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'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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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;

5 But the Lord God Almighty shall be his memorial.

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

6 You therefore shall return to your God: keep you mercy and judgment, and draw near to your God continually.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.