<< Hosea 11 >>
New American Standard Bible ©
 

God Yearns over His People

1 When Israel was a youth I loved him,  And out of Egypt I called My son.
2 The more they called them,  The more they went from them;  They kept sacrificing to the Baals  And burning incense to idols.
3 Yet it is I who taught Ephraim to walk,  I took them in My arms;  But they did not know that I healed them.
4 I led them with cords of a man, with bonds of love,  And I became to them as one who lifts the yoke from their jaws;  And I bent down and fed them.
5 They will not return to the land of Egypt;  But Assyria—he will be their king  Because they refused to return to Me.
6 The sword will whirl against their cities,  And will demolish their gate bars  And consume them because of their counsels.
7 So My people are bent on turning from Me.  Though they call them to the One on high,  None at all exalts Him.
8 How can I give you up, O Ephraim?  How can I surrender you, O Israel?  How can I make you like Admah?  How can I treat you like Zeboiim?  My heart is turned over within Me,  All My compassions are kindled.
9 I will not execute My fierce anger;  I will not destroy Ephraim again.  For I am God and not man, the Holy One in your midst,  And I will not come in wrath.
10 They will walk after the LORD,  He will roar like a lion;  Indeed He will roar  And His sons will come trembling from the west.
11 They will come trembling like birds from Egypt  And like doves from the land of Assyria;  And I will settle them in their houses, declares the LORD.
12 Ephraim surrounds Me with lies  And the house of Israel with deceit;  Judah is also unruly against God,  Even against the Holy One who is faithful.
New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org.
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