Hosea 12

1 Ephraim feeds on the wind and follows after the east wind. He continually multiplies lies and violence. They make a covenant with Assyria and carry olive oil to Egypt.

Ephraim feedeth on the wind, and followeth the burning heat: all the day long he multiplied lies and desolation: and he hath made a covenant with the Assyrians, and carried oil into Egypt.

2 Yahweh also has a lawsuit against Judah and will punish Jacob for what he has done; he will repay him for his deeds.

Therefore there is a judgment of the Lord with Juda, and a visitation for Jacob: he will render to him according to his ways, and according to his devices.

3 In the womb Jacob grasped his brother by the heel, and in his manhood he struggled with God.

In the womb he supplanted his brother: and by his strength he had success with an angel.

4 He struggled with the angel and won. He wept and begged for his favor. He met God at Bethel; there God spoke with him.

And he prevailed over the angel, and was strengthened: he wept, and made supplication to him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spoke with us.

5 This is Yahweh, the God of hosts; “Yahweh” is his name to be called on.

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

6 So turn to your God. Keep covenantal faithfulness and justice, and wait continually for your God.

Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and hope in thy God always.

7 The merchants have false scales in their hands; they love to defraud.

He is like Chanaan, there is a deceitful balance in his hand, he hath loved oppression.

8 Ephraim said, “I have certainly become very rich; I have found wealth for myself. In all my work they will not find any iniquity in me, anything that would be sin.”

And Ephraim said: But yet I am become rich, I have found me an idol: all my labours shall not find me the iniquity that I have committed.

9 “I am Yahweh your God from the land of Egypt. I will again make you live in tents, as in the days of the appointed festival.

And I that am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt, will yet cause thee to dwell in tabernacles, as in the days of the feast.

10 I spoke to the prophets, and I gave them many visions for you. By the hand of the prophets I gave parables.”

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

11 If there is wickedness in Gilead, surely the people are worthless. In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls; their altars will be like heaps of stone in the furrows of the fields.

If Galaad be an idol, then in vain were they in Galgal offering sacrifices with bullocks: for their altars also are as heaps in the furrows of the field.

12 Jacob fled to the land of Aram; Israel worked in order to get a wife; and he kept flocks of sheep to get a wife.

Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and was a keeper for a wife.

13 Yahweh brought Israel out of Egypt by a prophet, and by a prophet he took care of them.

But the Lord by a prophet brought Israel out of Egypt: and he was preserved by a prophet.

14 Ephraim has bitterly angered Yahweh. So his Lord will leave his blood on him and will turn back on him his disgrace.

Ephraim hath provoked me to wrath with his bitterness, and his blood shall come upon him, and his Lord will render his reproach unto him.