Aren’t the people of Ephraim my dear children? Aren’t they the children I take delight in? I often speak against them. But I still remember them. So my heart longs for them. I love them with a tender love,” announces the Lord.

耶和华说：“以法莲是我的爱子吗？是可喜悦的孩子吗？我每逢责备他，仍深顾念他；所以我的心肠恋慕他；我必要怜悯他。

以法莲是我的爱子吗？是我喜欢的孩子吗？我每逢责备他，仍深顾念他。因此，我的心肠牵挂着他，我必要怜悯他。这是耶和华说的。

以法莲是我的爱子吗？是我喜欢的孩子吗？我每逢责备他，仍深顾念他。因此，我的心肠牵挂着他，我必要怜悯他。这是耶和华说的。

耶和华说：“以法莲不是我的爱子吗？他不是我喜悦的孩子吗？我虽然常常责备他，但仍然惦记着他。我深深地想念他，我必怜悯他。

以法莲是我亲爱的儿子吗？是我喜悦的孩子吗？每逢我说话攻击他，我必再次记念他。因此，我的心恋慕他；我必定怜悯他。”这是耶和华的宣告。

耶和華說：以法蓮是我的愛子嗎？是可喜悅的孩子嗎？我每逢責備他，仍深顧念他；所以我的心腸戀慕他；我必要憐憫他。

以法蓮是我的愛子嗎？是我喜歡的孩子嗎？我每逢責備他，仍深顧念他。因此，我的心腸牽掛着他，我必要憐憫他。這是耶和華說的。

以法蓮是我的愛子嗎？是我喜歡的孩子嗎？我每逢責備他，仍深顧念他。因此，我的心腸牽掛着他，我必要憐憫他。這是耶和華說的。

耶和華說：「以法蓮不是我的愛子嗎？他不是我喜悅的孩子嗎？我雖然常常責備他，但仍然惦記著他。我深深地想念他，我必憐憫他。

以法蓮是我親愛的兒子嗎？是我喜悅的孩子嗎？每逢我說話攻擊他，我必再次記念他。因此，我的心戀慕他；我必定憐憫他。”這是耶和華的宣告。

永恆主發神諭說：以法蓮是我的寶貝兒子麼？是個可喜悅的孩子麼？因為我每逢說了話譴責他，我總還是依依懷念着他。我的心腸熱戀着他；我一定要憐憫他。

以法蓮為我之愛子乎、為可悅之子乎、我每言及、則深念之、心為之動、我必矜恤之、耶和華言之矣、○

耶和華曰、以法蓮豈非我之赤子、我所眷愛者哉、予責之、輒生憐念、予矜憫為懷、復加以撫恤。

以法蓮豈非我之愛子、我所悅之赤子乎、我一言之、即顧念之、我心腸為之發矜恤、復加憐憫、此乃主所言、○

Is not Ephraim my dear son, the child in whom I delight? Though I often speak against him, I still remember him. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I have great compassion for him,” declares the Lord.

Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he my darling child? For as often as I speak against him, I do remember him still. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him, declares the Lord.

“ Is not Israel still my son, my darling child?” says the Lord.“ I often have to punish him, but I still love him. That’s why I long for him and surely will have mercy on him.

Isn’t Ephraim a precious son to me, a delightful child? Whenever I speak against him, I certainly still think about him. Therefore, my inner being yearns for him; I will truly have compassion on him. This is the LORD’s declaration.

Is Ephraim My dear son? Is he a delightful child? Indeed, as often as I have spoken against him, I certainly still remember him; Therefore My heart yearns for him; I will certainly have mercy on him,” declares the Lord.

Is Ephraim My dear son? Is he a pleasant child? For though I spoke against him, I earnestly remember him still; Therefore My heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him, says the Lord.

Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a darling child? for as often as I speak against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my heart yearneth for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith Jehovah.

Isn’t Ephraim a precious son to Me, a delightful child? Whenever I speak against him, I certainly still think about him. Therefore, My inner being yearns for him; I will truly have compassion on him. This is the Lord’s declaration.

[ Is] Ephraim my dear son?[ is he] a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD.

Indeed, the people of Israel are my dear children. They are the children I take delight in. For even though I must often rebuke them, I still remember them with fondness. So I am deeply moved with pity for them and will surely have compassion on them. I, the LORD, affirm it!

Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he a darling child? For as often as I speak against him, I still earnestly remember him. therefore my heart yearns for him. I will surely have mercy on him,” says Yahweh.

Let those who are evil stop doing evil things. And let them quit thinking evil thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord. The Lord will show them his tender love. Let them turn to our God. He is always ready to forgive.

Lord, look down from heaven. Look down from your holy and glorious throne. Where is your great love for us? Where is your power? Why don’t you show us your tender love and concern?

Then the Lord will answer,“ My people always wander away from me. But I will put an end to that. My anger has turned away from them. Now I will love them freely.

My heart mourns over Moab like a song of sadness played on a harp. Deep down inside me I mourn over Kir Hareseth.

My love put his hand through the opening. My heart began to pound for him.

This son of mine was dead. And now he is alive again. He was lost. And now he is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

Then they got rid of the false gods that were among them. They served the Lord. And he couldn’t stand to see Israel suffer anymore.

The Lord doesn’t turn his back on people forever.He might bring suffering. But he will also show loving concern. How great his faithful love is!

God is my witness that I long for all of you. I love you with the love that Christ Jesus gives.

Their eyes will be filled with tears as they come. They will pray as I bring them back. I will lead them beside streams of water. I will lead them on a level path where they will not trip or fall. I am Israel’s father. And Ephraim is my oldest son.

The Lord will come to the aid of his people. He’ll show tender love to those who serve him. He will know when their strength is gone. He’ll see that no one at all is left.

“ I myself said,“‘ I would gladly treat you like my children. I would give you a pleasant land. It is the most beautiful land any nation could have.’ I thought you would call me‘ Father.’ I hoped you would always obey me.

Lord, who is a God like you? You forgive sin. You forgive your people when they do what is wrong. You don’t stay angry forever. Instead, you take delight in showing your faithful love to them.Once again you will show loving concern for us. You will completely wipe out the evil things we’ve done. You will throw all our sins into the bottom of the sea.

A father is tender and kind to his children. In the same way, the Lord is tender and kind to those who have respect for him.

It moved him deeply to see his brother. So Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to cry. He went into his own room and cried there.

The Lord continues,“ People of Ephraim, how can I give you up? Israel, how can I hand you over to your enemies? Can I destroy you as I did the town of Admah? Can I treat you like Zeboyim? My heart is stirred inside me. It is filled with pity for you.I will not be so angry with you anymore. I will not completely destroy you again. After all, I am God. I am not a mere man. I am the Holy One among you. I will not direct my anger against their cities.

The woman whose son was alive was filled with deep love for her son. She said to the king,“ My master, please give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!” But the other woman said,“ Neither one of us will have him. Cut him in two!”

The Lord trains those he loves. He is like a father who trains the son he is pleased with.

“ Like a flute my heart sings a song of sadness for Moab. It sings like a flute for the people of Kir Hareseth. The wealth they had acquired is gone.

I will not find fault with my people forever. I will not always be angry with them. If I were, I would cause their spirits to grow weak. The people I created would faint away.I was very angry with them. They always longed for more and more of everything. So I punished them for that sin. I turned my face away from them because I was angry. But they kept on wanting their own way.I have seen what they have done. But I will heal them. I will guide them. I will give those who mourn in Israel the comfort they had before.

But we had to celebrate and be glad. This brother of yours was dead. And now he is alive again. He was lost. And now he is found.’ ”