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 young, then I began to love 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.

The more I called them, the further they went away from me. They kept sacrificing to Baals and making offerings to idols.

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.

Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them up in my arms, but they did not know that I 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.

With humane cords I ever drew them, with bands of love. I was to them as one who lifts up the yoke from off their jaws, and bending toward them, I gave them food to eat.

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.

No! They return to the land of Egypt, Assyria will be their king, for they have refused to return to me.

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.

Therefore the swords will whirl in their cities, will devour in their fortresses.

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.

For my people are bent in rebellion against me, even if they call on the Most High he will not raise 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 can I give you up, Ephraim! Give you over, Israel! How am I to give you up as Admah! Make you like Zeboim! My heart asserts itself, my sympathies are all aglow.

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 carry into effect the fierceness of my anger, I will not turn to destroy Ephraim, for God am I, and not man, holy in the midst of you, therefore I will not consume.

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 follow after the Lord. Like a lion he will roar, and 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 the birds from Egypt, like doves from the land of Assyria. And I will bring them back to their houses, – 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 has encompassed me with falsehood, and the house of Israel with deceit. But Judah still wanders with God faithful to the Holy One.