Hosea 11:1-9
Good News Translation
God's Love for His Rebellious People
11 (A)The Lord says,
“When Israel was a child, I loved him
and called him out of Egypt as my son.[a]
2 But the more I[b] called to him,
the more he turned away from me.[c]
My people sacrificed to Baal;
they burned incense to idols.
3 Yet I was the one who taught Israel to walk.
I took my people up in my arms,[d]
but they did not acknowledge that I took care of them.
4 I drew them to me with affection and love.
I picked them up and held them to my cheek;
I bent down to them and fed them.[e]
5 “They refuse to return to me, and so they must return to Egypt, and Assyria will rule them. 6 War will sweep through their cities and break down the city gates. It will destroy my people because they do what they themselves think best. 7 They insist on turning away from me. They will cry out because of the yoke that is on them, but no one will lift it from them.[f]
8 (B)“How can I give you up, Israel?
How can I abandon you?
Could I ever destroy you as I did Admah,
or treat you as I did Zeboiim?
My heart will not let me do it!
My love for you is too strong.
9 I will not punish you in my anger;
I will not destroy Israel again.
For I am God and not a mere human being.
I, the Holy One, am with you.
I will not come to you in anger.
Footnotes
- Hosea 11:1 him, and called him … son; or him; from the time he left Egypt I have called him my son.
- Hosea 11:2 One ancient translation I; Hebrew they.
- Hosea 11:2 One ancient translation me; Hebrew them.
- Hosea 11:3 One ancient translation I … my arms; Hebrew He … his arms.
- Hosea 11:4 Verse 4 in Hebrew is unclear.
- Hosea 11:7 Verse 7 in Hebrew is unclear.
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.