HoseaChapter 11

Tap any verse to comment or suggest a better wording.

¹When Israel was a child, I loved him.
Out of Egypt I called my son. ²But the more I called Israel,
the farther they went from me.
They offered sacrifices to the Baals
and burned incense to carved idols. ³I was the one who taught Ephraim to walk.
I took them by the arms.
But they never knew
that I was the one who healed them. ⁴I led them with cords of kindness,
with ropes of love.
I lifted the yoke from their necks.
I bent down and fed them. ⁵Will they not go back to the land of Egypt?
Will Assyria not rule over them?
For they refused to turn back to me. ⁶A sword will flash through their cities.
It will destroy the bars of their gates.
It will eat them up because of their own plans. ⁷My people are set on turning away from me.
They call out to the Most High,
but he will not lift them up at all. ⁸How can I give you up, Ephraim?
How can I hand you over, Israel?
How can I make you like Admah?
How can I treat you like Zeboiim?
My heart is turned over within me.
My compassion is stirred up! ⁹I will not carry out the full force of my anger.
I will not destroy Ephraim again.
For I am God, and not a man.
I am the Holy One among you.
I will not come in anger. ¹⁰They will follow the LORD.
He will roar like a lion.
When he roars,
his children will come trembling from the west. ¹¹They will come trembling like birds from Egypt,
like doves from the land of Assyria.
Then I will settle them in their homes,
says the LORD. ¹²Ephraim surrounds me with lies.
The house of Israel surrounds me with tricks.
But Judah still walks with God.
Judah is faithful to the Holy One.