Hosea 12
Lexham English Bible
12 Ephraim herds the wind[a]
and is pursuing the east wind all day long;
he multiplies deception and violence
and he[b] makes a treaty with Assyria,[c]
and oil is brought to Egypt.
2 Yahweh has a quarrel[d] with Judah
and will punish Jacob according to his ways
and repay him according to his deeds.
3 In the womb he deceived his brother,
and in his manhood he struggled with God.
4 He struggled with the angel and prevailed;
he pleaded for his mercy.
He met him at Bethel,
and there he spoke with him.[e]
5 Yahweh the God of hosts,
Yahweh is his renowned name!
6 But you, you must return to your God;
keep love and justice,
and wait continually for your God.
7 The trader, in his hand are scales of deceit;[f]
he loves to oppress.
8 And Ephraim said, “Surely, I am rich,
I gained[g] wealth for myself;
in all my toil they have not found guilt in me
that is sin.
9 But I am Yahweh your God
since[h] 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[i]
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.
12 Jacob fled to the open field of Aram,[j]
and Israel served for a wife,
and for a wife he watched over sheep.
13 And by a prophet Yahweh brought
Israel up from Egypt,
and by a prophet
he[k] was watched over.
14 Ephraim has caused bitter provocation,
and his Lord will hold him responsible for his crimes[l]
and pay back to him his insults.
Footnotes
- Hosea 12:1 Or “Ephraim befriends the wind”
- Hosea 12:1 Hebrew “they”
- Hosea 12:1 Literally “cuts a covenant with Assyria”
- Hosea 12:2 This word in Hebrew conveys a legal setting
- Hosea 12:4 Hebrew “us”
- Hosea 12:7 Or “false balances”
- Hosea 12:8 Or “I found”
- Hosea 12:9 Or “from”
- Hosea 12:10 Hebrew “revelation”
- Hosea 12:12 Or “the land of Aram”
- Hosea 12:13 Israel
- Hosea 12:14 Literally “will bring down on him his blood”
Hosea 12
American Standard Version
12 1 Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he continually multiplieth lies and desolation; and they make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried into Egypt. 2 Jehovah hath also a controversy with Judah, and will [a]punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him. 3 In the womb he took his brother by the heel; and in his [b]manhood he [c]had power with God: 4 yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him at Beth-el, and there he spake with us, 5 [d]even Jehovah, the God of hosts; Jehovah is his memorial name. 6 Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep kindness and justice, and wait for thy God continually.
7 [e]He is [f]a trafficker, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to [g]oppress. 8 And Ephraim said, Surely I am become rich, I have found me wealth: in all my labors they shall find in me no iniquity that were sin. 9 But I am Jehovah thy God from the land of Egypt; I will yet again make thee to dwell in tents, as in the days of the solemn feast. 10 I have also spoken unto the prophets, and I have multiplied visions; and [h]by the ministry of the prophets have I used similitudes. 11 Is Gilead iniquity? they are altogether false; in Gilgal they sacrifice bullocks; yea, their altars [i]are as heaps in the furrows of the field. 12 And Jacob fled into the field of Aram, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep. 13 And by a prophet Jehovah brought Israel up out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he [j]preserved. 14 Ephraim hath provoked to anger most bitterly: therefore shall his blood be left upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him.
Footnotes
- Hosea 12:2 Hebrew visit upon.
- Hosea 12:3 Or, strength
- Hosea 12:3 Or, strove
- Hosea 12:5 Or, for Jehovah is the God of hosts
- Hosea 12:7 Or, As for Canaan, the etc.
- Hosea 12:7 Or, a Canaanite. Hebrew Canaan.
- Hosea 12:7 Or, defraud
- Hosea 12:10 Hebrew by the hand.
- Hosea 12:11 Or, shall be
- Hosea 12:13 Or, kept
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