Hosea 11
Expanded Bible
God’s Love for Israel
11 “When Israel was a ·child [youth], I loved him,
and I called my son out of Egypt [C the Exodus; Ex. 4:22; Matt. 2:15].
2 But when I called ·the people of Israel [L them],
they went away from me.
They offered sacrifices to the Baals
and burned incense to ·the idols [images].
3 It was I who taught ·Israel [L Ephraim; 4:17] to walk,
and I took them by the arms,
but they did not ·understand [or acknowledge]
that I had healed them.
4 I led them with cords of ·human kindness [humanity; or leather],
with ropes of love.
I lifted ·the yoke from their neck [or them like a little child to my cheek]
and bent down and fed them.
5 “·The Israelites will become captives again, as they were in [or Will they not return to…? or They will not return to] Egypt,
and ·Assyria will [or will not Assyria…?] become their king,
because they refuse to turn back to God.
6 ·War will sweep through [L A sword will slash/flash in] their cities
and will destroy ·them [their gates; or their priests]
and ·kill [devour] them because of their ·wicked plans [counsels].
7 My people ·have made up their minds [are determined]
to ·turn away [desert; backslide] from me.
·The prophets call them to turn to me [or They call me Most High; or They call to Baal],
but ·none of them honors me at all [or I will not exalt them; or he will never exalt them].
8 “·Israel [L Ephraim; 4:17], how can I give you up?
How can I ·give you away [hand you over], Israel?
·I don’t want to [L How can I…?] make you like Admah
or treat you like Zeboiim [C two cities destroyed together with Sodom and Gomorrah; Gen. 19:24–25; Deut. 4:25–31].
My heart ·beats for you [or has changed within me; or is torn within me],
and my ·love for you stirs up my pity [compassion is aroused/stirred up/kindled].
9 I won’t ·punish you in my [unleash my burning] anger,
and I won’t destroy ·Israel [L Ephraim; 4:17] again.
I am God and not a human;
I am the Holy One, and I am among you.
I will not come against ·you in anger [you with terror; or your cities].
10 They will ·go after [follow] the Lord,
and he will roar like a lion.
When he roars,
his children will ·hurry [L come trembling] to him from the west [C God’s people would return not only from Babylon and Assyria in the east but from every direction].
11 They will come ·swiftly [or trembling]
like birds from Egypt
and like doves from Assyria.
I will settle them again in their homes,”
says the Lord.
The Lord Is Against Israel
12 ·Israel [L Ephraim; 4:17] has surrounded me with lies;
the ·people have made [L house of Israel with] evil plans.
·And [or But] Judah ·turns against [or roams away from; or still walks with] God,
·the faithful [or and is faithful to the] Holy One.
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