Hosea 12

¹Ephraim 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.

²The Lord hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him.

³He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God:

⁴Yea, 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;

⁵Even the Lord God of hosts; the Lord is his memorial.

⁶Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.

⁷He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress.

⁸And 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.

⁹And 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.

¹⁰I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.

¹¹Is 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.

¹²And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.

¹³And by a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.

¹⁴Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly: therefore shall he leave his blood upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him.

Hosea 12

¹Ephraim's food is the wind, and he goes after the east wind: deceit and destruction are increasing day by day; they make an agreement with Assyria, and take oil into Egypt.

²The Lord has a cause against Judah, and will give punishment to Jacob for his ways; he will give him the reward of his acts.

³In the body of his mother he took his brother by the foot, and in his strength he was fighting with God;

⁴He had a fight with the angel and overcame him; he made request for grace to him with weeping; he came face to face with him in Beth-el and there his words came to him;

⁵Even the Lord, the God of armies; the Lord is his name.

⁶So then, come back to your God; keep mercy and right, and be waiting at all times on your God.

⁷As for Canaan, the scales of deceit are in his hands; he takes pleasure in twisted ways.

⁸And Ephraim said, Now I have got wealth and much property; in all my works no sin may be seen in me.

⁹But I am the Lord your God from the land of Egypt; I will give you tents for your living-places again as in the days of the holy meeting.

¹⁰My word came to the ears of the prophets and I gave them visions in great number, and by the mouths of the prophets I made use of comparisons.

¹¹In Gilead there is evil. They are quite without value; in Gilgal they make offerings of oxen; truly their altars are like masses of stones in the hollows of a ploughed field.

¹²And Jacob went in flight into the field of Aram, and Israel became a servant for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.

¹³And by a prophet the Lord made Israel come up out of Egypt, and by a prophet he was kept safe.

¹⁴I have been bitterly moved to wrath by Ephraim; so that his blood will be on him, and the Lord will make his shame come back on him.