Hosea 12

English Standard Version

12 Ephraim feeds on the wind
    and pursues ^(A)the east wind all day long;
they multiply ^(B)falsehood and violence;
    ^(C)they make a covenant with Assyria,
    and ^(D)oil is carried to Egypt.

The Lord's Indictment of Israel and Judah

²^(E)The Lord has an indictment against Judah
    and will punish Jacob according to his ways;
    he will repay him according to his deeds.
³^(F)In the womb he took his brother by the heel,
    and in his manhood he strove with God.
⁴He strove with the angel and prevailed;
    he wept and sought his favor.
^(G)He met God^[a] at Bethel,
    and there God spoke with us—
⁵the Lord, the God of hosts,
    ^(H)the Lord is his memorial name:
⁶“So you, ^(I)by the help of your God, return,
    ^(J)hold fast to love and justice,
    and wait continually for your God.”

⁷A merchant, in whose hands are ^(K)false balances,
    he loves ^(L)to oppress.
⁸Ephraim has said, “Ah, but ^(M)I am rich;
    I have found wealth for myself;
in all my labors ^(N)they cannot find in me iniquity or sin.”
⁹^(O)I am the Lord your God
    from the land of Egypt;
I will again make you ^(P)dwell in tents,
    as in the days of the appointed feast.

¹⁰^(Q)I spoke to the prophets;
    it was I who multiplied ^(R)visions,
    and through the prophets gave parables.
¹¹^(S)If there is iniquity in Gilead,
    they shall surely come to nothing:
^(T)in Gilgal they sacrifice bulls;
    ^(U)their altars also are like stone heaps
    ^(V)on the furrows of the field.
¹²^(W)Jacob fled to the land of Aram;
    there Israel ^(X)served for a wife,
    and for a wife he guarded sheep.
¹³By ^(Y)a prophet ^(Z)the Lord brought Israel up from Egypt,
    and by a prophet he was guarded.
¹⁴^(AA)Ephraim has given bitter provocation;
    so his Lord ^(AB)will leave his bloodguilt on him
    ^(AC)and will repay him for his disgraceful deeds.