en_tn/hos/11/03.md

God is speaking about how he cared for Israel.

Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk

Yahweh is picturing Israel as a little boy who he is teaching to walk. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)

lifted them up by their arms

this means that God was protecting and helping them grow as a nation

I led them with cords of humanity, with bands of love

In two ways Yahweh is showing how he was caring for Ephraim with love. (UDB) (see: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism)

I was to them like someone who eased the yoke on their jaws

Yahweh is comparing the nation of Israel to a pair of oxen working hard and he was making their work easier. (UDB) (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)