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The Lord still loves his people

11 The Lord says,

‘When Israel was a child, I loved him as my son.
I called my son to come out of Egypt. [ a ]
2 But the more I spoke to Israel's people,
the more they turned away from me.
They offered sacrifices to the images of Baal.
They burned incense to give honour to their idols.
3 I was the one who taught this child, Ephraim, to walk! [ b ]
I held their hand and I led them.
I took care of them,
but they did not understand this.
4 I loved them and I was kind to them.
I led them as their guide.
I gave them rest from their hard work.
I bent down to feed them.
5 But they refuse to turn back to me.
So they must return to Egypt.
Assyria will rule over them.
6 War will come to their cities.
Enemies will break down the strong city gates.
War will destroy my people and all their wicked ideas.
7 My people have decided to turn away from me.
That is all that they can think about.
They call up to a God who rules above,
but he will not help them.

8 Israel, I cannot leave you alone.
I cannot let you belong to someone else.
I cannot destroy you, as I did to Admah and Zeboiim. [ c ]
I now realize that I love you too much.
I could never destroy you completely.
9 I am very angry with you,
but I will not punish you so much.
I will never destroy my people, Ephraim.
This is because I am God. I am not a human.
I am the Holy God who is with you.
I will not come to destroy you in my anger.

10 I will roar loudly like a lion,
so that my children come to follow me.
When I roar, my children will shake with fear,
as they come from the west.
11 They will return to me, like birds that fly from Egypt.
They will come like doves that fly from Assyria.
They will be afraid, as they return.
I will bring them back to live in their homes again.’

That is what the Lord says.

The Lord accuses Israel

12 The Lord says,

‘Ephraim's people are always speaking lies to me.
Yes, Israel's descendants try to deceive me.
But Judah's people have stayed with God as their guide.
They continue to be faithful to the Holy God.’ [ d ]

Footnotes

  1. 11:1 God is speaking about the time when Israel was a young nation. He rescued them from Egypt, where they had been slaves.
  2. 11:3 Ephraim was another name for the Israelite kingdom in the north.
  3. 11:8 Admah and Zeboiim were cities that were near Sodom and Gomorrah. See Genesis 10:19 . God destroyed all those cities because of the wicked things that their people did. See Genesis 19:24-25 .
  4. 11:12 Or: Judah's people have turned away from God, who is holy and faithful.

Israel Has Forgotten the Lord

11 The Lord said, “I loved Israel when he was a child,
and I called my son out of Egypt.
2 But the more I [ a ] called the Israelites,
the more they left me.
The Israelites gave sacrifices to the false gods [ b ]
and burned incense to the idols.

3 “But I was the one who taught Ephraim to walk.
I took the Israelites in my arms.
I healed them,
but they don’t know that.
4 I led them with ropes, [ c ]
but they were ropes of love.
I was like a person who set them free. [ d ]
I bent down and fed them.

5 “The Israelites will not go back to Egypt. The king of Assyria will become their king, because they refused to turn back to God. 6 The sword will swing against their cities and kill their strong men. It will destroy their leaders.

7 “My people expect me to come back. They will call to God above, but he will not help them.” [ e ]

The Lord Will Not Destroy Israel

8 “Ephraim, I don’t want to give you up.
Israel, I want to protect you.
I don’t want to make you like Admah.
I don’t want to make you like Zeboiim. [ f ]
I am changing my mind.
My love for you is too strong.
9 I will not let my terrible anger win.
I will not destroy Ephraim again.
I am God and not a human.
I am the Holy One.
I am with you.
I will not show my anger.
10 I, the Lord , will roar like a lion,
and my children will come and follow me.
They will come from the west,
shaking with fear.
11 They will come from Egypt,
shaking like birds.
They will come shaking like doves from the land of Assyria,
and I will take them back home.”
This is what the Lord said.
12 “Ephraim surrounded me with false gods.
The people of Israel turned against me. [ g ]
But Judah still walks with God [ h ]
and is true to the Holy One. [ i ]

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 11:2 I This is from the ancient Greek version. The standard Hebrew text has “they.”
  2. Hosea 11:2 false gods Literally, “Baals.”
  3. Hosea 11:4 ropes The Hebrew says, “ropes of a man.”
  4. Hosea 11:4 set them free Literally, “lifted the yoke from their jaws.”
  5. Hosea 11:7 Or “My people are hanging on poles around my dwelling place. They called up to him, but he didn’t lift them up.”
  6. Hosea 11:8 Admah, Zeboiim Two cities that were destroyed when God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. See Gen. 19; Deut. 29:23.
  7. Hosea 11:12 Ephraim … me Or “Ephraim surrounded me with lies. The house of Israel surrounded me with deception.”
  8. Hosea 11:12 God Literally, “El.” This might be one of the names of God, or it might be El, the most important god of the Canaanites. It is not clear if this means Judah was being faithful to God or if Judah was worshiping the false gods.
  9. Hosea 11:12 Holy One This is a plural form in the Hebrew text and may refer to God or to Canaanite false gods.

