Hosea 12

1 [The leaders of] Israel are constantly wavering [about seeking help from other countries]. [Seeking their help is as useless as] [MET] chasing the wind. They pile up their lies and violent acts. [First, ] they make a treaty with Assyria, and [then they] send olive oil to [the rulers of] Egypt [to seek their help].

Ephraim feeds on wind, and follows after the east wind. He continually multiplies lies and desolation. And they make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried into Egypt.

2 Yahweh [says that he] will bring accusations against [the leaders of] Judah, and that he will punish [the descendants of] Jacob for what they have done.

Jehovah has also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways. He will recompense him according to his doings.

3 [When Jacob was] in his mother’s womb, he grabbed his brother [Esau’s] heel [because he wanted to be born first]. When Jacob grew up, he wrestled with God.

In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his manhood he had strength with God.

4 He struggled with [the one who had appeared to him in the form of] an angel, and Jacob defeated him, but [then] he cried and asked the angel to bless him. [Later], God came to Jacob at Bethel and talked with him there.

Yea, he had strength over the agent, and prevailed, as he wept, and made supplication to him. He found him at Bethel, and there he spoke with us.

5 [That was] the Commander of the armies of angels whose name is Yahweh [who talked with him]!

Even Jehovah, the God of hosts, Jehovah is his memorial.

6 But you [people of Israel] must return to your God! You must faithfully love [him], and you must do what is fair/just and always depend on him.

Therefore turn thou to thy God. Keep kindness and justice, and wait for thy God continually.

7 The merchants [among you] use scales that do not weigh correctly; they love/like to cheat people.

He is a Canaanite. The balances of deceit are in his hand. He loves to oppress.

8 [The people of] Israel boast, saying “We are [very] rich [DOU]; and we got all that money by our own efforts, and without committing any sin.”

And Ephraim said, Surely I have become rich. I have found wealth for myself. In all my labors they shall find no iniquity in me that is sin.

9 “I am Yahweh your God, [the one who brought your ancestors] out of Egypt. [And some day] I will force you to live in tents again [like your ancestors did] when [they celebrated] the Festival [of Living in Temporary Shelters].

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

10 [Many times] I spoke to the prophets, and I gave them many visions, and I gave them parables to tell [to the people].”

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

11 [The people of] Gilead [city] are [RHQ] extremely wicked; they are worthless. The people sacrifice bulls in Gilgal [city], but their altars will [soon] become like [SIM] piles of stone [at the edge of] a plowed field.

Is Gilead iniquity? They are altogether false. In Gilgal they sacrifice bullocks. Yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the field.

12 [Your ancestor] Jacob fled [from his brother Esau] and went to northwest Mesopotamia. He worked [for his uncle Laban for many years] to get a wife; he took care of [his uncle’s] sheep [to pay] for her.

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

13 [Many years later, ] Yahweh enabled a prophet to bring the [ancestors of you] people of Israel here from Egypt; that prophet, [Moses], took care of them.

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

14 [But now the people of] Israel have caused [Yahweh] to become very angry; Yahweh says that they deserve to die because they caused [many others] to die [MTY]; he will pay them back for the sins that they have committed against him and for insulting him.

Ephraim has provoked to anger most bitterly. Therefore his blood shall be left upon him, and his reproach his Lord shall return to him.