1 Ephraim feeds on the wind;

he pursues the east wind all day

and multiplies lies and violence.

He makes a treaty with Assyria

and sends olive oil to Egypt.

2 The Lord has a charge to bring against Judah;

he will punish Jacob according to his ways

and repay him according to his deeds.

3 In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel;

as a man he struggled with God.

4 He struggled with the angel and overcame him;

he wept and begged for his favor.

He found him at Bethel

and talked with him there—

5 the Lord God Almighty,

the Lord is his name!

6 But you must return to your God;

maintain love and justice,

and wait for your God always.

7 The merchant uses dishonest scales

and loves to defraud.

8 Ephraim boasts,

“I am very rich; I have become wealthy.

With all my wealth they will not find in me

any iniquity or sin.”

1 Ephraim feeds on the wind

and pursues the east wind all day long;

they multiply falsehood and violence;

they make a covenant with Assyria,

and oil is carried to Egypt.

2 The Lord has an indictment against Judah

and will punish Jacob according to his ways;

he will repay him according to his deeds.

3 In the womb he took his brother by the heel,

and in his manhood he strove with God.

4 He strove with the angel and prevailed;

he wept and sought his favor.

He met God at Bethel,

and there God spoke with us—

5 the Lord, the God of hosts,

the Lord is his memorial name:

6 “So you, by the help of your God, return,

hold fast to love and justice,

and wait continually for your God.”

7 A merchant, in whose hands are false balances,

he loves to oppress.

8 Ephraim has said, “Ah, but I am rich;

I have found wealth for myself;

in all my labors they cannot find in me iniquity or sin.”

1 Ephraim 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.

2 The Lord hath also a controversy with Judah,

And will punish Jacob according to his ways;

According to his doings will he recompense him.

3 He took his brother by the heel in the womb,

And by his strength he had power with God:

4 Yea, 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;

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

6 Therefore turn thou to thy God:

Keep mercy and judgment,

And wait on thy God continually.

7 He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand:

He loveth to oppress.

8 And 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.

1  The people of Israel feed on the wind;

they chase after the east wind all day long.

They pile up lies and violence;

they are making an alliance with Assyria

while sending olive oil to buy support from Egypt.

2 Now the Lord is bringing charges against Judah.

He is about to punish Jacob for all his deceitful ways,

and pay him back for all he has done.

3 Even in the womb,

Jacob struggled with his brother;

when he became a man,

he even fought with God.

4 Yes, he wrestled with the angel and won.

He wept and pleaded for a blessing from him.

There at Bethel he met God face to face,

and God spoke to him—

5 the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies,

the Lord is his name!

6 So now, come back to your God.

Act with love and justice,

and always depend on him.

7 But no, the people are like crafty merchants

selling from dishonest scales—

they love to cheat.

8 Israel boasts, “I am rich!

I’ve made a fortune all by myself!

No one has caught me cheating!

My record is spotless!”

1 “Ephraim feeds on the wind,

And pursues the east wind;

He daily increases lies and desolation.

Also they make a covenant with the Assyrians,

And oil is carried to Egypt.

2 “The Lord also brings a charge against Judah,

And will punish Jacob according to his ways;

According to his deeds He will recompense him.

3 He took his brother by the heel in the womb,

And in his strength he struggled with God.

4 Yes, he struggled with the Angel and prevailed;

He wept, and sought favor from Him.

He found Him in Bethel,

And there He spoke to us—

5 That is, the Lord God of hosts.

The Lord is His memorable name.

6 So you, by the help of your God, return;

Observe mercy and justice,

And wait on your God continually.

7 “A cunning Canaanite!

Deceitful scales are in his hand;

He loves to oppress.

8 And Ephraim said,

‘Surely I have become rich,

I have found wealth for myself;

In all my labors

They shall find in me no iniquity that is sin.’

1 What Israel does is as useless as chasing the wind;

he chases the east wind all day.

They tell more and more lies

and do more and more violence.

They make agreements with Assyria,

and they send a gift of olive oil to Egypt.

2 The Lord also has some things against Judah.

He will punish Israel for what they have done;

he will give them what they deserve.

3 Their ancestor Jacob held on to his brother’s heel

while the two of them were being born.

When he grew to be a man,

he wrestled with God.

4 When Jacob wrestled with the angel and won,

he cried and asked for his blessing.

Later, God met with him at Bethel

and spoke with him there.

5 It was the Lord God All-Powerful;

the Lord is his great name.

6 You must return to your God;

love him, do what is just,

and always trust in him as your God.

7 The merchants use dishonest scales;

they like to cheat people.

8 Israel said, “I am rich! I am someone with power!”

All their money will do them no good

because of the sins they have done.

1 Ephraim feedeth on wind, and pursueth after the east wind: all day long he multiplieth lies and desolation; and they make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried into Egypt. 2 Jehovah hath also a controversy with Judah, and he will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him. 3 He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and in his strength he wrestled with God. 4 Yea, he wrestled with the Angel, and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spoke with us, 5 —even Jehovah, the God of hosts, —Jehovah is his memorial. 6 And thou, return unto thy God: keep loving-kindness and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.

