Osee 12

1 But Ephraim is an evil spirit, he has chased the east wind all the day: he has multiplied empty and vain things, and made a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil has gone in the way of traffic into Egypt.

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.

2 And the Lord [has] a controversy with Juda, in order to punish Jacob: according to his ways and according to his practices will he recompense him.

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.

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

In the womb he took his brother by the heel, And by his strength he was a prince with God,

4 And he prevailed with the angel and was strong: they wept, and intreated me: they found me in the house of On, and there [a word] was spoken to them.

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,

5 But the Lord God Almighty shall be his memorial.

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

6 Thou therefore shalt return to thy God: keep thou mercy and judgment, and draw nigh to thy God continually.

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

7 [As for] Chanaan, in his hand is a balance of unrighteousness: he has loved to tyrannize.

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

8 And Ephraim said, Nevertheless I am rich, I have found refreshment to myself. None of his labours shall be found [available] to him, by reason of the sins which he has committed.

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.'

9 But I the Lord thy God brought thee up out of the land of Egypt: I will yet cause thee to dwell in tabernacles, according to the days of the feast.

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.

10 And I will speak to the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and by the means of the prophets I was represented.

And I have spoken unto the prophets, And I have multiplied vision, And by the hand of the prophets I use similes.

11 If Galaad exists not, then the chiefs in Galaad when they sacrificed were false, and their altars were as heaps on the ground of the field.

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.

12 And Jacob retreated into the plain of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and waited for a wife.

And Jacob doth flee to the country of Aram, And Israel doth serve for a wife, Yea, for a wife he hath kept watch.

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

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

14 Ephraim was angry and excited, therefore his blood shall be poured out upon him, and the Lord shall recompense to him his reproach.

Ephraim hath provoked most bitterly, And his blood on himself he leaveth, And his reproach turn back to him doth his Lord!