| NET Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1When Israel was a young man, I loved him like a son, and I summoned my son out of Egypt. | 1"When Israel was a young child I loved him, and from Egypt I called my son. |
| 2But the more I summoned them, the farther they departed from me. They sacrificed to the Baal idols and burned incense to images. | 2The more I called out to them, the farther they fled from me; they sacrificed to Baals, burning incense to carved images. |
| 3Yet it was I who led Ephraim, I took them by the arm; but they did not acknowledge that I had healed them. | 3Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk, supporting them by their arms, but they never knew that I was healing them. |
| 4I led them with leather cords, with leather ropes; I lifted the yoke from their neck, and gently fed them. | 4I guided them with human kindness, with loving reins. I acted toward them like one who removes a yoke from their neck; I bent down and fed them. |
| 5They will return to Egypt! Assyria will rule over them because they refuse to repent! | 5"They will not return to the land of Egypt; instead, the Assyrian will be their king, because they kept refusing to repent. |
| 6A sword will flash in their cities, it will destroy the bars of their city gates, and will devour them in their fortresses. | 6The sword will fall on their cities, consuming and devouring their fortified gates, despite their planning. |
| 7My people are obsessed with turning away from me; they call to Baal, but he will never exalt them! | 7My people are determined to turn away from me; though they call to the Most High, no one is worshiping. |
| 8How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I surrender you, O Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? I have had a change of heart! All my tender compassions are aroused! | 8"How can I give up on you, Ephraim? I will deliver you, will I not, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? I can't make you like Zeboim, can I? My heart stirs within me; my compassion also fans into flame! |
| 9I cannot carry out my fierce anger! I cannot totally destroy Ephraim! Because I am God, and not man--the Holy One among you--I will not come in wrath! | 9I will not act in my anger; I will not return to destroy Ephraim, For I am God, and not a human— the Holy One among you— so I will not enter the city in anger. |
| 10He will roar like a lion, and they will follow the LORD; when he roars, his children will come trembling from the west. | 10They will go after the LORD, who will roar like a lion; and when he roars, the children will come trembling from the west. |
| 11They will return in fear and trembling like birds from Egypt, like doves from Assyria, and I will settle them in their homes," declares the LORD. | 11Trembling like a bird, they will come out of Egypt, and as a dove from the land of Assyria; and I will settle them in their houses," declares the LORD. |
| 12Ephraim has surrounded me with lies; the house of Israel has surrounded me with deceit. But Judah still roams about with God; he remains faithful to the Holy One. | 12 "Ephraim surrounds me with lies, and the house of Israel surrounds me with deceit, But Judah still rules with God, and remains faithful, along with the godly ones." |
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