Hosea 12

Ephraim Reminded

1 * 12:1 Ch 12:2 in Heb Ephraim feeds on wind,

And pursues the east wind continually;

He multiplies lies and violence.

Moreover, *12:1 Lit they makehe makes a covenant with Assyria,

And oil is brought to Egypt.

2 The Lord also has a case against Judah,

And will punish Jacob according to his ways;

He will repay him according to his deeds.

3 In the womb he took his brother by the heel,

And in his mature strength he contended with God.

4 Yes, he wrestled with the angel and prevailed;

He wept and implored His favor.

He found Him at Bethel,

And there He spoke with us,

5 And the Lord, the God of armies,

The Lord is His *12:5 Lit invocationname.

6 So as for you, return to your God,

Maintain *12:6 Or loyaltykindness and justice,

And wait for your God continually.

7 A *12:7 Or Canaanitemerchant, in whose hands are fraudulent balances,

Loves to exploit.

8 And Ephraim said, "I have certainly become rich,

I have found wealth for myself;

In all my labors they will find in me

No wrongdoing, which would be sin."

9 But I have been the Lord your God since the land of Egypt;

I will make you live in tents again,

As in the days of the appointed festival.

10 I have also spoken to the prophets,

And I *12:10 Lit multiplied the visionprovided many visions,

And through the prophets I spoke in parables.

11 Is there injustice in Gilead?

Certainly they are worthless.

In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls,

Yes, their altars are like stone heaps

Beside the furrows of a field.

12 Now Jacob fled to the *12:12 Lit fieldland of Aram,

And Israel worked for a wife,

And for a wife he kept sheep.

13 But by a prophet the Lord brought Israel up from Egypt,

And by a prophet he was protected.

14 Ephraim has provoked God to bitter anger;

So his Lord will leave his guilt for bloodshed on him

And bring his disgrace back to him.