Osee 12

1 But Ephraim is an evil spirit, he has chased the east wind all the day: he has multiplied empty and vain things, and made a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil has gone in the way of traffic into Egypt.

“Ephraim is enjoying wind, And is pursuing an east wind, All the day he multiplies lying and spoiling, And they make a covenant with Asshur, And oil is carried to Egypt.

2 And the Lord [has] a controversy with Juda, in order to punish Jacob: according to his ways and according to his practices will he recompense him.

And YHWH has a controversy with Judah, To lay a charge on Jacob according to his ways, He returns to him according to his doings.

3 He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and in his labours he had power with God.

In the womb he took his brother by the heel, And by his strength he was a prince with God,

4 And he prevailed with the angel and was strong: they wept, and entreated me: they found me in the house of On, and there [a word] was spoken to them.

Indeed, he is a prince to the Messenger, And he overcomes [by] weeping, And he makes supplication to Him, At Bethel He finds him, And there He speaks with us,

5 But the Lord God Almighty shall be his memorial.

Even YHWH, God of the Hosts, YHWH [is] His memorial.

6 You therefore shall return to your God: keep you mercy and judgement, and draw near to your God continually.

And you, through your God, turn, Keep kindness and judgment, And wait on your God continually.

7 [As for] Chanaan, in his hand is a balance of unrighteousness: he has loved to tyrannize.

Canaan! In his hand [are] balances of deceit! He has loved to oppress.

8 And Ephraim said, Nevertheless I am rich, I have found refreshment to myself. None of his labours shall be found [available] to him, by reason of the sins which he has committed.

And Ephraim says, Surely I have become rich, I have found wealth for myself, All my labors—they do not find against me iniquity that [is] sin.

9 But I the Lord your God brought you up out of the land of Egypt: I will yet cause you to dwell in tabernacles, according to the days of the feast.

And I—your God YHWH from the land of Egypt, Again I turn you back into tents, As in the days of the appointed time.

10 And I will speak to the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and by the means of the prophets I was represented.

And I have spoken to the prophets, And I have multiplied vision, And by the hand of the prophets I use allegories.

11 If Galaad exists not, then the chiefs in Galaad when they sacrificed were false, and their altars were as heaps on the ground of the field.

Surely Gilead [is] iniquity, They have been only vanity, In Gilead they have sacrificed bullocks, Also their altars [are] as heaps, on the furrows of a field.

12 And Jacob retreated into the plain of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and waited for a wife.

And Jacob flees to the country of Aram, And Israel serves for a wife, Indeed, he has kept watch for a wife.

13 And the Lord brought Israel out of the land of Egypt by a prophet, and by a prophet was he preserve.

And by a prophet has YHWH brought up Israel out of Egypt, And by a prophet it has been watched.

14 Ephraim was angry and excited, therefore his blood shall be poured out upon him, and the Lord shall recompense to him his reproach.

Ephraim has most bitterly provoked, And he leaves his blood on himself, And his Lord turns his reproach back to him!”