A merchant, in whose hands are (A)false balances,
    he loves (B)to oppress.
Ephraim has said, “Ah, but (C)I am rich;
    I have found wealth for myself;
in all my labors (D)they cannot find in me iniquity or sin.”
(E)I am the Lord your God
    from the land of Egypt;
I will again make you (F)dwell in tents,
    as in the days of the appointed feast.

10 (G)I spoke to the prophets;
    it was I who multiplied (H)visions,
    and through the prophets gave parables.
11 (I)If there is iniquity in Gilead,
    they shall surely come to nothing:
(J)in Gilgal they sacrifice bulls;
    (K)their altars also are like stone heaps
    (L)on the furrows of the field.

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The trader, in his hand are scales of deceit;[a]
    he loves to oppress.
And Ephraim said, “Surely, I am rich,
    I gained[b] wealth for myself;
in all my toil they have not found guilt in me
    that is sin.
But I am Yahweh your God
    since[c] the land of Egypt;
I will make you live in tents again,
    like the days of the appointed festival.
10 I spoke to the prophets;
    I myself multiplied revelations[d]
        and through the hand of the prophets I will destroy.
11 If in Gilead there is evil,
    surely they will come to nothing.
In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls,
    also their altars will be like stone heaps
    on furrows of the field.

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Footnotes

  1. Hosea 12:7 Or “false balances”
  2. Hosea 12:8 Or “I found”
  3. Hosea 12:9 Or “from”
  4. Hosea 12:10 Hebrew “revelation”

The merchant uses dishonest scales(A)
    and loves to defraud.
Ephraim boasts,(B)
    “I am very rich; I have become wealthy.(C)
With all my wealth they will not find in me
    any iniquity or sin.”

“I have been the Lord your God
    ever since you came out of Egypt;(D)
I will make you live in tents(E) again,
    as in the days of your appointed festivals.
10 I spoke to the prophets,
    gave them many visions
    and told parables(F) through them.”(G)

11 Is Gilead wicked?(H)
    Its people are worthless!
Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal?(I)
    Their altars will be like piles of stones
    on a plowed field.(J)

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