כִּי נַעַר יִשְׂרָאֵל וָאֹהֲבֵהוּ וּמִמִּצְרַיִם קָרָאתִי לִבְנִי

When Israel was just a lad, I already loved him, and from Egypt I called My son to Me and redeemed him.

קָרְאוּ לָהֶם כֵּן הָלְכוּ מִפְּנֵיהֶם לַבְּעָלִים יְזַבֵּחוּ וְלַפְּסִלִים יְקַטֵּרוּן

However, as they, My emissaries and prophets, called to them, the Israelites, so they, the people, went away from before them, and instead of coming to My prophets, they would sacrifice to the Be’alim and burn incense to the idols.

וְאָנֹכִי תִּרְגַּלְתִּי לְאֶפְרַיִם קָחָם עַל־זְרוֹעֹתָיו וְלֹא יָדְעוּ כִּי רְפָאתִים

I accustomed Ephraim to be taken in his arms. I spoiled the people by allowing the prophet to take care of all their needs. Some explain that God taught Ephraim to walk by holding his arms, so to speak. And yet they did not know that I was the One who healed them and cared for all their needs.

בְּחַבְלֵי אָדָם אֶמְשְׁכֵם בַעֲבֹתוֹת אַהֲבָה וָאֶהְיֶה לָהֶם כִּמְרִימֵי עֹל עַל לְחֵיהֶם וְאַט אֵלָיו אוֹכִיל

Not with ropes used to pull animals, but with softer ropes of man, those with which tender children are taught to walk, I would pull them, and with bonds of love, not of subjugation. I was for them like those who lift the yoke from above their jaws, thereby lightening the load, and I leaned over to them to provide them with food.

לֹא יָשׁוּב אֶל־אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם וְאַשּׁוּר הוּא מַלְכּוֹ כִּי מֵאֲנוּ לָשׁוּב

I hoped that he would not return to the land of Egypt, and even commanded him not to do so, but he accepted that Assyria is his king, because they refused to repent and return to Me, the God who provides all their needs.

וְחָלָה חֶרֶב בְּעָרָיו וְכִלְּתָה בַדָּיו וְאָכָלָה מִמֹּעֲצוֹתֵיהֶם

The sword will be found in his cities, and it will destroy his branches, that is, the villages, and it will devour them, because of their schemes and plots.

וְעַמִּי תְלוּאִים לִמְשׁוּבָתִי וְאֶל־עַל יִקְרָאֻהוּ יַחַד לֹא יְרוֹמֵם

My people waver about My return. They do not repent wholeheartedly, but wait for Me to initiate by bestowing good upon them. And though they, My people, are called upward by the prophets, they will not be uplifted together. They are uninterested in an act of proud and unequivocal national repentance.

אֵיךְ אֶתֶּנְךָ אֶפְרַיִם; אֲמַגֶּנְךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל! אֵיךְ אֶתֶּנְךָ כְאַדְמָה אֲשִׂימְךָ כִּצְבֹאיִם!

How can I give you up, Ephraim? How could you cause Me to have to deliver you into the hands of your enemies? How can I relinquish you, Israel? How can I render you like Adma and set you like Tzevoyim? These cities of the Jordan plain were overthrown along with Sodom and Gomorrah. My heart was overturned within Me from the turmoil of deciding to punish you; all My compassion for you was aroused.

נֶהְפַּךְ עָלַי לִבִּי יַחַד נִכְמְרוּ נִחוּמָי לֹא אֶעֱשֶׂה חֲרוֹן אַפִּי לֹא אָשׁוּב לְשַׁחֵת אֶפְרָיִם כִּי אֵל אָנֹכִי וְלֹא־אִישׁ בְּקִרְבְּךָ קָדוֹשׁ וְלֹא אָבוֹא בְּעִיר

I will not act upon My enflamed wrath and take complete vengeance against you; I will not return to destroy Ephraim, for I am God, and not an unforgiving man, and also because I am sacred when I am in your midst and not when I rest my presence among another people, and therefore I will not go into a city other than Jerusalem to rest My presence.

אַחֲרֵי ה' יֵלְכוּ כְּאַרְיֵה יִשְׁאָג כִּי־הוּא יִשְׁאַג וְיֶחֶרְדוּ בָנִים מִיָּם

They will follow the Lord; He will roar like a lion calling his pride to assemble and follow him. For He will roar, and children will come trembling even from the far west.

יֶחֶרְדוּ כְצִפּוֹר מִמִּצְרַיִם וּכְיוֹנָה מֵאֶרֶץ אַשּׁוּר וְהוֹשַׁבְתִּים עַל־בָּתֵּיהֶם נְאֻם־ה'

They, the children, will come trembling like a frightened bird from Egypt, and like a dove from the land of Assyria. I will settle them in their houses – the utterance of the Lord.