Hosea 11:12-12:14

Lexham English Bible

12 Ephraim herds the wind^[c]
    and is pursuing the east wind all day long;
he multiplies deception and violence
    and he^[d] makes a treaty with Assyria,^[e]
    and oil is brought to Egypt.
² Yahweh has a quarrel^[f] with Judah
    and will punish Jacob according to his ways
        and repay him according to his deeds.
³ In the womb he deceived his brother,
    and in his manhood he struggled with God.
⁴ He struggled with the angel and prevailed;
    he pleaded for his mercy.
He met him at Bethel,
    and there he spoke with him.^[g]
5 Yahweh the God of hosts,
    Yahweh is his renowned name!
⁶ But you, you must return to your God;
    keep love and justice,
        and wait continually for your God.
⁷ The trader, in his hand are scales of deceit;^[h]
    he loves to oppress.
⁸ And Ephraim said, “Surely, I am rich,
    I gained^[i] wealth for myself;
in all my toil they have not found guilt in me
    that is sin.
⁹ But I am Yahweh your God
    since^[j] the land of Egypt;
I will make you live in tents again,
    like the days of the appointed festival.
¹⁰ I spoke to the prophets;
    I myself multiplied revelations^[k]
        and through the hand of the prophets I will destroy.
¹¹ If in Gilead there is evil,
    surely they will come to nothing.
In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls,
    also their altars will be like stone heaps
    on furrows of the field.
¹² Jacob fled to the open field of Aram,^[l]
    and Israel served for a wife,
    and for a wife he watched over sheep.
¹³ And by a prophet Yahweh brought
    Israel up from Egypt,
and by a prophet
    he^[m] was watched over.
¹⁴ Ephraim has caused bitter provocation,
    and his Lord will hold him responsible for his crimes^[n]
    and pay back to him his insults.