Hosea 12
New King James Version
Ephraim’s Sins Rebuked by God
12 “Ephraim (A)feeds on the wind,
And pursues the east wind;
He daily increases lies and [a]desolation.
(B)Also they make a [b]covenant with the Assyrians,
And (C)oil is carried to Egypt.
2 “The(D) Lord also brings a [c]charge against Judah,
And will punish Jacob according to his ways;
According to his deeds He will recompense him.
3 He took his brother (E)by the heel in the womb,
And in his strength he (F)struggled with God.
4 Yes, he struggled with the Angel and prevailed;
He wept, and sought favor from Him.
He found Him in (G)Bethel,
And there He spoke to us—
5 That is, the Lord God of hosts.
The Lord is His (H)memorable name.
6 (I)So you, by the help of your God, return;
Observe mercy and justice,
And wait on your God continually.
7 “A cunning [d]Canaanite!
(J)Deceitful scales are in his hand;
He loves to oppress.
8 And Ephraim said,
(K)‘Surely I have become rich,
I have found wealth for myself;
In all my labors
They shall find in me no iniquity that is sin.’
9 “But I am the Lord your God,
Ever since the land of Egypt;
(L)I will again make you dwell in tents,
As in the days of the appointed feast.
10 (M)I have also spoken by the prophets,
And have multiplied visions;
I have given [e]symbols [f]through the witness of the prophets.”
11 Though (N)Gilead has idols—
Surely they are [g]vanity—
Though they sacrifice bulls in (O)Gilgal,
Indeed their altars shall be heaps in the furrows of the field.
12 Jacob (P)fled to the country of Syria;
(Q)Israel served for a spouse,
And for a wife he tended sheep.
13 (R)By a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt,
And by a prophet he was preserved.
14 Ephraim (S)provoked Him to anger most bitterly;
Therefore his Lord will leave the guilt of his bloodshed upon him,
(T)And return his reproach upon him.
Footnotes
- Hosea 12:1 ruin
- Hosea 12:1 Or treaty
- Hosea 12:2 A legal complaint
- Hosea 12:7 Or merchant
- Hosea 12:10 Or parables
- Hosea 12:10 Lit. by the hand
- Hosea 12:11 worthless
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
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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