1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
"I loved Israel when he was a child,
and I called my son out of Egypt.
<2> But the more I[103] called the Israelites,
the more they left me.
The Israelites gave sacrifices to the false gods[104]
and burned incense[105] to the idols.[106]
<3> "But I was the one who taught Ephraim[107] to walk.
I took the Israelites in my arms.
I healed them,
but they don't know that.
<4> I led them with ropes,[108]
but they were ropes of love.
I was like a person who set them free.[109]
I bent down and fed them.
<5> "The Israelites will not go back to Egypt. The king of Assyria will become their king, because they refused to turn back to God. <6> The sword will swing against their cities and kill their strong men. It will destroy their leaders.
<7> "My people expect me to come back. They will call to God above, but he will not help them."[110]
<8> "Ephraim,[111] I don't want to give you up.
Israel, I want to protect you.
I don't want to make you like Admah.
I don't want to make you like Zeboiim.[112]
I am changing my mind.
My love for you is too strong.
<9> I will not let my terrible anger win.
I will not destroy Ephraim again.
I am God and not a human.
I am the Holy One.
I am with you.
I will not show my anger.
<10> I will roar like a lion.
I will roar, and my children will come and follow me.
My children will come from the west,
shaking with fear.
<11> They will come from Egypt,
shaking like birds.
They will come shaking like doves from the land of Assyria,
and I will take them back home."
This is what the Lord said.
<12> "Ephraim surrounded me with false gods.
The people of Israel turned against me.[113]
[And they were destroyed!]
But Judah still walks with El.[114]
Judah is true to the holy ones.[115]"
© Copyright 2004 World Bible Translation Center.