Hosea 12

1 Ephraim striveth after wind, and followeth after the east wind; all the day he multiplieth lies and desolation; and they make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried into Egypt.

Ephraim tries to herd the wind, chasing after the east wind all day long. Their lies and violence keep on increasing. They make a treaty with Assyria, and send olive oil to Egypt.

2 The LORD hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways, according to his doings will He recompense him.

The Lord also has an accusation against Judah, and will punish Jacob for the way the people act; he will repay them for what they have done.

3 In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and by his strength he strove with a godlike being;

Even in the womb he fought with his brother; when he became a man he fought with God.

4 So he strove with an angel, and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication unto him; at Beth-el he would find him, and there he would speak with us;

He fought with the angel, and he won. He wept, and begged him for a blessing. Jacob found God at Bethel, and spoke with him there—

5 But the LORD, the God of hosts, the LORD is His name.

the Lord God Almighty, the Lord is his memorable name!

6 Therefore turn thou to thy God; keep mercy and justice, and wait for thy God continually.

You must return to your God. Act lovingly and do what is right, and always wait for your God.

7 As for the trafficker, the balances of deceit are in his hand. He loveth to oppress.

A merchant who holds in his hands dishonest scales loves to swindle.

8 And Ephraim said: 'Surely I am become rich, I have found me wealth; in all my labours they shall find in me no iniquity that were sin.'

Ephraim says, “I'm rich! I've made myself wealthy! I've made so much from my work, and nobody can prove me guilty of doing wrong.”

9 But I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt; I will yet again make thee to dwell in tents, as in the days of the appointed season.

But I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt. I will make you live again in tents like you do at the time of that particular festival.

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

I spoke through the prophets. I myself gave many visions and parables through the prophets.

11 If Gilead be given to iniquity becoming altogether vanity, in Gilgal they sacrifice unto bullocks; yea, their altars shall be as heaps in the furrows of the field.

If Gilead is idolatrous, they will surely come to nothing. In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls. Even their altars are like heaps of rocks in the furrows of the field.

12 And Jacob fled into the field of Aram, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.

Jacob fled to the land of Aram; Israel worked there to gain a wife, earning a wife by looking after sheep.

13 And by a prophet the LORD brought Israel up out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he kept.

Through a prophet the Lord brought Israel up from Egypt, and by a prophet they were cared for.

14 Ephraim hath provoked most bitterly; therefore shall his blood be cast upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him.

Ephraim has really upset the Lord, and the Lord will let them have the consequences of their bloodshed and pay them back for their contempt.