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 feeds on wind, and chases the east wind. He continually multiplies lies and desolation. 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.

The LORD also has a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his deeds he will repay 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 took his brother by the heel, and in his manhood he contended 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,

Indeed, he struggled with the angel, and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication to him. He found him at Bethel, and there he spoke with us—

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

even the LORD, the God of Armies. The LORD is his name of renown!

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

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

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

A merchant has dishonest scales in his hand. He loves to defraud.

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.'

Ephraim said, “Surely I have become rich. I have found myself wealth. In all my wealth they won’t find in me any iniquity that is 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 am the LORD your God from the land of Egypt. I will yet again make you 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.

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

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 wicked, surely they are worthless. In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls. Indeed, their altars are like heaps in the furrows of the field.

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.

Jacob fled into the country of Aram. Israel served to get a wife. For a wife he tended flocks and herds.

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

By a prophet the LORD brought Israel up out of Egypt, and by a prophet he was 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 has bitterly provoked anger. Therefore his blood will be left on him, and his Lord will repay his contempt.