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Hosea 11

God's Love for his Rebellious People

1The LORD says,

Notes for verse 11 entry

Cross-references

  • Hosea 11:1 – Exodus 4:22 ; Matthew 2:15

“When Israel was a child, I loved him

and called him out of Egypt as my son.

2But the more I called to him,

the more he turned away from me.

My people sacrificed to Baal;

they burnt incense to idols.

3Yet I was the one who taught Israel to walk.

I took my people up in my arms,

but they did not acknowledge that I took care of them.

4I drew them to me with affection and love.

I picked them up and held them to my cheek;

I bent down to them and fed them.

Notes for verses 1–45 entries

Text notes

  • Hosea 11:1 him and called him… son; or him; from the time he left Egypt I have called him my son. View in passage

  • Hosea 11:2 One ancient translation I; Hebrew they. View in passage

  • Hosea 11:2 One ancient translation me; Hebrew them. View in passage

  • Hosea 11:3 One ancient translation I… my arms; Hebrew He… his arms. View in passage

  • Hosea 11:4 Verse 4 in Hebrew is unclear. View in passage

5“They refuse to return to me, and so they must return to Egypt, and Assyria will rule them. 6War will sweep through their cities and break down the city gates. It will destroy my people because they do what they themselves think best. 7They insist on turning away from me. They will cry out because of the yoke that is on them, but no one will lift it from them.

Notes for verses 5–71 entry

Text notes

8“How can I give you up, Israel?

How can I abandon you?

Could I ever destroy you as I did Admah,

or treat you as I did Zeboiim?

My heart will not let me do it!

My love for you is too strong.

9I will not punish you in my anger;

I will not destroy Israel again.

For I am God and not a human being.

I, the Holy One, am with you.

I will not come to you in anger.

Notes for verses 8–91 entry

Cross-references

10“My people will follow me when I roar like a lion at their enemies. They will hurry to me from the west. 11They will come from Egypt, as swiftly as birds, and from Assyria, like doves. I will bring them to their homes again. I, the LORD, have spoken.”

Israel and Judah are Condemned

12The LORD says, “The people of Israel have surrounded me with lies and deceit, and the people of Judah are still rebelling against me, the faithful and holy God.

CopyrightGood News Translation® with Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. Anglicisation © The British and Foreign Bible Society 1976, 1994, 2004 Additional material © The British and Foreign Bible Society 2017 The copyright for the derivative work of Anglicisation pertains only to the text within the Good News Translation (GNT) that British and Foreign Bible Society adapted for British literary usage, consistent with Section 103(b) of the United States Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. § 103(b). Bible text from the Good News Translation (GNT) is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by American Bible Society, 101 North Independence Mall East, Floor 8, Philadelphia, PA 19106-2155 (www.americanbible.org). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.