12 a Ephraimf feeds on the wind;g

he pursues the east wind all day

and multiplies lies and violence.h

He makes a treaty with Assyriai

and sends olive oil to Egypt.j

2 The Lord has a chargek to bring against Judah;l

he will punishm Jacobb according to his ways

and repay him according to his deeds.n

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

as a man he struggledp with God.

4 He struggled with the angel and overcame him;

he wept and begged for his favor.

He found him at Bethelq

and talked with him there—

5 the Lord God Almighty,

the Lord is his name!r

6 But you must returns to your God;

maintain love and justice,t

and wait for your God always.u

7 The merchant uses dishonest scalesv

and loves to defraud.

8 Ephraim boasts,w

“I am very rich; I have become wealthy.x

With all my wealth they will not find in me

any iniquity or sin.”

9 “I have been the Lord your God

ever since you came out of Egypt;y

I will make you live in tentsz again,

as in the days of your appointed festivals.

10 I spoke to the prophets,

gave them many visions

and told parablesa through them.”b

11 Is Gilead wicked?c

Its people are worthless!

Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal?d

Their altars will be like piles of stones

on a plowed field.e

12 Jacob fled to the country of Aramc;f

Israel served to get a wife,

and to pay for her he tended sheep.g

13 The Lord used a prophet to bring Israel up from Egypt,h

by a prophet he cared for him.i

14 But Ephraim has aroused his bitter anger;

his Lord will leave on him the guilt of his bloodshedj

and will repay him for his contempt.k