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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

1 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. 2 As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto the Baals, and burned incense to graven images. 3 And I it was that taught Ephraim to walk, —He took them upon his arms, —but they knew not that I healed them. 4 I drew them with bands of a man, with cords of love; and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I gently caused them to eat.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.