Hosea 11

The Lord’s Love for Israel

1 *[ch. 2:15] When Israel was a child, *Deut. 7:8;[ch. 14:4] I loved him,

and out of Egypt I *Cited Matt. 2:15called *Ex. 4:22;[Mal. 1:6]my son.

2 *[ver. 7] The more they were called,

the more they went away;

*[ch. 2:13;13:1,2]they kept sacrificing to the Baals

and burning offerings to idols.

3 Yet it was *[ch. 7:15;Deut. 1:31] I who taught Ephraim to walk;

I took them up by their arms,

but they did not know that *Ex. 15:26I healed them.

4 *Jer. 31:3;[John 6:44;12:32] I led them with cords of kindness,*11:4 Or humaneness; Hebrew man

with the bands of love,

and *Lev. 26:13I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws,

and *See Ps. 78:24-29I bent down to them and fed them.

5 *[ch. 8:13] They shall not*11:5 Or surely return to the land of Egypt,

but *[ch. 10:3] Assyria shall be their king,

*[2 Kgs. 17:13,14] because *[ch. 4:16;7:16]they have refused to return to me.

6 *[ch. 10:14] The sword shall rage against their cities,

consume the bars of their gates,

and devour them *ch. 10:6because of their own counsels.

7 My people are bent *ch. 14:4on turning away from me,

and though *[ver. 2]they 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?

*[Gen. 19:24,25;Jer. 49:18;50:40;Amos 4:11;Jude 7] How can I make you *Gen. 14:8;Deut. 29:23like Admah?

How can I treat you *Gen. 14:8;Deut. 29:23like Zeboiim?

*[Deut. 32:36]My heart recoils within me;

my compassion grows warm and tender.

9 I will not execute my burning anger;

I will not again destroy Ephraim;

*See Num. 23:19for I am God and not a man,

*See Isa. 12:6the Holy One in your midst,

and I will not come in wrath.*11:9 Or into the city

10 *[ch. 3:5] They shall go after the Lord;

*Isa. 31:4;Jer. 25:30;Joel 3:16;Amos 1:2he will roar like a lion;

when he roars,

his children shall come trembling *Isa. 11:11;Zech. 8:7from the west;

11 they shall come trembling like birds *See ch. 8:13from Egypt,

and *Isa. 60:8like doves *Zech. 10:6,10;[ch. 9:3]from the land of Assyria,

and I will return them to their homes, declares the Lord.

12 * 11:12 Ch 12:1 in Hebrew Ephraim *[ch. 7:13]has surrounded me with lies,

and the house of Israel with deceit,

but Judah still walks with God

and is faithful to the Holy One.