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The Lord Will Not Destroy Israel

“Ephraim, I don’t want to give you up.
    Israel, I want to protect you.
I don’t want to make you like Admah.
    I don’t want to make you like Zeboiim.[a]
I am changing my mind.
    My love for you is too strong.
I will not let my terrible anger win.
    I will not destroy Ephraim again.
I am God and not a human.
    I am the Holy One.
I am with you.
    I will not show my anger.
10 I, the Lord, will roar like a lion,
    and my children will come and follow me.
They will come from the west,
    shaking with fear.

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Footnotes

  1. Hosea 11:8 Admah, Zeboiim Two cities that were destroyed when God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. See Gen. 19; Deut. 29:23.

“How can I give you up,(A) Ephraim?(B)
    How can I hand you over, Israel?
How can I treat you like Admah?
    How can I make you like Zeboyim?(C)
My heart is changed within me;
    all my compassion(D) is aroused.(E)
I will not carry out my fierce anger,(F)
    nor will I devastate(G) Ephraim again.
For I am God, and not a man(H)
    the Holy One(I) among you.
    I will not come against their cities.
10 They will follow the Lord;
    he will roar(J) like a lion.(K)
When he roars,
    his children will come trembling(L) from the west.(M)

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