Hosea 12

1 Ephraim's food is the wind, and he goes after the east wind: deceit and destruction are increasing day by day; they make an agreement with Assyria, and take oil into Egypt.

Ephraim feedeth on wind, and pursueth after the east wind: all day long he multiplieth lies and desolation; and they make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried into Egypt.

2 The Lord has a cause against Judah, and will give punishment to Jacob for his ways; he will give him the reward of his acts.

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

3 In the body of his mother he took his brother by the foot, and in his strength he was fighting with God;

He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and in his strength he wrestled with God.

4 He had a fight with the angel and overcame him; he made request for grace to him with weeping; he came face to face with him in Beth-el and there his words came to him;

Yea, he wrestled with the Angel, and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spoke with us,

5 Even the Lord, the God of armies; the Lord is his name.

— even Jehovah, the God of hosts, — Jehovah is his memorial.

6 So then, come back to your God; keep mercy and right, and be waiting at all times on your God.

And thou, return unto thy God: keep loving-kindness and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.

7 As for Canaan, the scales of deceit are in his hands; he takes pleasure in twisted ways.

[He is] a merchant, balances of deceit are in his hand; he loveth to oppress.

8 And Ephraim said, Now I have got wealth and much property; in all my works no sin may be seen in me.

And Ephraim saith, Nevertheless 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 from the land of Egypt; I will give you tents for your living-places again as in the days of the holy meeting.

But I [that am] Jehovah thy God from the land of Egypt will again make thee to dwell in tents, as in the days of the solemn feast.

10 My word came to the ears of the prophets and I gave them visions in great number, and by the mouths of the prophets I made use of comparisons.

And I have spoken to the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and by means of the prophets have I used similitudes.

11 In Gilead there is evil. They are quite without value; in Gilgal they make offerings of oxen; truly their altars are like masses of stones in the hollows of a ploughed field.

If Gilead is iniquity, surely they are but vanity: they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the fields.

12 And Jacob went in flight into the field of Aram, and Israel became a servant for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.

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

13 And by a prophet the Lord made Israel come up out of Egypt, and by a prophet he was kept safe.

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

14 I have been bitterly moved to wrath by Ephraim; so that his blood will be on him, and the Lord will make his shame come back on him.

Ephraim provoked [him] to anger most bitterly; and his Lord shall leave his blood upon him, and recompense unto him his reproach.