Hosea 10:11 Meaning and Explanation
“And Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, and loveth 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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Ephraim was a trained heifer that loved easy work, but now God will lay the yoke on her and put all His people to hard plowing.
What Does Hosea 10:11 Mean?
Hosea pictures Ephraim as a young cow trained to thresh grain, light and pleasant labor in which the animal could eat as it worked. But God will lay a yoke on her fair neck and set her to the heavier task. Judah will plow and Jacob will break the clods; the whole people is summoned from ease to demanding work.
The image prepares for the great invitation of the next verse. God disrupts a comfortable, self-pleasing life not to crush His people but to put them to the labor that bears real fruit. The hard plowing of discipline opens the ground of the heart, readying it for the seed of righteousness and the rain of His grace.
Hosea 10:11 in the Original Language
eglah (עֶגְלָה), 'heifer' -- a young cow, here Ephraim grown fond of easy labor before the yoke is laid on.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hosea 10:11
What does Hosea 10:11 mean?
Ephraim was a trained heifer that loved easy work, but now God will lay the yoke on her and put all His people to hard plowing.