1 “When Israel was a child, I loved him,

and out of Egypt I called my son.

2 But the more they were called,

the more they went away from me.

They sacrificed to the Baals

and they burned incense to images.

3 It was I who taught Ephraim to walk,

taking them by the arms;

but they did not realize

it was I who healed them.

4 I led them with cords of human kindness,

with ties of love.

To them I was like one who lifts

a little child to the cheek,

and I bent down to feed them.

5 “Will they not return to Egypt

and will not Assyria rule over them

because they refuse to repent?

6 A sword will flash in their cities;

it will devour their false prophets

and put an end to their plans.

7 My people are determined to turn from me.

Even though they call me God Most High,

I will by no means exalt them.

1 When Israel was a child, I loved him,

and out of Egypt I called my son.

2 The more they were called,

the more they went away;

they kept sacrificing to the Baals

and burning offerings to idols.

3 Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk;

I took them up by their arms,

but they did not know that I healed them.

4 I led them with cords of kindness,

with the bands of love,

and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws,

and I bent down to them and fed them.

5 They shall not return to the land of Egypt,

but Assyria shall be their king,

because they have refused to return to me.

6 The sword shall rage against their cities,

consume the bars of their gates,

and devour them because of their own counsels.

7 My people are bent on turning away from me,

and though they call out to the Most High,

he shall not raise them up at all.

1 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,

But 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.

1 “When Israel was a child, I loved him,

and I called my son out of Egypt.

2 But the more I called to him,

the farther he moved from me,

offering sacrifices to the images of Baal

and burning incense to idols.

3 I myself taught Israel how to walk,

leading him along by the hand.

But he doesn’t know or even care

that it was I who took care of him.

4 I led Israel along

with my ropes of kindness and love.

I lifted the yoke from his neck,

and I myself stooped to feed him.

5 “But since my people refuse to return to me,

they will return to Egypt

and will be forced to serve Assyria.

6 War will swirl through their cities;

their enemies will crash through their gates.

They will destroy them,

trapping them in their own evil plans.

7 For my people are determined to desert me.

They call me the Most High,

but they don’t truly honor me.

1 “When Israel was a child, I loved him,

And out of Egypt I called My son.

2 As they called them,

So they went from them;

They sacrificed to the Baals,

And burned incense to carved images.

3 “I taught Ephraim to walk,

Taking them by their arms;

But they did not know that I healed them.

4 I drew them with gentle cords,

With bands of love,

And I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck.

I stooped and fed them.

5 “He shall not return to the land of Egypt;

But the Assyrian shall be his king,

Because they refused to repent.

6 And the sword shall slash in his cities,

Devour his districts,

And consume them,

Because of their own counsels.

7 My people are bent on backsliding from Me.

Though they call to the Most High,

None at all exalt Him.

1 “When Israel was a child, I loved him,

and I called my son out of Egypt.

2 But when I called the people of Israel,

they went away from me.

They offered sacrifices to the Baals

and burned incense to the idols.

3 It was I who taught Israel to walk,

and I took them by the arms,

but they did not understand

that I had healed them.

4 I led them with cords of human kindness,

with ropes of love.

I lifted the yoke from their neck

and bent down and fed them.

5 “The Israelites will become captives again, as they were in Egypt,

and Assyria will become their king,

because they refuse to turn back to God.

6 War will sweep through their cities

and will destroy them

and kill them because of their wicked plans.

7 My people have made up their minds

to turn away from me.

The prophets call them to turn to me,

but none of them honors me at all.

1 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. 2 The more the prophets called them, the more they went from them: they sacrificed unto the Baalim, and burned incense to graven images. 3 Yet I taught Ephraim to walk; I took them on my 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 lift up the yoke on their jaws; and I laid food before them.

5 They shall not return into the land of Egypt; but the Assyrian shall be their king, because they refused to return to me. 6 And the sword shall fall upon their cities, and shall consume their bars, and devour them, because of their own counsels. 7 And my people are bent on backsliding from me: though they call them to him that is on high, none at all will exalt him.

1 “When Israel was a child, I loved him, 

and I called my son out of Egypt. 

