Hosea 11:1-7

English Standard Version

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.
²^(E)The more they were called,
    the more they went away;
^(F)they kept sacrificing to the Baals
    and burning offerings to idols.

³Yet 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.
⁴^(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.

⁵^(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.
⁶^(P)The sword shall rage against their cities,
    consume the bars of their gates,
    and devour them ^(Q)because of their own counsels.
⁷My 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.