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Hosea

Hosea 
Day 
Day 119

"I will make Ephraim pull a plow"

Text: Hosea 10:11

A FURTHER DESCRIPTION OF THE CHASTISEMENT

There was a further word about the chastisement that both Israel and Judah would endure.

“Ephraim is a trained heifer
That loves to thresh grain;
But I harnessed her fair neck,
I will make Ephraim pull a plow.
Judah shall plow;
Jacob shall break his clods.”
Hosea 10:11

1. “Ephraim is a trained heifer that loves to thresh grain”

a) “A trained heifer”
i) It is a cow in contrast to a bull.
ii) It is a cow that has borne only one calf.
iii) It is not used to hard labour.
iv) This imagery was used to describe Ephraim’s inclination to a soft life.
b) “That loves to thresh grain”
i) Treading grain is one of the gentler pieces a domestic animal may perform.
ii) A heifer just walks leisurely to tread out grain.
iii) It is not very strenuous at all.

2. “But I harnessed her fair neck”

a) This describes the hard labour that Ephraim would be forced to do.
b) Her life of ease was over.
c) Ephraim would not have a fair neck anymore under the Assyrian conquerors.

3. “I will make Ephraim pull a plow”

a) This would be hard work indeed.
b) Ephraim would be forced to do hard labour by the Assyrians.
c) This would be part of the chastisement that God would force Israel to bear.

4. “Judah shall plow”

a) Judah would not have an easier time.
b) The nation would have to do hard labour too!
Plowing was hard work!

5. “Jacob shall break his clods”

a) Jacob had to work very hard to support his large family.
b) Jacob suffered much for his sins. Similarly, Israel and Judah would suffer for their sins too!