7 He is a merchant, balances of deceit are in his hand; he loveth to oppress. 8 And Ephraim saith, Nevertheless I am become rich, I have found me out substance; in all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin.

1 The people of Ephraim try to catch the wind 

and try to chase the east wind all day. 

They are very violent and destructive. 

They make treaties with Assyria and take olive oil to Egypt. 

2 The Lord brings charges against Judah and punishes Jacob 

because of the way their people act. 

He will pay them back for what they have done. 

3 Their ancestor Jacob held on to his brother’s heel 

while the two of them were in their mother’s womb. 

When Jacob became a man, he struggled with God. 

4 He struggled with the Messenger and won. 

Jacob cried and pleaded with him. 

Jacob found him at Bethel, 

and he talked with him there. 

5 The Lord is the God of Armies. 

The Lord is the name by which he is remembered. 

6 Return to your God. 

Be loyal and fair, and always wait with hope for your God. 

7 ⸤The Lord says,⸥ “The merchants use dishonest scales. 

They love to cheat people. 

8 The people of Ephraim say, ‘We’re rich. We’ve made a fortune. 

With all this wealth, no one will find us guilty of any sin.’ 

1 Ephraim chases the wind

and pursues the east wind.

He continually multiplies lies and violence.

He makes a covenant with Assyria,

and olive oil is carried to Egypt.

2 The Lord also has a dispute with Judah.

He is about to punish Jacob according to his ways;

He will repay him based on his actions.

3 In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel,

and as an adult he wrestled with God.

4 Jacob struggled with the Angel and prevailed;

he wept and sought His favor.

He found him at Bethel,

and there He spoke with him.

5 Yahweh is the God of Hosts;

Yahweh is His name.

6 But you must return to your God.

Maintain love and justice,

and always put your hope in God.

7 A merchant loves to extort

with dishonest scales in his hands.

8 But Ephraim says:

“How rich I have become;

I made it all myself.

In all my earnings,

no one can find any crime in me

that I can be punished for!”

1 Ephraim herds the wind,

and pursues the east wind all day long;

they multiply falsehood and violence;

they make a treaty with Assyria,

and oil is carried to Egypt.

2 The Lord has an indictment against Judah,

and will punish Jacob according to his ways,

and repay him according to his deeds.

3 In the womb he tried to supplant his brother,

and in his manhood he strove with God.

4 He strove with the angel and prevailed,

he wept and sought his favor;

he met him at Bethel,

and there he spoke with him.

5 The Lord the God of hosts,

the Lord is his name!

6 But as for you, return to your God,

hold fast to love and justice,

and wait continually for your God.

7 A trader, in whose hands are false balances,

he loves to oppress.

8 Ephraim has said, “Ah, I am rich,

I have gained wealth for myself;

in all of my gain

no offense has been found in me

that would be sin.”

1 Ephraim herds the wind

and is pursuing the east wind all day long;

he multiplies deception and violence

and he makes a treaty with Assyria,

and oil is brought to Egypt.

2 Yahweh has a quarrel 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.

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;

he loves to oppress.

8 And Ephraim said, “Surely, I am rich,

I gained wealth for myself;

in all my toil they have not found guilt in me

that is sin.

1 The people of Ephraim look to others for help.

It’s like chasing the wind.

The wind they keep chasing

is hot and dry.

They tell more and more lies.

They are always hurting others.

They make a peace treaty with Assyria.

They send olive oil to Egypt to get help.

2 The Lord is bringing charges against Judah.

He will punish Jacob’s people

because of how they act.

He’ll pay them back

for the evil things they’ve done.

3 Even before Jacob was born,

he was holding on to his brother’s heel.

When he became a man,

he struggled with God.

4 At Peniel he struggled with the angel and won.

He sobbed and begged for his blessing.

God also met with him at Bethel.

He talked with him there.

5 He is the Lord God who rules over all.

He wants us to remember

that his name is The Lord.

6 People of Jacob, you must return to your God.

You must hold on to love and do what is fair.

You must trust in your God always.

7 You are like a trader who uses dishonest scales.

You love to cheat others.

8 People of Ephraim, you brag,

“We are very rich.

We’ve become wealthy.

And no one can prove we sinned

to gain all of this wealth.”

1 Ephraim feeds on wind,

And pursues the east wind continually;

He multiplies lies and violence.

Moreover, he makes a covenant with Assyria,

And oil is carried to Egypt.

2 The Lord also has a dispute with Judah,

And will punish Jacob according to his ways;

He will repay him according to his deeds.

3 In the womb he took his brother by the heel,

And in his maturity he contended with God.

4 Yes, he wrestled with the angel and prevailed;

He wept and sought His favor.

He found Him at Bethel

And there He spoke with us,

5 Even the Lord, the God of hosts,

The Lord is His name.

6 Therefore, return to your God,

Observe kindness and justice,

And wait for your God continually.

7 A merchant, in whose hands are false balances,

He loves to oppress.

8 And Ephraim said, “Surely I have become rich,

I have found wealth for myself;

In all my labors they will find in me

No iniquity, which would be sin.”