Hosea Chapter 12
1 Ephraim feeds on wind,
and constantly chases after the east wind;
he piles up lies and violence;
he even makes an alliance with Assyria
while he’s carrying olive oil to Egypt to buy help.
The LORD’s Indictment Against Israel and Judah
2 Yahveh has a dispute with Judah too;
he’ll punish Jacob
in proportion to his “deceit.”
3 In the womb he grabbed his brother’s heel;
when he grew up, he even wrestled with God.
4 He wrestled with an angel and prevailed;
he cried and begged his blessing.
He found him at Bethel
and spoke to him there—
5Yahveh God of Hosts,
Yahveh is his name.
Hos 12:1-5
6 So come back to your God,
observe kindness and justice;
depend on him always.
7 But he’s become a shrewd businessman with false balances,
who loves to oppress.
8 Ephraim has said, “I got rich;
I made myself wealthy.
Nobody caught me being dishonest;
that would have made it illegal!”
9 “I’ve been Yahveh your God since Egypt;
I’ll make you live in tents again
as at the Festival of Booths.
10 I’ve spoken to the prophets
and given them lots of visions;
I’ve delivered parables through them.”
Hos 12:6-10
11 But there’s sinfulness in Gilead,
worthless people.
They sacrifice bulls in Gilgal too;
their altars are like rock piles
along a plowed field.
12 Jacob fled to the land of Aram
and kept sheep to get a wife.
13 Then Yahveh brought his descendants
out of Egypt by a prophet
and protected them by him.
14 But they’ve made Yahveh bitterly angry;
so he’s sentenced them to death
in payment for their disgrace.
Hos 12:11-14