Hosea 11

THE LORD’S LOVE FOR ISRAEL

11When Israel was a child, I loved him,^p

and out of Egypt I called my son.^q

²Israel called to the Egyptians^r

even as Israel was leaving them.^A

They kept sacrificing to the Baals^s

and burning offerings to idols.^t

³It was I who taught Ephraim to walk,^u

taking them^B by the hand,^Cv

but they never knew that I healed them.^w

⁴I led them with human cords,

with ropes of love.^x

To them I was like one

who eases the yoke from their jaws;^y

I bent down to give them food.^z

⁵Israel will not return to the land of Egypt

and Assyria will be his king,^aa

because they refused to repent.^ab

⁶A sword will whirl through his cities;^ac

it will destroy and devour the bars of his gates,^Dad

because of their schemes.^ae

⁷My people are bent on turning from me.^af

Though they call to him on high,

he will not exalt them at all.

⁸How can I give you up, Ephraim?^ag

How can I surrender you, Israel?

How can I make you like Admah?^ah

How can I treat you like Zeboiim?^ai

I have had a change of heart;

my compassion is stirred!

⁹I will not vent the full fury of my anger;^aj

I will not turn back to destroy Ephraim.^ak

For I am God and not man,

the Holy One among you;^al

I will not come in rage.^E

¹⁰They will follow the Lord;^am

he will roar like a lion.^an

When he roars,

his children will come trembling from the west.^ao

¹¹They will be roused like birds from Egypt

and like doves^ap from the land of Assyria.^aq

Then I will settle them in their homes.^ar

This is the Lord’s declaration.

¹²Ephraim surrounds me with lies,^as

the house of Israel, with deceit.

Judah still wanders with God

and is faithful to the holy ones.^F