11 “When Yisrael was a child I loved him,

and I called my son out of Egypt (Heb. Mitsrayim).[ref]

2 The more the godly people called them, the more they went away from them.

They kept sacrificing to the Baals

≈and burning incense for idols.

3 Yet it was me who taught Efrayim/Yisrael to walk.

I took them by their arms, but they didn’t know that I healed them.

4 I led them with ropes of human kindness—

with iron bands of love.

I was to them like someone who loosened the yoke on their jaws,

and I bent down to them and fed them.

5 They won’t return to Egypt,

but Assyria will become their king,

because they refused to return to me.

6 The sword will whirl against their cities,

and destroy the locking bars on their gates,

and devour them because of their own plans.

7 My people are insistent on turning away from me.

Though they call to the highest one, he won’t lift them up.

8 How can I give you up, O Efrayim?

≈How can I hand you over, O Yisrael?

How can I make you like Adamah?

≈How can I make you like Tsevoim?

My heart is turned over within me—

≈all my compassions are aroused.[ref]

9 I won’t put my fierce anger into action.

I won’t destroy Efrayim/Yisrael again,

because I’m God

and not a human,

the holy one among you,

and I won’t come in anger.

10 They’ll decide to follow Yahweh—he’ll roar like a lion.

When he roars, his children will come trembling from the west.

11 They will come trembling like a bird from Egypt—

like a dove from Assyria.

I’ll settle them in their homes

That’s what Yahweh declares.