Hosea 11:1–11

God’s Love for Israel

11“When Israel was a child,^u I loved^v him,

and out of Egypt I called my son.^w

²But the more they were called,

the more they went away from me.^ax

They sacrificed to the Baals^y

and they burned incense to images.^z

³It was I who taught Ephraim to walk,

taking them by the arms;^a

but they did not realize

it was I who healed^b them.

⁴I led them with cords of human kindness,

with ties of love.^c

To them I was like one who lifts

a little child to the cheek,

and I bent down to feed^d them.^e

⁵“Will they not return to Egypt^f

and will not Assyria^g rule over them

because they refuse to repent?^h

⁶A swordⁱ will flash in their cities;

it will devour^j their false prophets

and put an end to their plans.

⁷My people are determined to turn^k from me.^l

Even though they call me God Most High,

I will by no means exalt them.

⁸“How can I give you up,^m Ephraim?ⁿ

How can I hand you over, Israel?

How can I treat you like Admah?

How can I make you like Zeboyim?^o

My heart is changed within me;

all my compassion^p is aroused.^q

⁹I will not carry out my fierce anger,^r

nor will I devastate^s Ephraim again.

For I am God, and not a man^t—

the Holy One^u among you.

I will not come against their cities.

¹⁰They will follow the Lord;

he will roar^v like a lion.^w

When he roars,

his children will come trembling^x from the west.^y

¹¹They will come from Egypt,

trembling like sparrows,

from Assyria,^z fluttering like doves.^a

I will settle them in their homes,”^b

declares the Lord.