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 followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, 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.

The LORD hath also a controversy with Judah, and 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 by his strength he had power 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 had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him [in] Beth-el, and there he spake with us;

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

Even the LORD God of hosts; the LORD [is] his memorial.

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

Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy 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, the 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 said, Yet 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.

And I [that am] the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles, 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.

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

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.

[Is there] iniquity [in] Gilead? surely they are 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 the LORD 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: therefore shall he leave his blood upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him.