“How can I give you up?
O Ephraim!
How can I hand you over?
O Israel!
How can I make you
Like Admah?
How can I treat you
Like Zeboiim?
My heart recoils
Within me.
My compassion
Grows warm.
My compassion
Grows tender.
I will not execute
My fierce anger.
I will not again
Destroy Ephraim.
I am God!
I am not a mortal!
I am the Holy One
In your midst.
I will not come
In wrath.”
Yahweh, via Hosea, had second thoughts about the destruction of Israel. How could he give Ephraim up? How could he hand over Israel? He could not make them like Admah and Zeboiim, two of the five cities destroyed with Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis, chapter 19. His heart was compassionate with warm tenderness. He decided not to execute his fierce anger against Ephraim. Yahweh was God, not a mere mortal. He was the Holy One in their midst. He was not going to come in anger.