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12 Ephraim feeds on wind
and chases the east wind all day.
    He multiplies lies and violence.
    They make a treaty with Assyria,
    and olive oil is carried to Egypt.
The Lord has a case against Judah.
    He will deal with Jacob according to his ways.
    According to his deeds he will repay him.
In the womb Jacob grasped his brother by the heel,
    and when he was a grown man, he struggled with God.
He wrestled with the Angel and prevailed.
    He wept and sought his favor.
    He found him at Bethel, and there he spoke with him,[a]
namely, with the Lord, the God of Armies.
    The Lord is the name by which he is to be remembered!
So return to your God.
    Observe mercy and justice,
    and wait for your God continually.

A merchant has fraudulent scales in his hand.
    He loves to defraud others.
Ephraim said, “Surely I have become rich.
    I have secured wealth for myself.
    Among all my possessions no one will find anything that makes me guilty of sin.”

But I have been the Lord your God from the time you left the land of Egypt.
    I will make you dwell in tents again,
    as in the days of the appointed festival.[b]
10 I have spoken to the prophets.
    I have given numerous visions.
    I taught meaningful lessons through the prophets.
11 Since Gilead is wicked,
    it is certain that they are worthless.
    In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls.
    Yes, their altars are like piles of stones in the furrows of a field.
12 Jacob fled to the territory of Aram.
    Israel worked as a servant to get a wife,
    and for a wife, he took care of sheep.
13 By a prophet, the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt,
    and by a prophet he took care of Israel.
14 Ephraim has provoked bitter anger.
    Therefore his Lord will leave him bloodied by his guilt
    and bring his disgrace back on him.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 12:4 Variant us
  2. Hosea 12:9 The Festival of Shelters in the autumn

12 [a]Ephraim(A) feeds on the wind;(B)
    he pursues the east wind all day
    and multiplies lies and violence.(C)
He makes a treaty with Assyria(D)
    and sends olive oil to Egypt.(E)
The Lord has a charge(F) to bring against Judah;(G)
    he will punish(H) Jacob[b] according to his ways
    and repay him according to his deeds.(I)
In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel;(J)
    as a man he struggled(K) with God.
He struggled with the angel and overcame him;
    he wept and begged for his favor.
He found him at Bethel(L)
    and talked with him there—
the Lord God Almighty,
    the Lord is his name!(M)
But you must return(N) to your God;
    maintain love and justice,(O)
    and wait for your God always.(P)

The merchant uses dishonest scales(Q)
    and loves to defraud.
Ephraim boasts,(R)
    “I am very rich; I have become wealthy.(S)
With all my wealth they will not find in me
    any iniquity or sin.”

“I have been the Lord your God
    ever since you came out of Egypt;(T)
I will make you live in tents(U) again,
    as in the days of your appointed festivals.
10 I spoke to the prophets,
    gave them many visions
    and told parables(V) through them.”(W)

11 Is Gilead wicked?(X)
    Its people are worthless!
Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal?(Y)
    Their altars will be like piles of stones
    on a plowed field.(Z)
12 Jacob fled to the country of Aram[c];(AA)
    Israel served to get a wife,
    and to pay for her he tended sheep.(AB)
13 The Lord used a prophet to bring Israel up from Egypt,(AC)
    by a prophet he cared for him.(AD)
14 But Ephraim has aroused his bitter anger;
    his Lord will leave on him the guilt of his bloodshed(AE)
    and will repay him for his contempt.(AF)

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 12:1 In Hebrew texts 12:1-14 is numbered 12:2-15.
  2. Hosea 12:2 Jacob means he grasps the heel, a Hebrew idiom for he takes advantage of or he deceives.
  3. Hosea 12:12 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia