Ephraim is as a Taught Heifer - Hosea 10:11

In the book of Hosea, Hosea shared how Jehovah God said about Israel, “It is in my desire that I should chastise them; and the people shall be gathered against them, when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows”, and in chapter ten and verse eleven of Hosea, Hosea said, “Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught” where we read,

And Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, and loves to tread out the corn;

but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to ride;

Judah shall plow, and Jacob shall break his clods.

The verse begins, “And Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, and loves to tread out the corn;” Hosea began with the words, “and Ephraim” or “and Ephraim whose name means double ash-heap or I shall be doubly fruitful and was the name sometimes used for the northern kingdom” “is as an heifer” which means “exists as a female calf or a nearly grown cow” “that is taught” or “which exists as exercised, trained and instructed”,  “and loves to tread out” which means “and has great affection to thresh, trample and break down” “the corn” or “the grain or wheat”. Hosea said “Ephraim” was similar to a young calf that is trained and has a great affection for threshing or breaking down grain. 

The verse goes on to say, “but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to ride;” Hosea continued with the words, “but I passed over” or “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover I, Jehovah God, crossed and placed” “upon her fair neck” which means “on her, Ephraim's, good, beautiful and prosperous neck of the body”: “I will make”or “I, Jehovah God, shall cause” “Ephraim to ride” which means “Ephraim, whose name means double ash-heap or I shall be doubly fruitful and was the name sometimes used for the northern kingdom, to mount and draw”. Hosea shared how Jehovah God took the easy path away from Israel and added a heavy “yoke” to their tender “neck”, and this would cause “Ephraim” to “plow” with a load. 

Finally the verse says, “Judah shall plow, and Jacob shall break his clods.” Hosea concluded this verse with the words, “Judah shall plow” or “Judah whose name means praised and was the kingdom comprised of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin which occupied the southern part of Canaan after the nation split upon the death of Solomon”, “and Jacob” which means “and Jacob whose name means heel holder or supplanter and was the son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham and the father of the twelve patriarchs of the tribes of Israel” “shall break his clods” or “will harrow and make straight and level his, Judah's, hardened ground”. Hosea ended this verse by referring to the way Jehovah God would force and cause “Judah”, “Israel” and “Jacob” to break up the hard ground. 

When we consider the words in this verse, we learn how Hosea referred to the way Jehovah God would involve Himself within the lives of the “people of Israel”, and because they chose to worship other gods and idols, He would alter the easy path they had trod upon and add difficulty to their lives that was unnecessary if they only yielded and aligned themselves with Him. It is the same for anyone who will yield to His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind. When we surrender to Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and provide His Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth and to empower us to live according to that truth so we never have have His “heavy yoke” placed upon us. 

Next time Hosea says, “sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".