HOW CAN I GIVE YOU UP?

Passage: Hosea 11:1-11

Key verse: 8

NIV

God’s Love for Israel

11 “When Israel was a child,(A) I loved(B) him,
    and out of Egypt I called my son.(C)
2 But the more they were called,
    the more they went away from me.[a](D)
They sacrificed to the Baals(E)
    and they burned incense to images.(F)
3 It was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
    taking them by the arms;(G)
but they did not realize
    it was I who healed(H) them.
4 I led them with cords of human kindness,
    with ties of love.(I)
To them I was like one who lifts
    a little child to the cheek,
    and I bent down to feed(J) them.(K)

5 “Will they not return to Egypt(L)
    and will not Assyria(M) rule over them
    because they refuse to repent?(N)
6 A sword(O) will flash in their cities;
    it will devour(P) their false prophets
    and put an end to their plans.
7 My people are determined to turn(Q) from me.(R)
    Even though they call me God Most High,
    I will by no means exalt them.

8 “How can I give you up,(S) Ephraim?(T)
    How can I hand you over, Israel?
How can I treat you like Admah?
    How can I make you like Zeboyim?(U)
My heart is changed within me;
    all my compassion(V) is aroused.(W)
9 I will not carry out my fierce anger,(X)
    nor will I devastate(Y) Ephraim again.
For I am God, and not a man(Z)—
    the Holy One(AA) among you.
    I will not come against their cities.
10 They will follow the Lord;
    he will roar(AB) like a lion.(AC)
When he roars,
    his children will come trembling(AD) from the west.(AE)
11 They will come from Egypt,
    trembling like sparrows,
    from Assyria,(AF) fluttering like doves.(AG)
I will settle them in their homes,”(AH)
    declares the Lord.

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Footnotes
  1. Hosea 11:2 Septuagint; Hebrew them
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Lord's Love for Israel

11 (A)When Israel was a child, (B)I loved him,
    and out of Egypt I (C)called (D)my son.
2 (E)The more they were called,
    the more they went away;
(F)they kept sacrificing to the Baals
    and burning offerings to idols.

3 Yet it was (G)I who taught Ephraim to walk;
    I took them up by their arms,
    but they did not know that (H)I healed them.
4 (I)I led them with cords of kindness,[a]
    with the bands of love,
and (J)I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws,
    and (K)I bent down to them and fed them.

5 (L)They shall not[b] return to the land of Egypt,
    but (M)Assyria shall be their king,
    (N)because (O)they have refused to return to me.
6 (P)The sword shall rage against their cities,
    consume the bars of their gates,
    and devour them (Q)because of their own counsels.
7 My people are bent (R)on turning away from me,
    and though (S)they call out to the Most High,
    he shall not raise them up at all.

8 How can I give you up, O Ephraim?
    How can I hand you over, O Israel?
(T)How can I make you (U)like Admah?
    How can I treat you (V)like Zeboiim?
(W)My heart recoils within me;
    my compassion grows warm and tender.
9 I will not execute my burning anger;
    I will not again destroy Ephraim;
(X)for I am God and not a man,
    (Y)the Holy One in your midst,
    and I will not come in wrath.[c]

10 (Z)They shall go after the Lord;
    (AA)he will roar like a lion;
when he roars,
    his children shall come trembling (AB)from the west;
11 they shall come trembling like birds (AC)from Egypt,
    and (AD)like doves (AE)from the land of Assyria,
    and I will return them to their homes, declares the Lord.

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Footnotes
  1. Hosea 11:4 Or humaneness; Hebrew man
  2. Hosea 11:5 Or surely
  3. Hosea 11:9 Or into the city
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. God's tender love to Israel (1-7) God called the descendants of Abraham out of Egypt, led them, grew them, and cared for them, just like parents who feed their children and teach them to walk. God's goal was to build an eternal love relationship with his people. But the more God called them, the more they turned away to idols. Because they were determined to turn from him, God would frustrate their plans. We can grow when we recognize God's personal care upon our lives. 2. "My compassion is aroused" (8-11) After all the proclamations of judgment and punishment, God reveals his inner heart of love for his people. God's love for his people is unchanging. Even though he devastated the nation, he would not treat them the same as the Gentiles. The holy God is not changeable like people. At the right time he would call them with a lion's roar, and they would return and settle in their homes.

Prayer: Father, thank you for your unchanging love for me in Jesus Christ. Help me to live by depending on your love.

One Word: God never gives up his children