CHAPTER 11 Nov. 14 
God’s Love for His People 
When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called My son out of Egypt. 2The more I called to them, so they went away from Me. They sacrificed to the Baals, and burned incense to engraved images. 3Yet I taught Ephraim to walk. I took them by his arms; but they didn’t know that it was I who healed them. 4I drew them with cords of a man, with ties of love; and I was to them like those who lift off the yoke on their necks; and I bent down to him and I fed him.  5They won’t return into the land of Egypt; but the Assyrian will be their king, because they refused to repent. 6The sword will fall on their cities, and will destroy the bars of their gates, and will put an end to their plans. 7My people are determined to turn from Me. Though they call to the Most High, they certainly won’t exalt Him.  8How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I make you like Admah?  How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart is turned within Me, My compassion is aroused. 9I will not execute the fierceness of My anger. I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man, the Holy One in the midst of you; and I will not come in wrath. 10They will walk after Yahweh, who will roar like a lion; for He will roar, and the children will come trembling from the west. 11They will come trembling like a bird out of Egypt, and like a dove out of the land of Assyria; and I will settle them in their houses, says Yahweh.  12Ephraim surrounds Me with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit. Judah still remains with God,  and is faithful to the Holy One.

Commentary

11:8,9 Here we have one of the deepest windows onto the extent of God’s hurt and variation of thought within Himself as He considers the behaviour of His people. His changes of mind are as it were ethically allowable exactly because He is God and not man; they are driven by the passion of the deepest love ever known in all existence.
11:12 Ephraim surrounds Me with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit - Gomer must have lied to Hosea so much. Israel are criticized throughout his prophecy for just the same (see 7:13 too). The untruthfulness became compulsive and obsessive: “he daily lies more and more” (12:1). Gomer would’ve lied about where she was going, about how she spent Hosea’s money, about whose the children were…  The key proof of our spiritual sincerity is whether we are in the core of our beings truthful , both with our God and with ourselves.