English Standard Version ESV
The Message Bible MSG
1 When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.
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"When Israel was only a child, I loved him. I called out, 'My son!' - called him out of Egypt.
2 The more they were called, the more they went away; they kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols.
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But when others called him, he ran off and left me. He worshiped the popular sex gods, he played at religion with toy gods.
3 Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk; I took them up by their arms, but they did not know that I healed them.
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Still, I stuck with him. I led Ephraim. I rescued him from human bondage, But he never acknowledged my help,
4 I led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love, and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bent down to them and fed them.
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never admitted that I was the one pulling his wagon, That I lifted him, like a baby, to my cheek, that I bent down to feed him.
5 They shall not return to the land of Egypt, but Assyria shall be their king, because they have refused to return to me.
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Now he wants to go back to Egypt or go over to Assyria - anything but return to me!
6 The sword shall rage against their cities, consume the bars of their gates, and devour them because of their own counsels.
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That's why his cities are unsafe - the murder rate skyrockets and every plan to improve things falls to pieces.
7 My people are bent on turning away from me, and though they call out to the Most High, he shall not raise them up at all.
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My people are hell-bent on leaving me. They pray to god Baal for help. He doesn't lift a finger to help them.
8 How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I hand you over, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart recoils within me; my compassion grows warm and tender.
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But how can I give up on you, Ephraim? How can I turn you loose, Israel? How can I leave you to be ruined like Admah, devastated like luckless Zeboim? I can't bear to even think such thoughts. My insides churn in protest.
9 I will not execute my burning anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim; for I am God and not a man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath.
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And so I'm not going to act on my anger. I'm not going to destroy Ephraim. And why? Because I am God and not a human. I'm The Holy One and I'm here - in your very midst.
10 They shall go after the LORD; he will roar like a lion; when he roars, his children shall come trembling from the west;
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"The people will end up following God. I will roar like a lion - Oh, how I'll roar! My frightened children will come running from the west.
11 they shall come trembling like birds from Egypt, and like doves from the land of Assyria, and I will return them to their homes, declares the LORD.
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Like frightened birds they'll come from Egypt, from Assyria like scared doves. I'll move them back into their homes." God's Word! Soul-Destroying Lies
12 Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit, but Judah still walks with God and is faithful to the Holy One.
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Ephraim tells lies right and left. Not a word of Israel can be trusted. Judah, meanwhile, is no better, addicted to cheap gods.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.