Hosea 11

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

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

2 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.

But the more I called Israel, the farther they departed from Me. They sacrificed to the Baals and burned incense to carved images.

3 [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.

It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them in My arms, but they never realized that it was I who healed them.

4 [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.

I led them with cords of kindness, with ropes of love; I lifted the yoke from their necks and bent down to feed them.

5 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.

Will they not return to the land of Egypt and be ruled by Assyria because they refused to repent?

6 [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.

A sword will flash through their cities; it will destroy the bars of their gates and consume them in their own plans.

7 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.

My people are bent on turning from Me. Though they call to the Most High, He will by no means exalt them.

8 [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.

How 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!

9 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].

I will not execute the full fury of My anger; I will not turn back to destroy Ephraim. For I am God and not man— the Holy One among you— and I will not come in wrath.

10 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.

They will walk after the LORD; He will roar like a lion. When He roars, His children will come trembling from the west.

11 [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.”

They 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.

12 [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.”

Ephraim surrounds Me with lies, the house of Israel with deceit; but Judah still walks with God and is faithful to the Holy One.