2 The more I called them,the farther they went away. 

They sacrificed to other gods—the Baals, 

and they burned incense to idols. 

3 I was the one who taught the people of Ephraim to walk.

I took them by the hand. 

But they didn’t realize that I had healed them. 

4 I led them with cords of human kindness, with ropes of love. 

I removed the yokesfrom their necks. 

I bent down and fed them. 

5 “They will not return to Egypt. 

Instead, Assyria will rule them 

because they have refused to return to me. 

6 War will sweep through their cities, 

demolish their city gates, 

and put an end to their plans. 

7 My people are determined to turn away from me. 

Even if they call to the Most High, 

he will not pardon them. 

1 When Israel was a child, I loved him,

and out of Egypt I called My son.

2 The more they called them,

the more they departed from Me.

They kept sacrificing to the Baals

and burning offerings to idols.

3 It was I who taught Ephraim to walk,

taking them in My arms,

but they never knew that I healed them.

4 I led them with human cords,

with ropes of love.

To them I was like one

who eases the yoke from their jaws;

I bent down to give them food.

5 Israel will not return to the land of Egypt

and Assyria will be his king,

because they refused to repent.

6 A sword will whirl through his cities;

it will destroy and devour the bars of his gates,

because of their schemes.

7 My people are bent on turning from Me.

Though they call to Him on high,

He will not exalt them at all.

1 When Israel was a child, I loved him,

and out of Egypt I called my son.

2 The more I called them,

the more they went from me;

they kept sacrificing to the Baals,

and offering incense to idols.

3 Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk,

I took them up in my arms;

but they did not know that I healed them.

4 I led them with cords of human kindness,

with bands of love.

I was to them like those

who lift infants to their cheeks.

I bent down to them and fed them.

5 They shall return to the land of Egypt,

and Assyria shall be their king,

because they have refused to return to me.

6 The sword rages in their cities,

it consumes their oracle-priests,

and devours because of their schemes.

7 My people are bent on turning away from me.

To the Most High they call,

but he does not raise them up at all.

1 When Israel was a child, I loved him,

and out of Egypt I called my son.

2 When I called them, they went from my face.

They sacrificed to the Baals, and they sacrificed to idols.

3 And I myself taught Ephraim to walk;

I took them in my arms,

but they did not know that I healed them.

4 I drew them with human ties,

with the bands of love.

I was to them like one who lifted up a yoke on their jaws,

though I bent down to them and let them eat.

5 He will return to the land of Egypt,

and Assyria will be his king,

because they refused to return.

6 The sword rages in his cities;

it consumes his false prophets

and devours because of their plans.

7 My people are bent on backsliding from me.

To the Most High they call,

he does not raise them at all.

1 The Lord continues,

“When Israel was a young nation, I loved them.

I chose to bring my son out of Egypt.

2 But the more I called out to Israel,

the further they went away from me.

They brought sacrifices to the statues of the gods

that were named after Baal.

And they burned incense to them.

3 I taught Israel to walk.

I took them up in my arms.

But they did not realize

I was the one who took care of them.

4 I led them with kindness and love.

I did not lead them with ropes.

I lifted the heavy loads from their shoulders.

I bent down and fed them.

5 “But they refuse to turn away from their sins.

So they will return to Egypt.

And Assyria will rule over them.

6 Swords will flash in their cities.

The heavy metal bars on their gates will be destroyed.

Their plans will come to an end.

7 My people have made up their minds

to turn away from me.

Even if they call out to me,

I will certainly not honor them.

I am the Most High God.”

1 When Israel was a youth I loved him,

And out of Egypt I called My son.

2 The more they called them,

The more they went from them;

They kept sacrificing to the Baals

And burning incense to idols.

3 Yet it is I who taught Ephraim to walk,

I took them in My arms;

But they did not know that I healed them.

4 I led them with cords of a man, with bonds of love,

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

And I bent down and fed them.

5 They will not return to the land of Egypt;

But Assyria—he will be their king

Because they refused to return to Me.

6 The sword will whirl against their cities,

And will demolish their gate bars

And consume them because of their counsels.

7 So My people are bent on turning from Me.

Though they call them to the One on high,

None at all exalts Him.