Hosea 12

1 “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.

Ephraim herds the wind and hunts the sirocco. All day long they heap up falsehood and fraud, make a treaty with Assyria, and sends tribute of olive oil to Egypt.

2 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.

The Lord has a charge to bring against Israel, to punish Jacob for his acts, according to his deeds will he requite him,

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

In the womb he supplanted his brother, in manhood he wrestled with God,

4 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,

He wrestled with the angel and prevailed, he wept and sought his blessing. At Bethel the Lord found him, and there he spoke with us.

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

And the Lord is the God of hosts, the Lord is his name!

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

So now, by the help of your God, return. Keep true love and justice. Trust in your God without ceasing.

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

A merchant uses false scales: They love to defraud.

8 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.

Ephraim says, “Yes, I have become rich, I have secured wealth for myself. But despite my gains no one will find a crime I can be convicted of!”

9 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.

I am the Lord your God, ever since the land of Egypt. I will make you again dwell in tents, as in days of old.

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

I spoke continually by the prophets. It was I who multiplied visions, and spoke in parables through the prophets.

11 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.

In Gilead is iniquity, they will come to nothing. In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls, so their altars will be as stone heaps, among the furrows of the field.

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

And Jacob fled to the territory of Aram, and Israel worked to earn a wife: for a wife he herded sheep.

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

The Lord brought Israel up from Egypt by a prophet, and by a prophet Israel was guarded.

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

Ephraim has given bitter provocation. His Lord will leave upon him his guilt of bloodshed, and for his contempt he will repay him.