God’s Love for His Sinful People

11 “When Israel was a child, I loved him. And I called My son out of Egypt. ² The more I called them, the more they went from Me. They kept giving gifts in worship to the Baals and burning special perfume to false gods. ³ Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk. I took them in My arms. But they did not know that I healed them. ⁴ I led them with ropes of human kindness, with ties of love. I lifted the load from their neck and went down to feed them.

⁵ “They will not return to the land of Egypt, and Assyria will be their king, because they would not return to Me. ⁶ The sword will come upon their cities and destroy their gates. And it will destroy them because of their plans. ⁷ My people are always turning from Me. Even when those who speak for the Lord call them to the Most High, no one honors Him.

⁸ “How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I give you up, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart will not let Me do it. I love you very much. ⁹ I will not do anything in My burning anger. I will not destroy Ephraim again. For I am God and not man. I am the Holy One among you, and I will not come in anger. ¹⁰ They will follow the Lord, and He will make noise like a lion. Yes, He will make noise like a lion, and His children will come from the west shaking with fear. ¹¹ They will come shaking like birds from Egypt, and like doves from the land of Assyria. And I will return them to their homes,” says the Lord.

Israel and Judah Are Judged

¹² “The lies of Ephraim and the lies of the people of Israel are all around Me. And Judah will not obey God, the One Who is holy and faithful.”

12 Ephraim’s food is the wind, he goes after the east wind all day long. He tells many lies and does much in his anger. He makes an agreement with Assyria and takes oil to Egypt. ² The Lord has a cause against Judah, and will punish Jacob for his ways. He will make him pay for what he has done. ³ Before he was born he took his brother by the heel. And when he was grown he fought with God. ⁴ He fought with the angel and won. He cried and begged for His favor. He met God at Bethel, and God spoke with him there. ⁵ This was the Lord, the God of All. The Lord is His name. ⁶ So return to your God. Show kindness and do what is fair, and wait for your God all the time. ⁷ One who buys and sells and who lies about the weight of things loves to make it hard for others. ⁸ Ephraim has said, “I have become rich. I have found riches for myself. With all my riches they will not find any sin in me.”

⁹ “I am the Lord your God Who brought you out of Egypt. I will make you live in tents again, as in the days of your special suppers. ¹⁰ I have spoken to the men who speak for Me. I have given many special dreams. And I gave picture-stories through the men who speak for Me.”

¹¹ Is there sin in Gilead? For sure its people are of no worth. In Gilgal they kill bulls in worship. Their altars are like the many stones laid beside a plowed field. ¹² Jacob ran away to the land of Aram. There he worked for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep. ¹³ By a man who spoke for Him, the Lord brought Israel from Egypt. And by a man who spoke for Him, the Lord cared for him. ¹⁴ But Ephraim has made the Lord very angry. So the Lord will leave on him the guilt of his blood, and make his shame return to him.

Israel Judged the Last Time

13 When Ephraim spoke, men shook in fear. He was honored in Israel. But he sinned by worshiping Baal, and died. ² And now they sin more and more. They make false gods for themselves. Their able workmen make them out of silver. And they say, “Let the men who give gifts in worship kiss the calf-gods!” ³ So they will be like the morning cloud, and like the water on the grass in the early morning which is soon gone. They will be like the dust of the grain that is blown away from the grain-floor, and like smoke from a fire.

⁴ “I am the Lord your God Who brought you out of Egypt. You were not to know any god but Me, for there is no one who can save you but Me. ⁵ I cared for you in the desert, in the land where there was no water. ⁶ When I fed them, they were filled. And when they were filled, their heart became proud and they forgot Me. ⁷ So I will be like a lion to them. I will lie in wait by the road like a leopard. ⁸ I will fight them like a bear robbed of her young ones. I will tear open their chests. I will eat them there like a female lion, and tear them like a wild animal.

⁹ “I will destroy you, O Israel, because you are against Me, against your Helper. ¹⁰ Where is your king, that he may save you? Where are your rulers in all your cities, of whom you said, ‘Give me a king and leaders’? ¹¹ I gave you a king in My anger, and in My anger I took him away.

¹² “The wrong-doing of Ephraim is being kept. His sin is being stored up. ¹³ The pains like a woman giving birth will come upon him, but he is not a wise son. He is not willing to be born. ¹⁴ I will pay the price to free them from the power of the grave. I will save them from death. O Death, where are your thorns? O Grave, where is your power to destroy? I will have no loving-pity.

¹⁵ “Even if he grows among his brothers, an east wind will come. The wind of the Lord will come from the desert. And his well will dry up. His water will be gone. It will take away everything of much worth. ¹⁶ Samaria will suffer for her guilt, for she has not wanted to obey her God. They will be killed by the sword. Their little ones will be crushed in pieces. And their women who are soon to give birth will be torn open.”

Hosea’s Last Words to Israel

14 Return to the Lord your God, O Israel, for you have fallen because of your sin. ² Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to Him, “Take away all sin, and receive us in kindness, that we may praise You with our lips. ³ Assyria will not save us. We will not ride on horses. And we will never say again, ‘Our god,’ to what we have made with our hands. For those who have no father find loving-kindness in You.”

New Life for Israel

⁴ “I will bring My people back to Me. I will not hold back My love from them, for I am no longer angry with them. ⁵ I will be to Israel like the water on the grass in the early morning. He will grow like the lily, and have roots like the cedars of Lebanon. ⁶ His young branches will spread out and his beauty will be like the olive tree. His smell will be like the cedars of Lebanon. ⁷ Those who live in his shadow will grow like grain and like flowers of the vine. He will be known like the wine of Lebanon.

⁸ “O Ephraim, what have I to do with false gods? It is I Who answer and take care of you. I am like a green cypress tree. Your fruit comes from Me.”

⁹ Whoever is wise, let him understand these things and know them. For the ways of the Lord are right, and those who are right and good will follow them, but sinners will not follow them.