John Calvin Commentary Hosea 11:3

"Yet I taught Ephraim to walk; I took them on my arms; but they knew not that I healed them." — Hosea 11:3 (ASV)

Here again God amplifies the sin of the people, by saying that by no kindness, even for a long time, could they be persuaded, or turned, or reformed, or restored to a sound mind. It was surely enough that the people of Israel, who had been brought by the hand of God from the grave to the light of life, should have rejected every instruction; it was a great and an atrocious sin. But now God goes on further, and says that He had not ceased to show His love to them, and yet had achieved nothing by His perseverance, for the wickedness and depravity of the people were incurable.

Hence He says, I have led Ephraim on foot. Some are of the opinion that it is a noun, from רגל, regel, foot, and this seems the most suitable. For otherwise there would be a change of a letter, which grammarians do not allow in the beginning of a word; for ת, tau, in this case would be put instead of ה, he—and put so as if it were of frequent occurrence in Hebrew; but no such instance can be cited.

So those who are skilled in the language think that for this reason it is a noun, and with them I agree. Those, however, who regard it as a verb, give this view: “I have led him on foot, תרגלתי, teregelti; that is, as a child who cannot yet walk with a firm step is gradually accustomed to do so, and the nurse, or the father, or the mother, who lead him, are considerate of his infancy; so also have I led Israel, as much as his feet could bear.”

But the other version is less obscure, and that is, My walking on foot was for him; that is, I humbled Myself as mothers are accustomed to do. And therefore He says that He had carried the people on His shoulders; and we will soon see the same comparison used.

And Moses says in Deuteronomy that the people had been carried on God’s wings, or that God had spread His wings like the eagle who flies over her young ones. Regarding the matter itself, the meaning of the Prophet is not obscure; for he means that these people had been treated by God in a fatherly and indulgent manner, and also that the Lord’s perseverance in continuing to bestow His blessings on them had been without any fruit.

He afterwards adds, To carry on his arms. Some render the expression, קחם, kochem, “He carried them,” as if the verb were in the past tense; and they consider the word ‘Moses’ to be implied. But it is God who speaks here. Some think it to be an infinitive—“To carry,” as when one carries another on his shoulders; and this seems to be the most suitable explanation.

There is no ambiguity in the meaning; for the Prophet’s purpose is what I have already stated, which is to show that these people were most wicked in not obeying God, since they had been so kindly treated by Him. For what could they have expected more than what God had done for them?

As He also says by Isaiah, ‘What, my vine, ought I to have done more than what I have done?’ (Isaiah 5:4). So also in this place, My walking has been on foot with Ephraim; and for this end, to carry them, as when one carries another in his arms. ‘They yet,’ He says, ‘did not know that I healed them’ (Hosea 11:3); that is, “Neither the beginning of My goodness, nor its continued exercise, has any effect on them.”

“When I brought them out of Egypt, I restored the dead to life; this kindness has been forgotten. Again, in the desert I testified, in various ways, that I was their best and most indulgent Father: I have in this instance also lost all My labor.” How so? “Because My favor has been in no way acknowledged by these perverse and foolish people.” We now see then what the Prophet meant; and he continues the same subject in the next verse.