Hosea 10–11: How Could I Give You Up, O Ephraim?": The Father Who Taught Him to Walk
Scripture: Berean Standard Bible
Israel was a luxuriant vine,yielding fruit for himself.The more his fruit increased,the more he increased the altars.The better his land produced,the better he made the sacred pillars.Their hearts are devious;now they must bear their guilt.The LORD will break down their altarsand demolish their sacred pillars.
Surely now they will say,“We have no king,for we do not revere the LORD.What can a king do for us?”They speak mere words;with false oaths they make covenants.So judgment springs uplike poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field.
The people of Samaria will fearfor the calf of Beth-aven.Indeed, its people will mournwith its idolatrous priests—those who rejoiced in its glory—for it has been taken from them into exile.Yes, it will be carried to Assyriaas tribute to the great king.Ephraim will be seized with shame;Israel will be ashamed of its wooden idols.Samaria will be carried off with her kinglike a twig on the surface of the water.The high places of Aven will be destroyed—it is the sin of Israel;thorns and thistles will overgrow their altars.Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!”and to the hills, “Fall on us!”
Since the days of Gibeah you have sinned, O Israel,and there you have remained.Did not the battle in Gibeahovertake the sons of iniquity?I will chasten them when I please;nations will be gathered against themto put them in bondagefor their double transgression.
Ephraim is a well-trained heifer that loves to thresh;but I will place a yoke on her fair neck.I will harness Ephraim, Judah will plow,and Jacob will break the hard ground.Sow for yourselves righteousnessand reap the fruit of loving devotion;break up your unplowed ground.For it is time to seek the LORDuntil he comes and sends righteousnessupon you like rain.
You have plowed wickedness and reaped injustice;you have eaten the fruit of lies.Because you have trusted in your own wayand in the multitude of your mighty men,the roar of battle will rise against your people,so that all your fortresses will be demolishedas Shalman devastated Beth-arbelin the day of battle,when mothers were dashed to piecesalong with their children.Thus it will be done to you, O Bethel,because of your great wickedness.When the day dawns,the king of Israel will be utterly cut off.When Israel was a child, I loved him,and out of Egypt I called my son.But the more I called Israel,the farther they departed from me.They sacrificed to the Baalsand burned incense to carved images.It was I who taught Ephraim to walk,taking them in my arms,but they never realizedthat it was I who healed them.I led them with cords of kindness,with ropes of love;I lifted the yoke from their necksand bent down to feed them.Will they not return to the land of Egyptand be ruled by Assyriabecause they refused to repent?A sword will flash through their cities;it will destroy the bars of their gatesand consume them in their own plans.My people are bent on turning from me.Though they call to the Most High,he will by no means exalt them.
How 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!I will not execute the full fury of my anger;I will not turn back to destroy Ephraim.For I am God and not man—the Holy One among you—and I will not come in wrath.They will walk after the LORD;he will roar like a lion.When he roars,his children will come trembling from the west.They will come trembling like birds from Egyptand like doves from the land of Assyria.Then I will settle them in their homes,declares the LORD.
Ephraim surrounds me with lies,the house of Israel with deceit;but Judah still walks with Godand is faithful to the Holy One.