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 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.

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

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

He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power 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.

Yea, 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;

5 But the Lord God Almighty shall be his memorial.

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

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

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

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

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

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, 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.

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.

And 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.

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

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

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.

Is 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.

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

And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served 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 brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.

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