| New King James Version | NET Bible |
| 1“When Israel was a child, I loved him, And out of Egypt I called My son. | 1When Israel was a young man, I loved him like a son, and I summoned my son out of Egypt. |
| 2As they called them, So they went from them; They sacrificed to the Baals, And burned incense to carved images. | 2But the more I summoned them, the farther they departed from me. They sacrificed to the Baal idols and burned incense to images. |
| 3“I taught Ephraim to walk, Taking them by their arms; But they did not know that I healed them. | 3Yet it was I who led Ephraim, I took them by the arm; but they did not acknowledge that I had healed them. |
| 4I drew them with gentle cords, With bands of love, And I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. I stooped and fed them. | 4I led them with leather cords, with leather ropes; I lifted the yoke from their neck, and gently fed them. |
| 5“He shall not return to the land of Egypt; But the Assyrian shall be his king, Because they refused to repent. | 5They will return to Egypt! Assyria will rule over them because they refuse to repent! |
| 6And the sword shall slash in his cities, Devour his districts, And consume them, Because of their own counsels. | 6A sword will flash in their cities, it will destroy the bars of their city gates, and will devour them in their fortresses. |
| 7My people are bent on backsliding from Me. Though they call to the Most High, None at all exalt Him. | 7My people are obsessed with turning away from me; they call to Baal, but he will never exalt them! |
| 8“How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I set you like Zeboiim? My heart churns within Me; My sympathy is stirred. | 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! |
| 9I will not execute the fierceness of My anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim. For I am God, and not man, The Holy One in your midst; And I will not come with terror. | 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! |
| 10“They shall walk after the LORD. He will roar like a lion. When He roars, Then His sons shall come trembling from the west; | 10He will roar like a lion, and they will follow the LORD; when he roars, his children will come trembling from the west. |
| 11They shall come trembling like a bird from Egypt, Like a dove from the land of Assyria. And I will let them dwell in their houses,” Says the LORD. | 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. |
| 12“Ephraim has encircled Me with lies, And the house of Israel with deceit; But Judah still walks with God, Even with the Holy One who is faithful. | 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. |
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