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.

Yahveh’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 for 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