The Lord's Love for Israel

¹uWhen Israel was a child, vI loved him,

and out of Egypt I wcalled xmy son.

²yThe more they were called,

the more they went away;

zthey kept sacrificing to the Baals

and burning offerings to idols.

³Yet it was aI who taught Ephraim to walk;

I took them up by their arms,

but they did not know that bI healed them.

⁴cI led them with cords of kindness,1

with the bands of love,

and dI became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws,

and eI bent down to them and fed them.

⁵fThey shall not2 return to the land of Egypt,

but gAssyria shall be their king,

hbecause ithey have refused to return to me.

⁶jThe sword shall rage against their cities,

consume the bars of their gates,

and devour them kbecause of their own counsels.

⁷My people are bent lon turning away from me,

and though mthey call out to the Most High,

he shall not raise them up at all.

⁸How can I give you up, O Ephraim?

How can I hand you over, O Israel?

nHow can I make you olike Admah?

How can I treat you olike Zeboiim?

pMy heart recoils within me;

my compassion grows warm and tender.

⁹I will not execute my burning anger;

I will not again destroy Ephraim;

qfor I am God and not a man,

rthe Holy One in your midst,

and I will not come in wrath.3

¹⁰sThey shall go after the Lord;

the will roar like a lion;

when he roars,

his children shall come trembling ufrom the west;

¹¹they shall come trembling like birds vfrom Egypt,

and wlike doves xfrom the land of Assyria,

and I will return them to their homes, declares the Lord.

¹²4 Ephraim yhas surrounded me with lies,

and the house of Israel with deceit,

but Judah still walks with God

and is faithful to the Holy One.