Hosea 11

Modern

Literal

Out of Egypt I Called My Son

¹When Israel was a child, I loved him,

and out of Egypt I called My son.^a

¹When Israel was a child, I loved him; and out of Egypt I called My son.

²But the more I called Israel,

the farther they departed from Me.^a

They sacrificed to the Baals

and burned incense to carved images.

²And I called to them, so they went away from My face; to the Baals they sacrificed, and to the carved images they burned incense.

³It was I who taught Ephraim^a to walk,

taking them by the arms,

but they never realized

that it was I who healed them.

³And I had guided the feet of Ephraim, taking them by the arms; they did not know that it was I who healed them.

⁴I led them with cords of kindness,

with ropes of love;

I lifted the yoke from their necks

and bent down to feed them.

⁴With cords of humanity I drew them, with bands of love; and I was to them like those lifting the yoke up from their jaws, and I bent down to them to let them eat.

⁵Will they not return to the land of Egypt

and be ruled by Assyria

because they refused to repent?

⁵He will not return to the land of Egypt, and Assyria—it will be his king, because they refused to return.

⁶A sword will flash through their cities;

it will destroy the bars of their gates

and consume them in their own plans.

⁶And the sword will twist through his cities, and will finish off his bars, and will devour their counseling!

⁷My people are bent on turning from Me.

Though they call to the Most High,

He will by no means exalt them.

⁷And My people are bent on turning away from Me; though to the Most High they call to Him, He will not at all exalt them.

God’s Love for Israel

⁸How could I give you up, O Ephraim?

How could I surrender you, O Israel?

How could I make you like Admah?

How could I treat you like Zeboiim?

My heart is turned within Me;

My compassion is stirred!

⁸How can I give you up, O Ephraim? Can I deliver you up, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah? Can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart is turned over within Me, together My compassions are kindled.

⁹I will not execute the full fury of My anger;

I will not destroy Ephraim again.

For I am God and not man—

the Holy One among you—

and I will not come in wrath.

⁹I will not act in the burning of My anger; I will not turn back to destroy Ephraim. For I am God, and not a man—the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in enmity.

¹⁰They will walk after the LORD;

He will roar like a lion.

When He roars,

His children will come trembling from the west.

¹⁰After YHWH they shall walk; like a lion He will roar; when He roars, the sons from the west will come trembling.

¹¹They will come trembling like birds from Egypt

and like doves from the land of Assyria.

Then I will settle them in their homes,

declares the LORD.

¹¹They will come trembling like a bird from Egypt, and like a dove from the land of Assyria, and I will let them dwell in their homes, a declaration of YHWH.

¹²Ephraim surrounds Me with lies,

the house of Israel with deceit;

but Judah still walks with God

and is faithful to the Holy One.^a

¹²Ephraim has surrounded Me with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit, and Judah still wanders restlessly with God, and with the holy ones is faithful.