Hosea 12

1 Ephraim'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.

Ephraim herds the wind and hunts the sirocco. All day long they heap up falsehood and fraud, make a treaty with Assyria, and sends tribute of olive oil to Egypt.

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

The Lord has a charge to bring against Israel, to punish Jacob for his acts, according to his deeds will he requite him,

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

In the womb he supplanted his brother, in manhood he wrestled with God,

4 He 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;

He wrestled with the angel and prevailed, he wept and sought his blessing. At Bethel the Lord found him, and there he spoke with us.

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

And the Lord is the God of hosts, the Lord is his name!

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

So now, by the help of your God, return. Keep true love and justice. Trust in your God without ceasing.

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

A merchant uses false scales: They love to defraud.

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

Ephraim says, ‘Yes, I have become rich, I have secured wealth for myself. But despite my gains no one will find a crime I can be convicted of!’

9 But 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.

I am the Lord your God, ever since the land of Egypt. I will make you again dwell in tents, as in days of old.

10 My 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.

I spoke continually by the prophets. It was I who multiplied visions, and spoke in parables through the prophets.

11 In 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.

In Gilead is iniquity, they will come to nothing. In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls, so their altars will be as stone heaps, among the furrows of the field.

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

And Jacob fled to the territory of Aram, and Israel worked to earn a wife: for a wife he herded sheep.

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

The Lord brought Israel up from Egypt by a prophet, and by a prophet Israel was guarded.

14 I 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.

Ephraim has given bitter provocation. His Lord will leave upon him his guilt of bloodshed, and for his contempt he will repay him.