God Will Have Compassion

•  When Israel was a child, I loved him,
• and out of Egypt I called my son.
• 2 When I called[fn] them, they went from my face.[fn]
  • They sacrificed to the Baals, and they sacrificed to idols.
• 3 And I myself taught Ephraim to walk;
  • I took them[fn] in my[fn] arms,
• but they did not know that I healed them.
• 4 I drew them with human ties ,[fn]
  • with the bands of love.
• I was to them like one who lifted up[fn] a yoke on their jaws,[fn]
  • though I bent down to them[fn] and let them[fn] eat.
• 5 He will return[fn] to the land of Egypt,
  • and Assyria will be his king,[fn]
  • because they refused to return.
• 6 The sword rages in his cities;
  • it consumes his false prophets
• and devours because of their plans.
  • 7 My people are bent on backsliding from me.
• To the Most High they call,
  • he does not raise them at all.
• 8 How can I give you up, O Ephraim?
  • How can I hand you over, O Israel?
• How can I make you like Admah?
  • How can I treat you like Zeboiim?
• My heart is disturbed[fn] within me;
  • all[fn] my compassions are aroused.
• 9 I will not execute[fn] my fierce anger ,[fn]
  • I will not again destroy Ephraim;
• because I am God
  • and not a mortal,[fn]
  • the Holy One in your midst;
• and I will not come in wrath.
  • 10 They will go after Yahweh;
    • he roars like a lion.
• When he roars,
  • his children will come trembling
    • from the sea.[fn]
• 11 They will tremble like birds[fn] from Egypt,
  • and like doves[fn] from the land of Assyria;
• and I will let them return[fn] to their homes—
  • a declaration of Yahweh.
    

Israel’s History

• 12 [fn] Ephraim has surrounded me with lies,[fn]
• and the house of Israel with deceit;
• and Judah is still wandering with God
  • and is faithful to the Holy One.
  
  
• 12 Ephraim herds the wind[fn]
  • and is pursuing the east wind all day long;
• he multiplies deception and violence
  • and he[fn] makes a treaty with Assyria ,[fn]
  • and oil is brought to Egypt.
• 2 Yahweh has a quarrel[fn] with Judah
  • and will punish Jacob according to his ways
    • and repay him according to his deeds.
• 3 In the womb he deceived his brother,
  • and in his manhood he struggled with God.
• 4 He struggled with the angel and prevailed;
  • he pleaded for his mercy.
• He met him at Bethel,
  • and there he spoke with him.[fn]
• 5 Yahweh the God of hosts,
  • Yahweh is his renowned name!
• 6 But you, you must return to your God;
  • keep love and justice,
    • and wait continually for your God.
• 7 The trader, in his hand are scales of deceit;[fn]
  • he loves to oppress.
• 8 And Ephraim said, “Surely, I am rich,
  • I gained[fn] wealth for myself;
• in all my toil they have not found guilt in me
  • that is sin.
• 9 But I am Yahweh your God
  • since[fn] the land of Egypt;
• I will make you live in tents again,
  • like the days of the appointed festival.
• 10 I spoke to the prophets;
  • I myself multiplied revelations[fn]
    • and through the hand of the prophets I will destroy.
• 11 If in Gilead there is evil,
  • surely they will come to nothing.
• In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls,
  • also their altars will be like stone heaps
  • on furrows of the field.
• 12 Jacob fled to the open field of Aram,[fn]
  • and Israel served for a wife,
  • and for a wife he watched over sheep.
• 13 And by a prophet Yahweh brought
  • Israel up from Egypt,
• and by a prophet
  • he[fn] was watched over.
• 14 Ephraim has caused bitter provocation,
  • and his Lord will hold him responsible for his crimes[fn]
  • and pay back to him his insults.