Christmas Day
Click here to learn more!
Read the Bible
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Hosea 11
God Yearns over His People
1 When Israel was a youth I loved him,
And (C1)out of Egypt I (C2)called My son.
2 The more (F1)(C1)they called them,
The more they went from (F1)them;
They kept (C2)sacrificing to the Baals
And (C3)burning incense to idols.
3 Yet it is I who taught Ephraim to walk,
(F1)I (C1)took them in My arms;
But they did not know that I (C2)healed them.
4 I (C1)led them with cords of a man, with bonds of love,
And (C2)I became to them as one who lifts the yoke from their jaws;
And I bent down and (C3)fed them.
5 (F1)They will not return to the land of Egypt;
But Assyria--he will be (F2)their king
Because they (C1)refused to return to Me.
6 The (C1)sword will whirl against (F1)their cities,
And will demolish (F1)their gate bars
And (C2)consume them because of their (C3)counsels.
7 So My people are bent on (C1)turning from Me.
Though (F1)they call (F2)them to the One on high,
None at all exalts Him.
8 (C1)How can I give you up, O Ephraim?
How can I surrender you, O Israel?
How can I (F1)make you like (C2)Admah?
How can I treat you like (C2)Zeboiim?
My heart is turned over within Me,
(F2)All My compassions are kindled.
9 I will (C1)not execute My fierce anger;
I will not destroy Ephraim (C2)again.
For (C3)I am God and not man, the (C4)Holy One in your midst,
And I will not come in (F1)wrath.
10 They will (C1)walk after the LORD,
He will (C2)roar like a lion;
Indeed He will roar
And His sons will come (C3)trembling from the west.
11 They will come trembling like birds from (C1)Egypt
And like (C2)doves from the land of (C1)Assyria;
And I will (C3)settle them in their houses, declares the LORD.
12 (F1)Ephraim surrounds Me with (C1)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 (1995)
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation