Hosea 11

1 As the morning passeth, so hath the king of Israel Israel was a child, and I loved him: and I called my son out of Egypt.

“Before the Israeli [people] became a nation [MET], I loved them [like a man loves] his son, and I called them out of Egypt.

2 As they called them, they went away from before their face: they offered victims to Baalim, and sacrificed to idols.

But while I continued to call them, they [continued to] turn away from me more and more. They offered sacrifices to their statues of Baal, and they burned incense to [honor] them.

3 And I was like a foster father to Ephraim, I carried them in my arms: and they knew not that I healed them.

[The people of] Israel were [like a little boy] [MET], and [it was as though] it was I who taught them to walk, holding them by their hands. But they did not realize that it was I who was taking care of them.

4 I will draw them with the cords of Adam, with the bands of love: and I will be to them as one that taketh off the yoke on their jaws: and I put his meat to him that he might eat.

[It was as though I fastened] ropes [around them] to lead them, while I loved them and was kind to them. [It was as though they were young oxen] [MET], and I lifted the yoke from their necks and bent down to feed them.

5 He shall not return into the land of Egypt, but the Assyrian shall be his king: because they would not be converted.

But the people of Israel will become [slaves] again, like they were in Egypt, and [the people of] Assyria will [RHQ] rule over them, because the people of Israel refused to repent.

6 The sword hath begun in his cities, and it shall consume his chosen men, and shall devour their heads.

[Their enemies] will use their swords [to attack] the cities in Israel and will destroy the bars in the gates [of the city walls]. [As a result], the people of Israeli will not be able to accomplish the things that they planned to do.

7 And my people shall long for my return: but a yoke shall be put upon them together, which shall not be taken off.

My people are determined to (turn away from/abandon) me. They say that I am the great all-powerful God, but they do not honor me at all.

8 How shall I deal with thee, O Ephraim, shall I protect thee, O Israel? how shall I make thee as Adama, shall I set thee as Seboim? my heart is turned within me, my repentance is stirred up.

[You people of] Israel, I certainly do not want to [RHQ] abandon you and allow [your enemies] to capture you. I do not [RHQ] want to act toward you like I acted toward Admah and Zeboiim, [cities that I completely destroyed when I destroyed Sodom]. I [SYN] have changed my mind [about punishing you]; my desire to pity you has increased.

9 I will not execute the fierceness of my wrath: I will not return to destroy Ephraim: because I am God, and not man: the holy one in the midst of thee, and I will not enter into the city.

Although I am extremely angry, I do not want to punish you severely; I do not want to (devastate/completely ruin) Israel. [Humans would easily decide to do that], but I am God, not a human. I, the Holy One, am with you; although I am very angry [with you], I will not [destroy you].

10 They shall walk after the Lord, he shall roar as a lion: because he shall roar, and the children of the sea shall fear.

You will follow me when I roar like [SIM] a lion; when I roar, [some of you] my children will tremble as you return [to Israel] from [the islands and seacoasts toward] the west.

11 And they shall fly away like a bird out of Egypt, and like a dove out of the land of the Assyrians: and I will place them in their own houses, saith the Lord.

[Some of] you will come swiftly from Egypt like [a flock of] birds; [others] will return from Assyria, like doves. I will enable you to live in your homes [in Israel] again. [That will surely happen, because I], Yahweh, have said it.”

12 Ephraim hath compassed me about with denials, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Juda went down as a witness with God, and is faithful with the saints.

[Yahweh says, “The people of] Israel have (surrounded me with lies/constantly told lies to me). And the people of Judah have [also] turned/rebelled against me, their God, the Holy One who always does what I promise to do, and the people of Judah worship other gods.”