Hosea 12

1Ephraim'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.

1Ephraim 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.

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

2The Lord hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him.

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

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

4He 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;

4Yea, 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;

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

5Even the Lord God of hosts; the Lord is his memorial.

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

6Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.

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

7He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress.

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

8And 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.

9But 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.

9And 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.

10My 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.

10I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.

11In 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.

11Is 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.

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

12And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.

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

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

14I 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.

14Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly: therefore shall he leave his blood upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him.