| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 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 child, I loved him, and I called my son out of Egypt. |
| 2But the more I summoned them, the farther they departed from me. They sacrificed to the Baal idols and burned incense to images. | 2But the more I called to him, the farther he moved from me, offering sacrifices to the images of Baal and burning incense to idols. |
| 3Yet it was I who led Ephraim, I took them by the arm; but they did not acknowledge that I had healed them. | 3I myself taught Israel how to walk, leading him along by the hand. But he doesn’t know or even care that it was I who took care of him. |
| 4I led them with leather cords, with leather ropes; I lifted the yoke from their neck, and gently fed them. | 4I led Israel along with my ropes of kindness and love. I lifted the yoke from his neck, and I myself stooped to feed him. |
| 5They will return to Egypt! Assyria will rule over them because they refuse to repent! | 5“But since my people refuse to return to me, they will return to Egypt and will be forced to serve Assyria. |
| 6A sword will flash in their cities, it will destroy the bars of their city gates, and will devour them in their fortresses. | 6War will swirl through their cities; their enemies will crash through their gates. They will destroy them, trapping them in their own evil plans. |
| 7My people are obsessed with turning away from me; they call to Baal, but he will never exalt them! | 7For my people are determined to desert me. They call me the Most High, but they don’t truly honor me. |
| 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“Oh, how can I give you up, Israel? How can I let you go? How can I destroy you like Admah or demolish you like Zeboiim? My heart is torn within me, and my compassion overflows. |
| 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! | 9No, I will not unleash my fierce anger. I will not completely destroy Israel, for I am God and not a mere mortal. I am the Holy One living among you, and I will not come to destroy. |
| 10He will roar like a lion, and they will follow the LORD; when he roars, his children will come trembling from the west. | 10For someday the people will follow me. I, the LORD, will roar like a lion. And when I roar, my people will return 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. | 11Like a flock of birds, they will come from Egypt. Trembling like doves, they will return from Assyria. And I will bring them home again,” says the LORD. Charges against Israel and Judah |
| 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 Israel surrounds me with lies and deceit, but Judah still obeys God and is faithful to the Holy One. |
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