Hosea , Sarah Barry
HOW CAN I GIVE YOU UP?
Passage: Hosea 11:1~11  
Key verse: 8
God’s Love for Israel11 “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.
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.
Footnotes
- Hosea 11:2 Septuagint; Hebrew them
Cross references
- Hosea 11:1 : S Jer 2:2; S Eze 16:22
- Hosea 11:1 : S Dt 4:37
- Hosea 11:1 : S Ex 4:22; Hos 12:9, 13; 13:4; Mt 2:15*
- Hosea 11:2 : ver 7
- Hosea 11:2 : S Hos 2:13
- Hosea 11:2 : S 2Ki 17:15; Isa 65:7; S Jer 18:15; S Hos 4:13; 13:1
- Hosea 11:3 : S Dt 1:31; S 32:11; Hos 7:15
- Hosea 11:3 : S Ex 15:26; Jer 30:17
- Hosea 11:4 : Jer 31:2-3
- Hosea 11:4 : Ex 16:32; Ps 78:25
- Hosea 11:4 : Jer 31:20
- Hosea 11:5 : S Hos 7:16
- Hosea 11:5 : S Hos 10:6
- Hosea 11:5 : S Ex 13:17
- Hosea 11:6 : Hos 13:16
- Hosea 11:6 : S La 2:9
- Hosea 11:7 : S Isa 26:10
- Hosea 11:7 : ver 2; Jer 3:6-7; 8:5
- Hosea 11:8 : S Jer 7:29
- Hosea 11:8 : Hos 6:4
- Hosea 11:8 : S Ge 14:8; S La 3:32
- Hosea 11:8 : S 1Ki 3:26; S Ps 25:6
- Hosea 11:8 : S Eze 33:11; Am 7:3
- Hosea 11:9 : Dt 13:17; S Jer 18:8; S 30:11
- Hosea 11:9 : La 3:22; Mal 3:6
- Hosea 11:9 : S Nu 23:19
- Hosea 11:9 : S 2Ki 19:22; S Isa 31:1
- Hosea 11:10 : S Isa 42:13
- Hosea 11:10 : S Isa 31:4
- Hosea 11:10 : S Ps 18:45
- Hosea 11:10 : S Hos 3:5; S 6:1-3
- Hosea 11:11 : S Isa 11:11
- Hosea 11:11 : S Ge 8:8
- Hosea 11:11 : S Eze 28:26; S 34:25-28
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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