Hosea 11

Berean Standard Bible

Chapter summary

God states that He loved Israel and called His son out of Egypt, but the people responded by departing further to sacrifice to Baals and burn incense to carved images. Although God taught Ephraim to walk, healed them, led them with cords of love, and fed them, they refused to repent and faced the prospect of returning to Egypt or being ruled by Assyria, with a sword flashing through their cities. Despite the people's persistent turning away and deceitful behavior, God's heart turns within Him and His compassion is stirred, causing Him to withhold the full fury of His anger and refrain from destroying Ephraim like Admah and Zeboiim. Subsequently, the LORD declares that His children will walk after Him, coming trembling like lions, birds from Egypt, and doves from Assyria to be settled in their homes, while Judah continues to walk faithfully with the Holy One.

Summary automatically generated from the Bible text.

Words of Jesus in red

¹When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son. ²But the more I called Israel, the farther they departed from Me. They sacrificed to the Baals and burned incense to carved images. ³It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms, but they never realized that it was I who healed them. ⁴I led them with cords of kindness, with ropes of love; I lifted the yoke from their necks and bent down to feed them. ⁵Will they not return to the land of Egypt and be ruled by Assyria because they refused to repent? ⁶A sword will flash through their cities; it will destroy the bars of their gates and consume them in their own plans. ⁷My people are bent on turning from Me. Though they call to the Most High, He will by no means exalt them. ⁸How could I give you up, O Ephraim? How could I surrender you, O Israel? How could I make you like Admah? How could I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart is turned within Me; My compassion is stirred! ⁹I will not execute the full fury of My anger; I will not destroy Ephraim again. For I am God and not man— the Holy One among you— and I will not come in wrath. ¹⁰They will walk after the LORD; He will roar like a lion. When He roars, His children will come trembling from the west. ¹¹They will come trembling like birds from Egypt and like doves from the land of Assyria. Then I will settle them in their homes, declares the LORD. ¹²Ephraim surrounds Me with lies, the house of Israel with deceit; but Judah still walks with God and is faithful to the Holy One.

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Louis Segond 1910 and Berean Standard Bible: public domain. Cross references: open-cross-ref, Creative Commons BY 4.0.