The Beloved Son
When Israel was a youth I loved him,
And aout of Egypt I bcalled My son.
2 The more athey called them,
The more they went from them;
They kept bsacrificing to the Baals
And cburning incense to graven images.
3 Yet it is I who taught Ephraim to walk;
I atook them in My arms;
But they did not know that I bhealed them.
4 I aled them with cords of a man, with bonds of love,
And bI became to them as one who lifts the yoke from their jaws;
And I bent down and cfed them.
5 They will not return to the land of Egypt;
But Assyria—he will be their king
Because they arefused to return to Me.
6 And the asword will whirl against their cities
And will consume their gate bars
And bdevour them because of their ccounsels.
7 So My people are hung up on aturning from Me.
Though they call them to the One on high,
None at all exalts Him.
8 aHow can I give you up, O Ephraim?
How can I surrender you, O Israel?
How can I give you over to be like bAdmah?
How can I make you like bZeboiim?
My heart is turned over within Me;
All My compassions are stirred.
9 I will anot execute My burning anger;
I will not make Ephraim a ruin bagain.
For cI am God and not man, the dHoly One in your midst,
And I will not come in wrath.
10 They will awalk after Yahweh;
He will broar like a lion;
Indeed, He will roar,
And His sons will come ctrembling from the west.
11 They will come trembling like birds from aEgypt
And like bdoves from the land of aAssyria;
And I will csettle them in their houses, declares Yahweh.
12 Ephraim surrounds Me with alies
And the house of Israel with deceit;
And Judah is also unruly against God,
Even against the Holy One who is faithful.