The Meaning of Hosea 11:10 Explained

Hosea 11:10

KJV: They shall walk after the LORD: he shall roar like a lion: when he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west.

YLT: After Jehovah they go -- as a lion He roareth, When He doth roar, then tremble do the sons from the west.

Darby: They shall walk after Jehovah; he shall roar like a lion; when he shall roar, then the children shall hasten from the west:

ASV: They shall walk after Jehovah, who will roar like a lion; for he will roar, and the children shall come trembling from the west.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

They shall walk  after  the LORD:  he shall roar  like a lion:  when he shall roar,  then the children  shall tremble  from the west. 

What does Hosea 11:10 Mean?

Verse Meaning

In the future the Israelites would follow the Lord (cf. Hosea 11:2; Hosea 11:5). He would again announce His intentions like a roaring lion (cf. Hosea 5:14; Hosea 13:7; Amos 1:2; Amos 3:8). However this time it would not be as a lion about to devour its prey but as a lion leading its cubs to safety. The Israelites would follow Him trembling from the west (cf. Hosea 3:5; Exodus 19:16).
Since Assyria lay to Israel"s east, it seems that this reference to regathering from the west does not refer to return from Assyrian captivity. Apparently it refers to return from another worldwide dispersion. Presently the Israelites live dispersed all over the world. This verse then probably alludes to a still future restoration from our perspective in history. It may refer to the restoration that Antichrist will encourage ( Daniel 9:27), but it probably refers to the streaming of Israel back into the land following Jesus Christ"s return to the earth (cf. Isaiah 11:11-12).

Context Summary

Hosea 11:1-11 - "bands Of Love"
This is a very tender chapter, full of moving appeals. God looks back on the happy, blessed past, as a fond parent on the innocent childhood of a son who is now causing endless pain and grief. He recapitulates the call from Egypt, and relates how, in obedience to His appeal, Israel came out of the idolatries of that country. He describes Israel as a tiny child beginning to walk, and says, I taught him to go. He compares the Israel of those days to horses or oxen, relieved of the yoke, before whom food is set. Let us remember that God is also willing to teach us to go, and to carry us when we are weary.
The blessed childhood of Israel had become like an overcast morning. They were bent on backsliding. But God's love is not easily repelled. What more pathetic words were ever uttered by broken-hearted parents than Hosea 11:8-9! That is the motive of our plea still. If we were dealing with man, we might despair. But we are dealing with One who forgives us according to the riches of His grace. If a back-slider should read these touching appeals, let him be encouraged to retrace His steps one by one, sure that the Father waits to welcome him where the by-path has broken off from the main road. [source]

Chapter Summary: Hosea 11

1  The ingratitude of Israel unto God for his benefits
5  His judgment
8  God's mercy toward them
12  Israel's falsehood and Judah's fidelity

What do the individual words in Hosea 11:10 mean?

After Yahweh they shall walk like a lion He will roar when He roars and shall come trembling [His] sons from the west
אַחֲרֵ֧י יְהוָ֛ה יֵלְכ֖וּ כְּאַרְיֵ֣ה יִשְׁאָ֑ג כִּֽי־ ה֣וּא יִשְׁאַ֔ג וְיֶחֶרְד֥וּ בָנִ֖ים מִיָּֽם

אַחֲרֵ֧י  After 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
יְהוָ֛ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
יֵלְכ֖וּ  they  shall  walk 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
כְּאַרְיֵ֣ה  like  a  lion 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲרִי 
Sense: lion.
יִשְׁאָ֑ג  He  will  roar 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁאַג  
Sense: (Qal) to roar.
יִשְׁאַ֔ג  roars 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁאַג  
Sense: (Qal) to roar.
וְיֶחֶרְד֥וּ  and  shall  come  trembling 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: חָרַד  
Sense: to tremble, quake, move about, be afraid, be startled, be terrified.
בָנִ֖ים  [His]  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
מִיָּֽם  from  the  west 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָם  
Sense: sea.