Hosea 12

1 Ephraim chases the wind and pursues the east wind all day long; he multiplies lies and violence; he makes a covenant with Assyria and sends olive oil to Egypt.

Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt.

2 The LORD also brings a charge against Judah. He will punish Jacob according to his ways and repay him according to his deeds.

YHWH hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him.

3 In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel, and in his vigor he wrestled with God.

He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with Elohim:

4 Yes, he struggled with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought His favor; he found Him at Bethel and spoke with Him there —

Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us;

5 the LORD is the God of Hosts— the LORD is His name of renown.

Even YHWH Elohim of hosts; YHWH is his memorial.

6 But you must return to your God, maintaining love and justice, and always waiting on your God.

Therefore turn thou to thy Elohim: keep mercy and judgment and wait on thy Elohim continually.

7 A merchant loves to defraud with dishonest scales in his hands.

He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress.

8 And Ephraim boasts: “How rich I have become! I have found wealth for myself. In all my labors, they can find in me no iniquity that is sinful.”

And Ephraim said, Yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance: in all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin.

9 But I am the LORD your God ever since the land of Egypt. I will again make you dwell in tents, as in the days of the appointed feast.

And I that am YHWH thy Elohim from the land of Egypt will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles, as in the days of the solemn feast.

10 I spoke through the prophets and multiplied their visions; I gave parables through the prophets.

I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.

11 Is there iniquity in Gilead? They will surely come to nothing. Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal? Indeed, their altars will be heaps of stones in the furrows of the field.

Is there iniquity in Gilead? surely they are vanity: they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the fields.

12 Jacob fled to the land of Aram and Israel worked for a wife— for a wife he tended sheep.

And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.

13 But by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet he was preserved.

And by a prophet YHWH brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.

14 Ephraim has provoked bitter anger, so his Lord will leave his bloodguilt upon him and repay him for his contempt.

Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly: therefore shall he leave his blood upon him, and his reproach shall his master return unto him.