God’s Love for Israel

11 “When Israel was a child,(A) I loved(B) him,
    and out of Egypt I called my son.(C)
But the more they were called,
    the more they went away from me.[a](D)
They sacrificed to the Baals(E)
    and they burned incense to images.(F)

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Footnotes

  1. Hosea 11:2 Septuagint; Hebrew them

11 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.

As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.

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My people are determined to turn(A) from me.(B)
    Even though they call me God Most High,
    I will by no means exalt them.

“How can I give you up,(C) Ephraim?(D)
    How can I hand you over, Israel?
How can I treat you like Admah?
    How can I make you like Zeboyim?(E)
My heart is changed within me;
    all my compassion(F) is aroused.(G)
I will not carry out my fierce anger,(H)
    nor will I devastate(I) Ephraim again.
For I am God, and not a man(J)
    the Holy One(K) among you.
    I will not come against their cities.
10 They will follow the Lord;
    he will roar(L) like a lion.(M)
When he roars,
    his children will come trembling(N) from the west.(O)

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And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him.

How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.

I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city.

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

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