Hosea 11:1-7
Expanded Bible
God’s Love for Israel
11 “When Israel was a ·child [youth], I loved him,
and I called my son out of Egypt [C the Exodus; Ex. 4:22; Matt. 2:15].
2 But when I called ·the people of Israel [L them],
they went away from me.
They offered sacrifices to the Baals
and burned incense to ·the idols [images].
3 It was I who taught ·Israel [L Ephraim; 4:17] to walk,
and I took them by the arms,
but they did not ·understand [or acknowledge]
that I had healed them.
4 I led them with cords of ·human kindness [humanity; or leather],
with ropes of love.
I lifted ·the yoke from their neck [or them like a little child to my cheek]
and bent down and fed them.
5 “·The Israelites will become captives again, as they were in [or Will they not return to…? or They will not return to] Egypt,
and ·Assyria will [or will not Assyria…?] become their king,
because they refuse to turn back to God.
6 ·War will sweep through [L A sword will slash/flash in] their cities
and will destroy ·them [their gates; or their priests]
and ·kill [devour] them because of their ·wicked plans [counsels].
7 My people ·have made up their minds [are determined]
to ·turn away [desert; backslide] from me.
·The prophets call them to turn to me [or They call me Most High; or They call to Baal],
but ·none of them honors me at all [or I will not exalt them; or he will never exalt them].
Hosea 11:1-7
Amplified Bible
God is the Loving Father of His People
11 When Israel was a child [a young nation], I loved him,
And I called My son out of Egypt.(A)
2
The more they [the prophets] called them [to repentance and obedience],
The more they went away from them;
They kept sacrificing to the Baals
And burning incense to the carved images.
3
Yet it is I who taught Ephraim to walk,
Taking them in My arms [nurturing the young nation];
But they did not know that I healed them.
4
I led them gently with cords of a man, with bonds of love [guiding them],
And I was to them as one who lifts up and eases the yoke [of the law] over their jaws;
And I bent down to them and fed them.
5
They will not return to the land of Egypt,
But Assyria will be their king [bringing them into captivity]
Because they refused to return to Me.
6
The sword will whirl against and fall on their cities,
And will demolish the bars of their gates and fortifications
And will consume them because of their counsels.
7
My people are bent on turning from Me;
Though the prophets call them to the One on high,
None at all exalts Him.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
