God’s Continuing Love for Israel
11 “When Israel was a [a]child, I loved him,
And out of Egypt (A)I called My (B)son.
2 [b]As they called them,
So they (C)went [c]from them;
They sacrificed to the Baals,
And burned incense to carved images.
3 “I(D) taught Ephraim to walk,
Taking them by [d]their arms;
But they did not know that (E)I healed them.
4 I drew them with [e]gentle cords,
With bands of love,
And (F)I was to them as those who take the yoke from their [f]neck.
(G)I stooped and fed them.
5 “He shall not return to the land of Egypt;
But the Assyrian shall be his king,
Because they refused to repent.
6 And the sword shall slash in his cities,
Devour his districts,
And consume them,
Because of their own counsels.
7 My people are bent on (H)backsliding from Me.
Though [g]they call [h]to the Most High,
None at all exalt Him.
8 “How(I) can I give you up, Ephraim?
How can I hand you over, Israel?
How can I make you like (J)Admah?
How can I set you like Zeboiim?
My heart [i]churns within Me;
My sympathy is stirred.
9 I will not execute the fierceness of My anger;
I will not again destroy Ephraim.
(K)For I am God, and not man,
The Holy One in your midst;
And I will not [j]come with terror.
10 “They shall walk after the Lord.
(L)He will roar like a lion.
When He roars,
Then His sons shall come trembling from the west;
11 They shall come trembling like a bird from Egypt,
(M)Like a dove from the land of Assyria.
(N)And I will let them dwell in their houses,”
Says the Lord.
God’s Charge Against Ephraim
12 “Ephraim has encircled Me with lies,
And the house of Israel with deceit;
But Judah still walks with God,
Even with the [k]Holy One who is faithful.
Footnotes
- Hosea 11:1 Or youth
- Hosea 11:2 So with MT, Vg.; LXX Just as I called them; Tg. interprets as I sent prophets to a thousand of them.
- Hosea 11:2 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX from My face
- Hosea 11:3 Some Heb. mss., LXX, Syr., Vg. My arms
- Hosea 11:4 Lit. cords of a man
- Hosea 11:4 Lit. jaws
- Hosea 11:7 The prophets
- Hosea 11:7 Or upward
- Hosea 11:8 Lit. turns over
- Hosea 11:9 Or enter a city
- Hosea 11:12 Or holy ones
Cross references
- Hosea 11:1 : Matt. 2:15
- Hosea 11:1 : Ex. 4:22, 23
- Hosea 11:2 : 2 Kin. 17:13–15
- Hosea 11:3 : Deut. 1:31; 32:10, 11
- Hosea 11:3 : Ex. 15:26
- Hosea 11:4 : Lev. 26:13
- Hosea 11:4 : Ex. 16:32; Ps. 78:25
- Hosea 11:7 : Jer. 3:6, 7; 8:5
- Hosea 11:8 : Jer. 9:7
- Hosea 11:8 : Gen. 14:8; 19:24, 25; Deut. 29:23
- Hosea 11:9 : Num. 23:19
- Hosea 11:10 : Is. 31:4; [Joel 3:16]; Amos 1:2
- Hosea 11:11 : Is. 11:11; 60:8; Hos. 7:11
- Hosea 11:11 : Ezek. 28:25, 26; 34:27, 28