Hosea 12

12Ephraim herds the wind^a

and is pursuing the east wind all day long;

he multiplies deception and violence

and he^b makes a treaty with Assyria,^c

and oil is brought to Egypt.

²Yahweh has a quarrel^d with Judah

and will punish Jacob according to his ways

and repay him according to his deeds.

³In the womb he deceived his brother,

and in his manhood he struggled with God.

⁴He struggled with the angel and prevailed;

he pleaded for his mercy.

He met him at Bethel,

and there he spoke with him.^e

⁵Yahweh the God of hosts,

Yahweh is his renowned name!

⁶But you, you must return to your God;

keep love and justice,

and wait continually for your God.

⁷The trader, in his hand are scales of deceit;^f

he loves to oppress.

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

I gained^g wealth for myself;

in all my toil they have not found guilt in me

that is sin.

⁹But I am Yahweh your God

since^h the land of Egypt;

I will make you live in tents again,

like the days of the appointed festival.

¹⁰I spoke to the prophets;

I myself multiplied revelationsⁱ

and through the hand of the prophets I will destroy.

¹¹If 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.

¹²Jacob fled to the open field of Aram,^j

and Israel served for a wife,

and for a wife he watched over sheep.

¹³And by a prophet Yahweh brought

Israel up from Egypt,

and by a prophet

he^k was watched over.

¹⁴Ephraim has caused bitter provocation,

and his Lord will hold him responsible for his crimes^l

and pay back to him his insults.