Hosea 11:1–12:14
11 When Israel was a child, I loved him,
and out of Egypt I called my son.
2 When I calleda them, they went from my face.b
They sacrificed to the Baals, and they sacrificed to idols.
3 And I myself taught Ephraim to walk;
but they did not know that I healed them.
4 I drew them ⌊with human ties⌋,e
with the bands of love.
I was to them like one who lifted upf a yoke on their jaws,g
though I bent down to themh and let themi eat.
5 He will returnj to the land of Egypt,
and Assyria will be his king,k
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.
8 How can I give you up, O Ephraim?
How can I hand you over, O Israel?
How can I make you like Admah?
How can I treat you like Zeboiim?
My heart is disturbedl within me;
⌊all⌋m my compassions are aroused.
9 ⌊I will not execute⌋n ⌊my fierce anger⌋,o
I will not again destroy Ephraim;
because I am God
and not a mortal,p
the Holy One in your midst;
and I will not come in wrath.
he roars like a lion.
When he roars,
his children will come trembling
from the sea.q
11 They will tremble like birdsr from Egypt,
and like dovess from the land of Assyria;
and I will let them returnt to their homes—
a declaration of Yahweh.
12u Ephraim has surrounded me with lies,v
and the house of Israel with deceit;
and Judah is still wandering with God
and is faithful to the Holy One.
12 Ephraim herds the winda
and is pursuing the east wind all day long;
he multiplies deception and violence
and heb ⌊makes a treaty with Assyria⌋,c
and oil is brought to Egypt.
2 Yahweh has a quarreld with Judah
and will punish Jacob according to his ways
and repay him according to his deeds.
3 In the womb he deceived his brother,
and in his manhood he struggled with God.
4 He struggled with the angel and prevailed;
he pleaded for his mercy.
He met him at Bethel,
and there he spoke with him.e
Yahweh is his renowned name!
6 But you, you must return to your God;
keep love and justice,
and wait continually for your God.
7 The trader, in his hand are scales of deceit;f
he loves to oppress.
8 And Ephraim said, “Surely, I am rich,
I gainedg wealth for myself;
in all my toil they have not found guilt in me
that is sin.
sinceh the land of Egypt;
I will make you live in tents again,
like the days of the appointed festival.
I myself multiplied revelationsi
and through the hand of the prophets I will destroy.
11 If in Gilead there is evil,
surely they will come to nothing.
In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls,
also their altars will be like stone heaps
on furrows of the field.
12 Jacob fled to the open field of Aram,j
and Israel served for a wife,
and for a wife he watched over sheep.
13 And by a prophet Yahweh brought
Israel up from Egypt,
and by a prophet
hek was watched over.
14 Ephraim has caused bitter provocation,
and his Lord will ⌊hold him responsible for his crimes⌋l
and pay back to him his insults.