Hosea 7:11

Authorized King James Version

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

Original Language Analysis

וַיְהִ֣י H1961
וַיְהִ֣י
Strong's: H1961
Word #: 1 of 10
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
אֶפְרַ֔יִם Ephraim H669
אֶפְרַ֔יִם Ephraim
Strong's: H669
Word #: 2 of 10
ephrajim, a son of joseph; also the tribe descended from him, and its territory
כְּיוֹנָ֥ה dove H3123
כְּיוֹנָ֥ה dove
Strong's: H3123
Word #: 3 of 10
a dove (apparently from the warmth of their mating)
פוֹתָ֖ה also is like a silly H6601
פוֹתָ֖ה also is like a silly
Strong's: H6601
Word #: 4 of 10
to open, i.e., be (causatively, make) roomy; usually figuratively (in a mental or moral sense) to be (causatively, make) simple or (in a sinister way)
אֵ֣ין H369
אֵ֣ין
Strong's: H369
Word #: 5 of 10
a nonentity; generally used as a negative particle
לֵ֑ב without heart H3820
לֵ֑ב without heart
Strong's: H3820
Word #: 6 of 10
the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the center of anything
מִצְרַ֥יִם to Egypt H4714
מִצְרַ֥יִם to Egypt
Strong's: H4714
Word #: 7 of 10
mitsrajim, i.e., upper and lower egypt
קָרָ֖אוּ they call H7121
קָרָ֖אוּ they call
Strong's: H7121
Word #: 8 of 10
to call out to (i.e., properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)
אַשּׁ֥וּר to Assyria H804
אַשּׁ֥וּר to Assyria
Strong's: H804
Word #: 9 of 10
ashshur, the second son of shem; also his descendants and the country occupied by them (i.e., assyria), its region and its empire
הָלָֽכוּ׃ they go H1980
הָלָֽכוּ׃ they go
Strong's: H1980
Word #: 10 of 10
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)

Analysis & Commentary

God's metaphor for Israel's foolish foreign policy: 'Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.' The Hebrew 'ke-yonah potah en-leb' (like a simple/foolish dove without heart/sense) depicts a bird easily trapped, flitting between predators. Israel vacillated between appealing to Egypt and Assyria for protection (2 Kings 17:4), playing great powers against each other—geopolitical foolishness that hastened their destruction. 'Without heart' means lacking understanding/wisdom. Rather than trusting YHWH (who delivered them from Egypt originally), they sought security in political alliances with pagan empires. This epitomizes unbelief: trusting human solutions over divine provision. The principle applies broadly: believers who seek worldly security over God's promises act as 'silly doves,' vulnerable to the very powers they court.

Historical Context

Israel's final decades (740s-720s BC) featured frantic diplomacy as Assyrian power grew. King Hoshea (last king of Israel) conspired with Egypt against Assyria (2 Kings 17:4), provoking Assyrian invasion. This 'dove' strategy backfired catastrophically: neither Egypt nor Assyria saved them; Assyria conquered Samaria (722 BC), deported the population, and ended the northern kingdom. God had warned against Egyptian alliances (Deuteronomy 17:16) and promised protection if they trusted Him. Their refusal demonstrated functional atheism—covenant breaking manifested in pragmatic reliance on pagans. Judah later repeated this mistake, trusting Egypt against Babylon (Jeremiah 37:7), with similar results. Human schemes cannot substitute for divine providence.

Questions for Reflection