Hosea 11

The Lord’s Love for Israel

1 aWhen Israel was a child, bI loved him,
and out of Egypt I ccalled dmy son.
2 eThe more they were called,
the more they went away;
fthey kept sacrificing to the Baals
and burning offerings to idols.
3 Yet it was gI who taught Ephraim to walk;
I took them up by their arms,
but they did not know that hI healed them.
4 iI led them with cords of kindness,
Or humaneness; Hebrew man

with the bands of love,
and kI became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws,
and lI bent down to them and fed them.
5 mThey shall not
Or surely
return to the land of Egypt,
but oAssyria shall be their king,
pbecause qthey have refused to return to me.
6 rThe sword shall rage against their cities,
consume the bars of their gates,
and devour them sbecause of their own counsels.
7My people are bent ton turning away from me,
and though uthey call out to the Most High,
he shall not raise them up at all.
8 How can I give you up, O Ephraim?
How can I hand you over, O Israel?
vHow can I make you wlike Admah?
How can I treat you xlike Zeboiim?
yMy heart recoils within me;
my compassion grows warm and tender.
9I will not execute my burning anger;
I will not again destroy Ephraim;
zfor I am God and not a man,
aathe Holy One in your midst,
and I will not come in wrath.
Or into the city

10 acThey shall go after the Lord;
adhe will roar like a lion;
when he roars,
his children shall come trembling aefrom the west;
11they shall come trembling like birds affrom Egypt,
and aglike doves ahfrom the land of Assyria,
and I will return them to their homes, declares the Lord.
12
Ch 12:1 in Hebrew
Ephraim ajhas surrounded me with lies,
and the house of Israel with deceit,
but Judah still walks with God
and is faithful to the Holy One.

Hosea 12

1Ephraim feeds on the wind
and pursues akthe east wind all day long;
they multiply alfalsehood and violence;
amthey make a covenant with Assyria,
and anoil is carried to Egypt.

The Lord’s Indictment of Israel and Judah

2 aoThe Lord has an indictment against Judah
and will punish Jacob according to his ways;
he will repay him according to his deeds.
3 apIn the womb he took his brother by the heel,
and in his manhood he strove with God.
4He strove with the angel and prevailed;
he wept and sought his favor.
aqHe met God
Hebrew him
at Bethel,
and there God spoke with us—
5the Lord, the God of hosts,
asthe Lord is his memorial name:
6“So you, atby the help of your God, return,
auhold fast to love and justice,
and wait continually for your God.”
7 A merchant, in whose hands are avfalse balances,
he loves awto oppress.
8Ephraim has said, “Ah, but axI am rich;
I have found wealth for myself;
in all my labors aythey cannot find in me iniquity or sin.”
9 azI am the Lord your God
from the land of Egypt;
I will again make you badwell in tents,
as in the days of the appointed feast.
10 bbI spoke to the prophets;
it was I who multiplied bcvisions,
and through the prophets gave parables.
11 bdIf there is iniquity in Gilead,
they shall surely come to nothing:
bein Gilgal they sacrifice bulls;
bftheir altars also are like stone heaps
bgon the furrows of the field.
12 bhJacob fled to the land of Aram;
there Israel biserved for a wife,
and for a wife he guarded sheep.
13By bja prophet bkthe Lord brought Israel up from Egypt,
and by a prophet he was guarded.
14 blEphraim has given bitter provocation;
so his Lord bmwill leave his bloodguilt on him
bnand will repay him for his disgraceful deeds.
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