Hosea 12

1Ephraim is enjoying wind, And is pursuing an east wind, All the day lying and spoiling he multiplieth, And a covenant with Asshur they make, And oil to Egypt is carried.

2And a controversy hath Jehovah with Judah, To lay a charge on Jacob according to his ways, According to his doings He returneth to him.

3In the womb he took his brother by the heel, And by his strength he was a prince with God,

4Yea, he is a prince unto the Messenger, And he overcometh by weeping, And he maketh supplication to Him, At Bethel He doth find him, And there He doth speak with us,

5Even Jehovah, God of the Hosts, Jehovah is His memorial.

6And thou, through thy God, dost turn, Kindness and judgment keep thou, And wait on thy God continually.

7Canaan! in his hand are balances of deceit! To oppress he hath loved.

8And Ephraim saith: 'Surely I have become rich, I have found wealth for myself, All my labours — they find not against me iniquity that is sin.'

9And I — Jehovah thy God from the land of Egypt, Again do I turn thee back into tents, As in the days of the appointed time.

10And I have spoken unto the prophets, And I have multiplied vision, And by the hand of the prophets I use similes.

11Surely Gilead is iniquity, Only, vanity they have been, In Gilead bullocks they have sacrificed, Also their altars are as heaps, on the furrows of a field.

12And Jacob doth flee to the country of Aram, And Israel doth serve for a wife, Yea, for a wife he hath kept watch.

13And by a prophet hath Jehovah brought up Israel out of Egypt, And by a prophet it hath been watched.

14Ephraim hath provoked most bitterly, And his blood on himself he leaveth, And his reproach turn back to him doth his Lord!