WhenIsrael[was] a youthI lovedhim, And out of EgyptI calledMy son.
"Manytimesthey have persecutedme from my youthup," Let Israelnowsay,
You yourselveshave seenwhatI didto the Egyptians,and [how] I boreyou on eagles'wings,and broughtyou to Myself.
"Then you shall sayto Pharaoh,'Thussaysthe LORD,"Israelis My son,My firstborn.
"So I saidto you, 'LetMy songothat he may serveMe'; but you have refusedto lethim go.Behold,I will killyour son,your firstborn."'"
"Sinceyou are preciousin My sight,[Since] you are honoredand I loveyou, I will give[other] menin your placeand [other] peoplesin exchangefor your life.
"I have forsakenMy house,I have abandonedMy inheritance;I have giventhe belovedof My soulInto the handof her enemies.
"Goand proclaimin the earsof Jerusalem,saying,'Thussaysthe LORD,"I rememberconcerning you the devotionof your youth,The loveof your betrothals,Your followingafterMe in the wilderness,Through a landnot sown.
"Besidesallyour abominationsand harlotriesyou did not rememberthe daysof your youth,when you were nakedand bareand squirmingin your blood.
"When I passedby you and sawyou squirmingin your blood,I saidto you [while you were] in your blood,'Live!'Yes, I saidto you [while you were] in your blood,'Live!'
Thusit will be doneto you at Bethelbecauseof your greatwickedness.At dawnthe kingof Israelwill be completelycutoff.
But by a prophetthe LORDbroughtIsraelfrom Egypt,And by a prophethe was kept.
But I [have been] the LORDyour Godsincethe landof Egypt;I will make you livein tentsagain,As in the daysof the appointedfestival.
Yet I [have been] the LORDyour GodSincethe landof Egypt;And you were not to knowany godexceptMe, For thereis nosaviorbesidesMe.
"Then I will giveher her vineyardsfrom there,And the valleyof Achoras a doorof hope.And she will singthereas in the daysof her youth,As in the daywhen she cameup from the landof Egypt.
"I have lovedyou," saysthe LORD.But you say,"Howhave You lovedus?" "[Was] not EsauJacob'sbrother?"declaresthe LORD."Yet I have lovedJacob;
He remainedthereuntilthe deathof Herod.[This was] to fulfillwhathad been spokenby the Lordthroughthe prophet:"OUT OF EGYPTI CALLEDMY SON."
"Indeed,He lovesthe people;AllYour holyonesare in Your hand,And they followedin Your steps;[Everyone] receivesof Your words.
"The LORDdid not setHis loveon you norchooseyou becauseyou were morein numberthananyof the peoples,for you were the fewestof allpeoples,
