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Charges against Israel and Judah

12 [a]Israel surrounds me with lies and deceit,
    but Judah still obeys God
    and is faithful to the Holy One.[b]

12 [c]The people of Israel[d] feed on the wind;
    they chase after the east wind all day long.
They pile up lies and violence;
    they are making an alliance with Assyria
    while sending olive oil to buy support from Egypt.

Now the Lord is bringing charges against Judah.
    He is about to punish Jacob[e] for all his deceitful ways,
    and pay him back for all he has done.

Footnotes

  1. 11:12a Verse 11:12 is numbered 12:1 in Hebrew text.
  2. 11:12b Or and Judah is unruly against God, the faithful Holy One. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
  3. 12:1a Verses 12:1-14 are numbered 12:2-15 in Hebrew text.
  4. 12:1b Hebrew Ephraim, referring to the northern kingdom of Israel; also in 12:8, 14.
  5. 12:2 Jacob sounds like the Hebrew word for “deceiver.”

12 Israel surrounds me with lies and deceit, but Judah still trusts in God and is faithful to the Holy One.

12 Israel is chasing the wind, yes, shepherding a whirlwind—a dangerous game![a] For she has given gifts to Egypt and Assyria to get their help, and in return she gets their worthless promises.

But the Lord is bringing a lawsuit against Judah. Jacob will be justly punished for his ways.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 12:1 a dangerous game, implied.