Chapter 11
The Disappointment of a Parent
1 When Israel was a child I loved him,(A)
out of Egypt I called my son.(B)
2 The more I called them,
the farther they went from me,
Sacrificing to the Baals
and burning incense to idols.
3 Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
who took them in my arms;(C)
but they did not know that I cared for them.
4 I drew them with human cords,
with bands of love;
I fostered them like those
who raise an infant to their cheeks;
I bent down to feed them.(D)
5 He shall return to the land of Egypt,(E)
Assyria shall be his king,
because they have refused to repent.
6 The sword shall rage in his cities:
it shall destroy his diviners,
and devour them because of their schemings.
7 My people have their mind set on apostasy;
though they call on God in unison,
he shall not raise them up.
But Love Is Stronger and Restores
8 How could I give you up, Ephraim,
or deliver you up, Israel?
How could I treat you as Admah,
or make you like Zeboiim?(F)
My heart is overwhelmed,
my pity is stirred.
9 I will not give vent to my blazing anger,
I will not destroy Ephraim again;
For I am God and not a man,(G)
the Holy One present among you;
I will not come in wrath.
10 They shall follow the Lord,
who roars like a lion;(H)
When he roars,
his children shall come frightened from the west,
11 Out of Egypt they shall come trembling, like birds,
like doves, from the land of Assyria;
And I will resettle them in their homes,
oracle of the Lord.
Footnotes
- 11:1–3
- 11:1
- 11:4
- 11:8
Cross references
- 11:1 : Dt 7:8; 10:15; Jer 2:1–9.
- 11:1 : Ex 4:22; Mt 2:15.
- 11:3 : Dt 1:31; 8:5.
- 11:4 : Dt 8:16.
- 11:5 : Dt 17:16.
- 11:8 : Dt 29:22.
- 11:9 : Nm 23:19; Is 31:3; Ez 28:2.
- 11:10 : Jl 4:16; Am 1:2; Jer 25:30.
