Hos 11 | LEB | STEP | When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.

Hosea 11

God Will Have Compassion

1 When Israel was a child, I loved him,
and out of Egypt I called my son.
2 When I called ^{▼▼Hebrew “When they called”; the LXX and modern translations read “When I called”} them, they went from my face. ^{▼▼Hebrew “their face”}
They sacrificed to the Baals, and they sacrificed to idols.
3 And I myself taught Ephraim to walk;
I took them ^{▼▼Hebrew uncertain} in my ^{▼▼Hebrew “his”} arms,
but they did not know that I healed them.
4 I drew them ⌞with human ties⌟, ^{▼▼Literally “ropes of a human”}
with the bands of love.
I was to them like one who lifted up ^{▼▼Or “like one who imposed”} a yoke on their jaws, ^{▼▼Or “infants to their cheeks”}
though I bent down to them ^{▼▼Hebrew “him”} and let them ^{▼▼Hebrew “him”} eat.
5 He will return ^{▼▼Or “They will not return”} to the land of Egypt,
and Assyria will be his king, ^{▼▼That is “Israel’s 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.
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 disturbed ^{▼▼Or “My heart is overturned”} within me;
⌞all⌟ ^{▼▼Literally “together”} my compassions are aroused.
9 ⌞I will not execute⌟ ^{▼▼Literally “I will not do”} ⌞my fierce anger⌟, ^{▼▼Literally “the anger of my nose”}
I will not again destroy Ephraim;
because I am God
and not a mortal, ^{▼▼Or “human”}
the Holy One in your midst;
and I will not come in wrath.
10 They will go after Yahweh;
he roars like a lion.
When he roars,
his children will come trembling
from the sea. ^{▼▼That is, “the West”}
11 They will tremble like birds ^{▼▼Hebrew “bird”} from Egypt,
and like doves ^{▼▼Hebrew “dove”} from the land of Assyria;
and I will let them return ^{▼▼Hebrew “I will cause them to live”} to their homes—
a declaration of Yahweh.

Israel’s History

12 ^{▼▼Hosea 11:12–12:14 in the English Bible is 12:1–15 in the Hebrew Bible} Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, ^{▼▼Hebrew “lie”}
and the house of Israel with deceit;
and Judah is still wandering with God
and is faithful to the Holy One.