Hosea 12  New American Standard Bible

12 ^[a]Ephraim feeds on ^(A)wind,
And pursues the ^(B)east wind continually;
He multiplies lies and violence.
Moreover, ^[b]he makes a covenant with Assyria,
And oil is brought to Egypt.
² The Lord also has a ^(C)case against Judah,
And will punish Jacob ^(D)according to his ways;
He will repay him according to his deeds.
³ In the womb he ^(E)took his brother by the heel,
And in his mature strength he ^(F)contended with God.
⁴ Yes, he wrestled with the angel and prevailed;
He wept and ^(G)implored His favor.
He found Him at ^(H)Bethel,
And there He spoke with us,
⁵ And the Lord, the God of armies,
The Lord is His ^[c](I)name.
⁶ So as for you, ^(J)return to your God,
^(K)Maintain ^[d]kindness and justice,
And ^(L)wait for your God continually.
⁷ A ^[e]merchant, in whose hands are fraudulent ^(M)balances,
Loves to exploit.
⁸ And Ephraim said, “I have certainly become ^(N)rich,
I have found wealth for myself;
In all my labors they will find in me
^(O)No wrongdoing, which would be sin.”
⁹ But I have been the Lord your God since the land of Egypt;
I will make you ^(P)live in tents again,
As in the days of the appointed festival.
¹⁰ I have also spoken to the ^(Q)prophets,
And I ^[f]provided many visions,
And through the prophets I spoke in ^(R)parables.
¹¹ Is there injustice in Gilead?
Certainly they are worthless.
In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls,
Yes, ^(S)their altars are like stone heaps
Beside the furrows of a field.