Hosea 12

Ephraim Reminded

11Ephraim feeds on 2wind, And pursues the 3east wind continually; He multiplies lies and violence. Moreover, 4he makes a covenant with Assyria, And oil is carried to Egypt.2The Lord also has a 5dispute with Judah, And will punish Jacob 6according to his ways; He will repay him according to his deeds.3In the womb he 7took his brother by the heel, And in his maturity he 8contended with God.4Yes, he wrestled with the angel and prevailed; He wept and 9sought His favor. He found Him at 10Bethel And there He spoke with us,5Even the Lord, the God of hosts, The Lord is His 1112name.6Therefore, 13return to your God, 14Observe 15kindness and justice, And 16wait for your God continually.7A 17merchant, in whose hands are false 18balances, He loves to oppress.8And Ephraim said, “Surely I have become 19rich, I have found wealth for myself; In all my labors they will find in me 20No iniquity, which would be sin.”9But I have been the Lord your God since the land of Egypt; I will make you 21live in tents again, As in the days of the appointed festival.10I have also spoken to the 22prophets, And I 23gave numerous visions, And through the prophets I gave 24parables.11Is there iniquity in Gilead? Surely they are worthless. In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls, Yes, 25their altars are like the stone heaps Beside the furrows of the field.

12Now 26Jacob fled to the 27land of Aram, And 28Israel worked for a wife, And for a wife he kept sheep.13But by a 29prophet the Lord brought Israel from Egypt, And by a prophet he was kept.1430Ephraim has provoked to bitter anger; So his Lord will leave his 31bloodguilt on him And bring back his 32reproach to him.