Hosea 11
Christian Standard Bible
The Lord’s Love for Israel
11 When Israel was a child, I loved him,(A)
and out of Egypt I called my son.(B)
2 Israel called to the Egyptians(C)
even as Israel was leaving them.[a]
They kept sacrificing to the Baals(D)
and burning offerings to idols.(E)
3 It was I who taught Ephraim to walk,(F)
taking them[b] by the hand,[c](G)
but they never knew that I healed them.(H)
4 I led them with human cords,
with ropes of love.(I)
To them I was like one
who eases the yoke from their jaws;(J)
I bent down to give them food.(K)
5 Israel will not return to the land of Egypt
and Assyria will be his king,(L)
because they refused to repent.(M)
6 A sword will whirl through his cities;(N)
it will destroy and devour the bars of his gates,[d](O)
because of their schemes.(P)
7 My people are bent on turning from me.(Q)
Though they call to him on high,
he will not exalt them at all.
8 How can I give you up, Ephraim?(R)
How can I surrender you, Israel?
How can I make you like Admah?(S)
How can I treat you like Zeboiim?(T)
I have had a change of heart;
my compassion is stirred!
9 I will not vent the full fury of my anger;(U)
I will not turn back to destroy Ephraim.(V)
For I am God and not man,
the Holy One among you;(W)
I will not come in rage.[e]
10 They will follow the Lord;(X)
he will roar like a lion.(Y)
When he roars,
his children will come trembling from the west.(Z)
11 They will be roused like birds from Egypt
and like doves(AA) from the land of Assyria.(AB)
Then I will settle them in their homes.(AC)
This is the Lord’s declaration.
Hosea 11
Common English Bible
Divine love
11 When Israel was a child, I loved him,
and out of Egypt I called my son.
2 The more I called them,
the further they went from me;
they kept sacrificing to the Baals,
and they burned incense to idols.
3 Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk;
I took them up in my arms,
but they did not know that I healed them.
4 I led them
with bands of human kindness,
with cords of love.
I treated them like those
who lift infants to their cheeks;
I bent down to them and fed them.
Divine frustration
5 They will return to the land of Egypt,
and Assyria will be their king,
because they have refused to return to me.
6 The sword will strike wildly in their cities;
it will consume the bars of their gates
and will take everything because of their schemes.
7 My people are bent on turning away from me;
and though they cry out to the Most High,[a]
he will not raise them up.
Divine compassion
8 How can I give you up, Ephraim?
How can I hand you over, Israel?
How can I make you like Admah?
How can I treat you like Zeboiim?
My heart winces within me;
my compassion grows warm and tender.
Israel’s and Judah’s responses
9 I won’t act on the heat of my anger;
I won’t return to destroy Ephraim;
for I am God and not a human being,
the holy one in your midst;
I won’t come in harsh judgment.
10 They will walk after the Lord,
who roars like a lion.
When he roars,
his children will come trembling from the west.
11 They will come trembling like a bird,
and like a dove from the land of Assyria;
and I will return them to their homes, says the Lord.
12 [b] Ephraim has surrounded me with lies,
the house of Israel with faithless acts;
but Judah still walks with God,
and is faithful to the holy one.
Footnotes
- Hosea 11:7 Heb uncertain
- Hosea 11:12 12:1 in Heb
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