11 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.

2 As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.

3 I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.

4 I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.

5 He shall not return into the land of Egypt, and the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to return.

6 And the sword shall abide on his cities, and shall consume his branches, and devour them, because of their own counsels.

7 And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him.

8 How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.

9 I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city.

10 They shall walk after the Lord : he shall roar like a lion: when he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west.

11 They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria: and I will place them in their houses, saith the Lord .

12 Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints.

God Yearns over His People

11 When Israel was a youth I loved him,
And ( A ) out of Egypt I ( B ) called My son.
2 The more [ a ] ( C ) they called them,
The more they went away from [ b ] them;
They kept ( D ) sacrificing to the Baals
And ( E ) burning incense to idols.
3 Yet it is I who taught Ephraim to walk,
[ c ] I ( F ) took them in My arms;
But they did not know that I ( G ) healed them.
4 I ( H ) pulled them along with cords of a man, with ropes of love,
And ( I ) I became to them as one who lifts the yoke from their jaws;
And I bent down and ( J ) fed them.

5 [ d ] They will not return to the land of Egypt;
But Assyria—he will be [ e ] their king
Because they ( K ) refused to return to Me .
6 And the ( L ) sword will whirl against [ f ] their cities,
And will destroy [ g ] their oracle priests
And ( M ) consume them , because of their ( N ) counsels.
7 So My people are determined to ( O ) turn from Me.
Though [ h ] they call [ i ] them to the One on high,
None at all exalts Him .

8 ( P ) How can I give you up, Ephraim?
How can I surrender you, Israel?
How can I [ j ] make you like ( Q ) Admah?
How can I treat you like ( R ) Zeboiim?
My heart is turned over within Me,
[ k ] All My compassions are kindled.
9 I will ( S ) not carry out My fierce anger;
I will not destroy Ephraim ( T ) again.
For ( U ) I am God and not a man, the ( V ) Holy One in your midst,
And I will not come in [ l ] wrath.
10 They will ( W ) walk after the Lord ,
He will ( X ) roar like a lion;
Indeed He will roar,
And His sons will come ( Y ) trembling from the west.
11 They will come trembling like birds from ( Z ) Egypt,
And like ( AA ) doves from the land of ( AB ) Assyria;
And I will ( AC ) settle them in their houses, declares the Lord .

12 [ m ] Ephraim surrounds Me with ( AD ) 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

God’s Love for Israel

11 “When Israel was a child, ( A ) I loved ( B ) him,
and out of Egypt I called my son. ( C )
2 But the more they were called,
the more they went away from me. [ a ] ( D )
They sacrificed to the Baals ( E )
and they burned incense to images. ( F )
3 It was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
taking them by the arms; ( G )
but they did not realize
it was I who healed ( H ) them.
4 I led them with cords of human kindness,
with ties of love. ( I )
To them I was like one who lifts
a little child to the cheek,
and I bent down to feed ( J ) them. ( K )

5 “Will they not return to Egypt ( L )
and will not Assyria ( M ) rule over them
because they refuse to repent? ( N )
6 A sword ( O ) will flash in their cities;
it will devour ( P ) their false prophets
and put an end to their plans.
7 My people are determined to turn ( Q ) from me. ( R )
Even though they call me God Most High,
I will by no means exalt them.

8 “How can I give you up, ( S ) Ephraim? ( T )
How can I hand you over, Israel?
How can I treat you like Admah?
How can I make you like Zeboyim? ( U )
My heart is changed within me;
all my compassion ( V ) is aroused. ( W )
9 I will not carry out my fierce anger, ( X )
nor will I devastate ( Y ) Ephraim again.
For I am God, and not a man ( Z )
the Holy One ( AA ) among you.
I will not come against their cities.
10 They will follow the Lord ;
he will roar ( AB ) like a lion. ( AC )
When he roars,
his children will come trembling ( AD ) from the west. ( AE )
11 They will come from Egypt,
trembling like sparrows,
from Assyria, ( AF ) fluttering like doves. ( AG )
I will settle them in their homes,” ( AH )
declares the Lord .

Israel’s Sin

12 Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, ( AI )
Israel with deceit.
And Judah is unruly against God,
even against the faithful ( AJ ) Holy One. [ b ] ( AK )

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 11:2 Septuagint; Hebrew them
  2. Hosea 11:12 In Hebrew texts this verse (11:12) is numbered 12:1.