³ “I^(D) taught Ephraim to walk,
Taking them by ^[d]their arms;
But they did not know that ^(E)I healed them.
⁴ I drew them with ^[e]gentle cords,
With bands of love,
And ^(F)I was to them as those who take the yoke from their ^[f]neck.
^(G)I stooped and fed them.

⁵ “He shall not return to the land of Egypt;
But the Assyrian shall be his king,
Because they refused to repent.
⁶ And the sword shall slash in his cities,
Devour his districts,
And consume them,
Because of their own counsels.
⁷ My people are bent on ^(H)backsliding from Me.
Though ^[g]they call ^[h]to the Most High,
None at all exalt Him.

⁸ “How^(I) can I give you up, Ephraim?
How can I hand you over, Israel?
How can I make you like ^(J)Admah?
How can I set you like Zeboiim?
My heart ^[i]churns within Me;
My sympathy is stirred.
⁹ I will not execute the fierceness of My anger;
I will not again destroy Ephraim.
^(K)For I am God, and not man,
The Holy One in your midst;
And I will not ^[j]come with terror.

¹⁰ “They shall walk after the Lord.
^(L)He will roar like a lion.
When He roars,
Then His sons shall come trembling from the west;
¹¹ They shall come trembling like a bird from Egypt,
^(M)Like a dove from the land of Assyria.
^(N)And I will let them dwell in their houses,”
Says the Lord.