3; 12:1; 14:3; 2Ki 15:19; 17:3,4; Isa 30:1-6; 31:1-3
Jer 2:18,36; Eze 23:4-8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Hosea 7:10

    And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the Lord their God, nor seek him for all this.

  • Hosea 7:11

    Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.

  • Hosea 7:12

    When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard.

Read all of Hosea 7

Hosea 7:11 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y fué Ephraim como paloma incauta, sin entendimiento: llamarán á Egipto, acudirán al Asirio.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Éphraïm est devenu comme une colombe niaise, sans intelligence; ils appellent l’Égypte, ils vont vers l’Assyrie.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Ephraim ist wie eine einfältige Taube geworden, ohne Verstand; sie rufen Ägypten an, sie gehen nach Assyrien.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et factus est Ephraim quasi columba seducta non habens cor. Ægyptum invocabant; ad Assyrios abierunt.