Hosea

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God Yearns over His People

11 
When Israel was a youth I loved him,

And out of Egypt I called My son.

2 The more [a]they called them,

The more they went away from [b]them;

They kept sacrificing to the Baals

And burning incense to idols.

3 Yet it is I who taught Ephraim to walk,

[c]I took them in My arms;

But they did not know that I healed them.

4 I pulled them along with cords of a man, with ropes of love,

And I became to them as one who lifts the yoke from their jaws;

And I bent down and fed them.

5 [d]They will not return to the land of Egypt;

But Assyria—he will be [e]their king

Because they refused to return to Me.

6 And the sword will whirl against [f]their cities,

And will destroy [g]their oracle priests

And consume them, because of their counsels.

7 So My people are determined to turn from Me.

Though [h]they call [i]them to the One on high,

None at all exalts Him.

8 How can I give you up, Ephraim?

How can I surrender you, Israel?

How can I [j]make you like Admah?

How can I treat you like Zeboiim?

My heart is turned over within Me,

[k]All My compassions are kindled.

9 I will not carry out My fierce anger;

I will not destroy Ephraim again.

For I am God and not a man, the Holy One in your midst,

And I will not come in [l]wrath.

10 They will walk after the Lord,

He will roar like a lion;

Indeed He will roar,

And His sons will come trembling from the west.

11 They will come trembling like birds from Egypt,

And like doves from the land of Assyria;

And I will settle them in their houses, declares the Lord.

12 [m]Ephraim surrounds Me with lies

And the house of Israel with deceit;

[n]Judah is still unruly against God,

Even against the Holy One who is faithful.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 11:2 I.e., God’s prophets
  2. Hosea 11:2 I.e., God’s prophets
  3. Hosea 11:3 As in ancient versions; MT He...His
  4. Hosea 11:5 Lit He
  5. Hosea 11:5 Lit his
  6. Hosea 11:6 Lit his
  7. Hosea 11:6 Lit his
  8. Hosea 11:7 I.e., God’s prophets
  9. Hosea 11:7 Lit him; i.e., Israel
  10. Hosea 11:8 Lit give
  11. Hosea 11:8 Lit Together
  12. Hosea 11:9 Lit agitation
  13. Hosea 11:12 Ch 12:1 in Heb
  14. Hosea 11:12 Or But Judah still goes about with God, even with