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 pursueth the east wind, all the day, falsehood and force, doth he magnify, —and, a covenant with Assyria, would they solemnize, and, oil into Egypt, must be borne along.

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

But, a controversy, hath Yahweh with Judah, —so that he may bring punishment on Jacob, according to his ways, According to his doings, repay him.

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

In the womb, took he his brother by the heel; and, in his manly vigour, strove he with God:

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 strove against a Messenger, and prevailed, he wept, and made supplication unto him, —At Bethel, he found him, and, there, he spake with us;

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

And, Yahweh, is God of host, —Yahweh, is his memorial.

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

Thou, therefore, by thy God, shalt return, —lovingkindness and justice, do thou keep, so wait thou for thy God, continually.

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

A trafficker! in his hand, are balances of deceit, to oppress, he loveth.

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.”

So then Ephraim said, Surely I have gotten me riches, I have found wealth for myself, —in all my toils, they cannot find in me perversity which is 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.

But, I, Yahweh, have been thy God, from the land of Egypt, —I will yet make thee dwell in tents, as in the days of appointed meeting.

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

And I will lay my word upon the prophets, yea, I myself, have magnified, vision, —and, by the hand of the prophets, will I use similitudes.

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.

If, Gilead, is in sorrow, surely false, have they been, In Gilgal, have they sacrificed, bullocks, —their very altars, shall become as heaps upon the furrows of the field.

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

When Jacob fled to the country of Syria, then Israel served for a wife, and, for a wife, he watched over a flock.

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

And, by a prophet, Yahweh, brought up, Israel out of Egypt, —and, by a prophet, was he watched over.

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

Ephraim hath provoked, very bitterly, —his own blood, therefore, upon him, will he leave, and, his reproach, shall his Lord, bring back to him.