Hosea 12

Modern

Literal

A Reproof of Ephraim, Judah, and Jacob

¹Ephraim^a feeds on the wind

and pursues the east wind all day long;

he multiplies lies and violence;

he makes a covenant with Assyria

and sends olive oil to Egypt.

¹Ephraim is grazing on the wind and pursuing the east wind all the day, he multiplies lies and violence; they cut a covenant with Assyria and oil is carried to Egypt.

²The LORD has a charge to bring against Judah.

He will punish Jacob^a according to his ways

and repay him according to his deeds.

²A dispute is unto YHWH against Judah, to visit punishment on Jacob according to his ways; according to his deeds He will recompense to him.

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

and in his vigor he wrestled with God.

³In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his strength he struggled with God.

⁴Yes, he struggled with the angel^a and prevailed;

he wept and sought His favor;

he found Him at Bethel

and spoke with Him there—^b

⁴He struggled with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought favor from Him; at Bethel he found Him, and there He spoke with Him,

⁵the LORD God of Hosts,

the LORD is His name of renown.

⁵and YHWH, God of Hosts—YHWH is His memorial.

⁶But you must return to your God;

maintain love and justice,

and always wait on your God.

⁶And you must return to your God; Keep love and justice, and wait for your God continually!

⁷A merchant loves to defraud

with dishonest scales in his hands.

⁷A Canaanite has scales of deceit in his hand; he loves to oppress.

⁸And Ephraim boasts: “How rich I have become!

I have found wealth for myself.

In all my labors, they can find in me

no iniquity that is sinful.”

⁸And Ephraim said, “Surely I have become rich. I have found wealth for myself. In all my labors they will find in me no iniquity that is sin.”

⁹But I am the LORD your God

ever since the land of Egypt.

I will again make you dwell in tents,

as in the days of the appointed feast.

⁹And I am YHWH your God, from the land of Egypt; again I will make you dwell in tents, as in the days of the appointed feast.

¹⁰I spoke through the prophets

and multiplied their visions;

I gave parables through the prophets.

¹⁰And I have spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and by the hand of the prophets I have given parables.

¹¹Is there iniquity in Gilead?

They will surely come to nothing.

Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal?

Indeed, their altars will be heaps of stones

in the furrows of the field.

¹¹If iniquity is in Gilead, surely they are worthless; In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls; even their altars are as heaps over the furrows of the field.

¹²Jacob fled to the land of Aram^a

and Israel worked for a wife—

for a wife he tended sheep.

¹²And Jacob fled to the land of Aram, and Israel worked for a wife, and for a wife he tended.

¹³But by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt,

and by a prophet he was preserved.

¹³And by a prophet YHWH brought up Israel from Egypt, and by a prophet he was kept.

¹⁴Ephraim has provoked bitter anger,

so his Lord will leave his bloodguilt upon him

and repay him for his contempt.

¹⁴Ephraim has provoked to anger bitterly, and his bloodguilt He will leave upon him, and his reproach his Lord will make return to him.