Oseas 11

Out of Egypt I called my son

¹When Israel was a boy, I loved him, \q and out of Egypt I called my son.^{a 2}The more they called to them, \q the more they went away from them. \q They sacrificed to the Baals \q and burned offerings to carved idols.^{b 3}Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk, \q holding them by the arms, \q but they did not know that I was the one who healed them.^{c 4}I led them with human cords, with ropes of love. \q To them I was like someone who lifts the yoke off their jaws, \q and I bent down to them and fed them.^{d 5}He will not go back to the land of Egypt; \q Assyria will be his king instead, \q because they refused to return to me.^{e 6}A sword will sweep through their cities; \q it will break the bars of their gates and consume them, \q because of their own schemes.^{f 7}My people are set on turning away from me. \q Though they are called to the One on high, \q not one of them rises up.^{g 8}How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I surrender you, Israel? \q How can I treat you like Admah? \q How can I make you like Zeboiim? \q Within me my heart turns over; \q all my compassion is stirred. ⁹I will not act on my burning anger; \q I will not turn to destroy Ephraim again. \q For I am God and not a human, \q the Holy One among you, \q and I will not come in fury.^{h 10}They will follow the LORD, who will roar like a lion. \q When he roars, \q children will come trembling from the west. ¹¹They will come trembling like birds from Egypt, \q like doves from the land of Assyria, \q and I will settle them in their homes, declares the LORD.