Hosea 11–12

God Will Have Compassion

11When Israel was a child, I loved him,

and out of Egypt I called my son.

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

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

³And I myself taught Ephraim to walk;

I took them^c in my^d arms,

but they did not know that I healed them.

⁴I drew them with human ties,^e

with the bands of love.

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

though I bent down to them^h and let themⁱ eat.

⁵He will return^j to the land of Egypt,

and Assyria will be his king,^k

because they refused to return.

⁶The sword rages in his cities;

it consumes his false prophets

and devours because of their plans.

⁷My people are bent on backsliding from me.

To the Most High they call,

he does not raise them at all.

⁸How 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 disturbed^l within me;

all^m my compassions are aroused.

⁹I will not executeⁿ 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.

¹⁰They will go after Yahweh;

he roars like a lion.

When he roars,

his children will come trembling

from the sea.^q

¹¹They will tremble like birds^r from Egypt,

and like doves^s from the land of Assyria;

and I will let them return^t to their homes—

a declaration of Yahweh.

Israel’s History

^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.

12Ephraim herds the wind^a

and is pursuing the east wind all day long;

he multiplies deception and violence

and he^b makes a treaty with Assyria,^c

and oil is brought to Egypt.

²Yahweh has a quarrel^d with Judah

and will punish Jacob according to his ways

and repay him according to his deeds.

³In the womb he deceived his brother,

and in his manhood he struggled with God.

⁴He struggled with the angel and prevailed;

he pleaded for his mercy.

He met him at Bethel,

and there he spoke with him.^e

⁵Yahweh the God of hosts,

Yahweh is his renowned name!

⁶But you, you must return to your God;

keep love and justice,

and wait continually for your God.

⁷The trader, in his hand are scales of deceit;^f

he loves to oppress.

⁸And Ephraim said, “Surely, I am rich,

I gained^g wealth for myself;

in all my toil they have not found guilt in me

that is sin.

⁹But I am Yahweh your God

since^h the land of Egypt;

I will make you live in tents again,

like the days of the appointed festival.

¹⁰I spoke to the prophets;

I myself multiplied revelationsⁱ

and through the hand of the prophets I will destroy.

¹¹If 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.

¹²Jacob fled to the open field of Aram,^j

and Israel served for a wife,

and for a wife he watched over sheep.

¹³And by a prophet Yahweh brought

Israel up from Egypt,

and by a prophet

he^k was watched over.

¹⁴Ephraim has caused bitter provocation,

and his Lord will hold him responsible for his crimes^l

and pay back to him his insults.