1. When Israel was a young man, I loved him like a son,and I summoned my son out of Egypt.
2. But the more I summoned them,the farther they departed from me.They sacrificed to the Baal idolsand burned incense to images.
3. Yet it was I who led Ephraim,I took them by the arm;but they did not acknowledge that I had healed them.
4. I led them with leather cords,with leather ropes;I lifted the yoke from their neck,and gently fed them.
5. They will return to Egypt!Assyria will rule over them because they refuse to repent!
6. A sword will flash in their cities,it will destroy the bars of their city gates,and will devour them in their fortresses.
7. My people are obsessed with turning away from me;they call to Baal, but he will never exalt them!