1: "When Israel was only a child, I loved him. I called out, "My son!'-called him out of Egypt.
2: 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: Still, I stuck with him. I led Ephraim. I rescued him from human bondage, But he never acknowledged my help,
4: 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: Now he wants to go back to Egypt or go over to Assyria--anything but return to me!
6: That's why his cities are unsafe--the murder rate skyrockets and every plan to improve things falls to pieces.
7: 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: 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: 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: "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: Like frightened birds they'll come from Egypt, from Assyria like scared doves. I'll move them back into their homes." GOD's Word!
12: Ephraim tells lies right and left. Not a word of Israel can be trusted. Judah, meanwhile, is no better, addicted to cheap gods. [JC]