Hosea 12

1Ephraim feeds on the wind

and follows after the east wind.

He continually multiplies lies and violence.

They make a covenant with Assyria

and carry olive oil to Egypt.

2Yahweh also has a lawsuit against Judah

and will punish Jacob for what he has done;

he will repay him for his deeds.

3In the womb Jacob grasped his brother by the heel,

and in his manhood he struggled with God.

4He struggled with the angel and won.

He wept and begged for his favor.

He met God at Bethel;

there God spoke with him.

5This is Yahweh, the God of hosts;

“Yahweh” is his name to be called on.

6So turn to your God.

Keep covenantal faithfulness and justice,

and wait continually for your God.

7The merchants have false scales in their hands;

they love to defraud.

8Ephraim said, “I have certainly become very rich;

I have found wealth for myself.

In all my work they will not find any iniquity in me,

anything that would be sin.”

9“I am Yahweh your God from the land of Egypt.

I will again make you live in tents,

as in the days of the appointed festival.

10I spoke to the prophets,

and I gave them many visions for you.

By the hand of the prophets I gave parables.”

11If there is wickedness in Gilead,

surely the people are worthless.

In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls;

their altars will be like heaps of stone in the furrows of the fields.

12Jacob fled to the land of Aram;

Israel worked in order to get a wife;

and he kept flocks of sheep to get a wife.

13Yahweh brought Israel out of Egypt by a prophet,

and by a prophet he took care of them.

14Ephraim has bitterly angered Yahweh.

So his Lord will leave his blood on him

and will turn back on him his disgrace.