Lectionary Calendar
Sunday, December 22nd, 2024
the Fourth Week of Advent
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Read the Bible

English Standard Version

Hosea 11

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The Lord's Love for Israel

1 (a)When Israel was a child, (b)I loved him,
    and out of Egypt I (c)called (d)my son.
2 (e)The more they were called,
    the more they went away;
(f)they kept sacrificing to the Baals
    and burning offerings to idols.

3 Yet it was (g)I who taught Ephraim to walk;
    I took them up by their arms,
    but they did not know that (h)I healed them.
4 (i)I led them with cords of kindness,[a]
    with the bands of love,
and (j)I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws,
    and (k)I bent down to them and fed them.

5 (l)They shall not[b] return to the land of Egypt,
    but (m)Assyria shall be their king,
    (n)because (o)they have refused to return to me.
6 (p)The sword shall rage against their cities,
    consume the bars of their gates,
    and devour them (q)because of their own counsels.
7 My people are bent (r)on turning away from me,
    and though (s)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?
(t)How can I make you (u)like Admah?
    How can I treat you (v)like Zeboiim?
(w)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;
(x)for I am God and not a man,
    (y)the Holy One in your midst,
    and I will not come in wrath.[c]

10 (z)They shall go after the Lord;
    (aa)he will roar like a lion;
when he roars,
    his children shall come trembling (ab)from the west;
11 they shall come trembling like birds (ac)from Egypt,
    and (ad)like doves (ae)from the land of Assyria,
    and I will return them to their homes, declares the Lord.
12 [d] Ephraim (af)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.

 
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