Hosea 12:1–14

Ephraim feeds on the wind

and pursues ^zthe east wind all day long;

they multiply ^yfalsehood and violence;

^athey make a covenant with Assyria,

and ^boil is carried to Egypt.

The Lord’s Indictment of Israel and Judah

^2cThe Lord has an indictment against Judah

and will punish Jacob according to his ways;

he will repay him according to his deeds.

^3dIn 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.

^eHe met God¹ at Bethel,

and there God spoke with us—

⁵the Lord, the God of hosts,

^fthe Lord is his memorial name:

⁶“So you, ^gby the help of your God, return,

^hhold fast to love and justice,

and wait continually for your God.”

⁷A merchant, in whose hands are ⁱfalse balances,

he loves ^jto oppress.

⁸Ephraim has said, “Ah, but ^kI am rich;

I have found wealth for myself;

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

^9mI am the Lord your God

from the land of Egypt;

I will again make you ⁿdwell in tents,

as in the days of the appointed feast.

^10oI spoke to the prophets;

it was I who multiplied ^pvisions,

and through the prophets gave parables.

^11qIf there is iniquity in Gilead,

they shall surely come to nothing:

^rin Gilgal they sacrifice bulls;

^stheir altars also are like stone heaps

^ton the furrows of the field.

^12uJacob fled to the land of Aram;

there Israel ^vserved for a wife,

and for a wife he guarded sheep.

¹³By ^wa prophet ^xthe Lord brought Israel up from Egypt,

and by a prophet he was guarded.

^14yEphraim has given bitter provocation;

so his Lord ^zwill leave his bloodguilt on him

^aand will repay him for his disgraceful deeds.