Will Ephraim Return to Egypt?

In Hosea, we are presented with seemingly contradictive statements. Hosea 8:13 and Hosea 9:3 both say that Ephraim (i.e., Israelites) will return to Egypt, while in Hosea 11, it notes the opposite. There are two main ways of answering this supposed contradiction. Some argue that the Hebrew of these passages were mistranslated. When Hosea 8 and 9 say they will "not"—or in Hebrew, "לא"—return to Egypt, some argue it should be read as "surely" (Crossway 1638; Pulpit; Cambridge). That is, they "shall surely return to Egypt".

Others argue that "Egypt" is being used metaphorically here. They will not literally return to Egypt as Hosea 11 notes, but they will go to a force like Egypt, i.e., Assyria (Crossway 1638). As Hosea 11 states, "[t]hey will not return to the land of Egypt; But Assyria—he will be their king Because they refused to return to Me" (Hosea 11:5 NASB1995).

Chapter 9 seems to make this interpretation particularly clear, "[t]hey will not remain in the Lord’s land, But Ephraim will return to Egypt, And in Assyria they will eat unclean food" (Hosea 9:3 NASB1995). The verse states that they will return to Egypt, but it then goes on to speak of them in Assyria.

To use an analogy, let us say a man returned from a war in Antarctica that was particularly dangerous. His officer tells him that he is now being sent out to war again in a different location. One might say, "off to Antarctica we go". The person does not mean that they are literally heading to Antarctica; rather, a place that is like it.

Works Cited:

ESV Study Bible. United States, Crossway, 2008.

The Pulpit Commentary, Volume 6. United States, Delmarva Publications, Inc., 2015.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges. United Kingdom, The University Press, 1905.