1. “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.
2. But the more they were called, the more they went away from me. They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images.
3. It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them.
4. I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love. To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them.