Hosea 12

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

Ephraim feedeth on wind, and pursueth after the east wind: all day long he multiplieth lies and desolation; and they make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried into Egypt.

2 And a controversy hath Jehovah with Judah, To lay a charge on Jacob according to his ways, According to his doings He returneth to him.

Jehovah hath also a controversy with Judah, and he will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him.

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

He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and in his strength he wrestled with God.

4 Yea, he is a prince unto the Messenger, And he overcometh [by] weeping, And he maketh supplication to Him, At Bethel He doth find him, And there He doth speak with us,

Yea, he wrestled with the Angel, and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spoke with us,

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

— even Jehovah, the God of hosts, — Jehovah is his memorial.

6 And thou, through thy God, dost turn, Kindness and judgment keep thou, And wait on thy God continually.

And thou, return unto thy God: keep loving-kindness and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.

7 Canaan! in his hand [are] balances of deceit! To oppress he hath loved.

[He is] a merchant, balances of deceit are in his hand; he loveth to oppress.

8 And Ephraim saith: 'Surely I have become rich, I have found wealth for myself, All my labours — they find not against me iniquity that [is] sin.'

And Ephraim saith, Nevertheless I am become rich, I have found me out substance; in all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin.

9 And I — Jehovah thy God from the land of Egypt, Again do I turn thee back into tents, As in the days of the appointed time.

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

10 And I have spoken unto the prophets, And I have multiplied vision, And by the hand of the prophets I use similes.

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

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

If Gilead is iniquity, surely they are but vanity: they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the fields.

12 And Jacob doth flee to the country of Aram, And Israel doth serve for a wife, Yea, for a wife he hath kept watch.

And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept [sheep].

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

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

14 Ephraim hath provoked most bitterly, And his blood on himself he leaveth, And his reproach turn back to him doth his Lord!

Ephraim provoked [him] to anger most bitterly; and his Lord shall leave his blood upon him, and recompense unto him his reproach.