Hosea 12

¹Ephraim feeds on the wind and pursues the east wind all day long; they multiply falsehood and violence ; they make a covenant with Assyria , and oil is carried to Egypt .

²The Lord has an indictment against Judah and will punish Jacob according to his ways ; he will repay him according to his deeds .

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

⁴He strove with the angel and prevailed ; he wept and sought his favor . He met God at Bethel , and there God spoke with us—

⁵the Lord, the God of hosts , the Lord is his memorial name:

⁶So you, by the help of your God , return , hold fast to love and justice , and wait continually for your God .

⁷A merchant , in whose hands are false balances , he loves to oppress .

⁸Ephraim has said , Ah , but I am rich ; I have found wealth for myself; in all my labors they cannot find in me iniquity or sin .

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

¹⁰I spoke to the prophets ; it was I who multiplied visions , and through the prophets gave parables .

¹¹If there is iniquity in Gilead , they shall surely come to nothing : in Gilgal they sacrifice bulls ; their altars also are like stone heaps on the furrows of the field .

¹²Jacob fled to the land of Aram ; there Israel served for a wife , and for a wife he guarded sheep.

¹³By a prophet the Lord brought Israel up from Egypt , and by a prophet he was guarded .

¹⁴Ephraim has given bitter provocation ; so his Lord will leave his bloodguilt on him and will repay him for his disgraceful deeds.