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11 “When Israel was a child, then I loved him,

    and called my son out of Egypt.
They called to them, so they went from them.
    They sacrificed to the Baals,
    and burned incense to engraved images.
Yet I taught Ephraim to walk.
    I took them by his arms;
    but they didn’t know that I healed them.
I drew them with cords of a man, with ties of love;
    and I was to them like those who lift up the yoke on their necks;
    and I bent down to him and I fed him.

“They won’t return into the land of Egypt;
    but the Assyrian will be their king,
    because they refused to repent.
The sword will fall on their cities,
    and will destroy the bars of their gates,
    and will put an end to their plans.
My people are determined to turn from me.
    Though they call to the Most High,
    he certainly won’t exalt them.

“How can I give you up, Ephraim?
    How can I hand you over, Israel?
    How can I make you like Admah?
    How can I make you like Zeboiim?
My heart is turned within me,
    my compassion is aroused.
I will not execute the fierceness of my anger.
    I will not return to destroy Ephraim:
    for I am God, and not man; the Holy One among you;
    and I will not come in wrath.
10 They will walk after Yahweh,
    who will roar like a lion;
    for he will roar, and the children will come trembling from the west.
11 They will come trembling like a bird out of Egypt,
    and like a dove out of the land of Assyria;
and I will settle them in their houses,” says Yahweh.

12 Ephraim surrounds me with falsehood,
    and the house of Israel with deceit.
    Judah still strays from God,
    and is unfaithful to the Holy One.

The Lord's Love for Israel

11 (A)When Israel was a child, (B)I loved him,
    and out of Egypt I (C)called (D)my son.
(E)The more they were called,
    the more they went away;
(F)they kept sacrificing to the Baals
    and burning offerings to idols.

Yet it was (G)I who taught Ephraim to walk;
    I took them up by their arms,
    but they did not know that (H)I healed them.
(I)I led them with cords of kindness,[a]
    with the bands of love,
and (J)I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws,
    and (K)I bent down to them and fed them.

(L)They shall not[b] return to the land of Egypt,
    but (M)Assyria shall be their king,
    (N)because (O)they have refused to return to me.
(P)The sword shall rage against their cities,
    consume the bars of their gates,
    and devour them (Q)because of their own counsels.
My people are bent (R)on turning away from me,
    and though (S)they call out to the Most High,
    he shall not raise them up at all.

How can I give you up, O Ephraim?
    How can I hand you over, O Israel?
(T)How can I make you (U)like Admah?
    How can I treat you (V)like Zeboiim?
(W)My heart recoils within me;
    my compassion grows warm and tender.
I will not execute my burning anger;
    I will not again destroy Ephraim;
(X)for I am God and not a man,
    (Y)the Holy One in your midst,
    and I will not come in wrath.[c]

10 (Z)They shall go after the Lord;
    (AA)he will roar like a lion;
when he roars,
    his children shall come trembling (AB)from the west;
11 they shall come trembling like birds (AC)from Egypt,
    and (AD)like doves (AE)from the land of Assyria,
    and I will return them to their homes, declares the Lord.
12 [d] Ephraim (AF)has surrounded me with lies,
    and the house of Israel with deceit,
but Judah still walks with God
    and is faithful to the Holy One.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 11:4 Or humaneness; Hebrew man
  2. Hosea 11:5 Or surely
  3. Hosea 11:9 Or into the city
  4. Hosea 11:12 Ch 12:1 in Hebrew