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12 Ephraim's people chase after useless things all the time.
They think that they can catch the wind that comes from the east!
But the result is more violence and lies.
They make an agreement with Assyria to get their help.
They also send their olive oil to Egypt to ask for their help. [ a ]

2 The Lord is ready to accuse Judah's people in a court of law.
He will punish Jacob's descendants for the bad way that they live.
He will punish them as their sins deserve.
3 Before Jacob was born, he cheated his brother.
He did that when they were both inside their mother's body. [ b ]
When Jacob became a man, he fought against God.
4 He fought against an angel and he won.
He wept and he asked God to bless him.
There at Bethel, Jacob met with God. God spoke to him there.
5 This was the Lord God Almighty!
We know him as the Lord , his special name.

6 So now, you must return to your God.
You must show faithful love for each other.
You must judge people in a fair way.
You must be patient. Trust God to come and help you.

7 Your traders love to cheat people.
They use false weights and measures.
8 Ephraim's people proudly say,
‘We are rich! We have become very rich!
In all the ways that we have found riches,
nobody can accuse us.
We have not really done anything that is a sin!’

9 God says,

‘Remember that I am the Lord your God!
I brought you out of Egypt, where you were slaves.
Now I will make you live in tents again,
as you did before, in the wilderness.
10 I gave my messages to the prophets.
I showed them many visions. [ c ]
I used stories for the prophets to teach the people about me.
11 The people in Gilead do wicked things. [ d ]
They will become as useless as their idols.
At Gilgal, the people offer bulls as sacrifices on their altars.
Those altars will be like heaps of stones in a farmer's field.’

12 Jacob ran away to the land of Aram. [ e ]
He worked there as a shepherd so that he could get a wife.
13 The Lord used a prophet to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.
He used a prophet to keep them safe in the wilderness.
14 But Ephraim's people have made the Lord very angry.
He will punish them with death for their terrible sins.
Their Lord will pay them back as they deserve,
because they have insulted him.

Footnotes

  1. 12:1 The Israelites wanted other nations to help them to be safe from their enemies. They should have trusted God to keep them safe. The wind is something that you can never catch. See Ecclesiastes 1:6 , 14 .
  2. 12:3 At birth, Jacob held on to his brother Esau's foot. See Genesis 25:21-26 .
  3. 12:10 A vision is like a dream but you might not be asleep.
  4. 12:11 Hosea is perhaps thinking about murders in Gilead. See Hosea 6:8 . They also worshipped idols.
  5. 12:12 Jacob ran away from his brother Esau. He had cheated Esau and Esau was very angry with him.

The Lord Is Against Israel

12 Ephraim is wasting its time; Israel “chases the wind” all day long. The people tell more and more lies and steal more and more. They have made agreements with Assyria, and they are carrying their olive oil to Egypt.

2 The Lord says, “I have a complaint against Israel. [ a ] Jacob must be punished for the bad things he did. 3 While Jacob was still in his mother’s womb, he began to trick his brother. [ b ] Jacob was a strong young man, and at that time he fought with God. 4 Jacob wrestled with God’s angel and won. [ c ] He cried and asked for a favor. That happened at Bethel. There he spoke to us. 5 Yes, Yahweh is the God of the armies. [ d ] His name is Yahweh . 6 So come back to your God. Be loyal to him. Do the right thing, and always trust in your God!

7 “Jacob is a tricky merchant. [ e ] He even cheats his friend! Even his scales [ f ] lie. 8 Ephraim said, ‘I am rich! I have found true riches! No one will learn about my crimes. No one will learn about my sins.’

9 “But I am still the Lord your God, as I was when you left the land of Egypt. I will make you live in tents, as you do during the Festival of Shelters. [ g ] 10 I spoke to the prophets and gave them many visions. I gave the prophets many ways to teach my lessons to you. 11 But the people in Gilead have sinned. There are many terrible idols in that place. They offer sacrifices to bulls at Gilgal. They have many altars. There are rows and rows of altars—like the rows of dirt in a plowed field.

12 “Jacob ran away to the land of Aram. There Israel worked for a wife. He kept sheep to get another wife. 13 But the Lord used a prophet and brought Israel out of Egypt. He used a prophet and kept Israel safe. 14 But Ephraim made the Lord very angry. Ephraim killed many people, so he will be punished for his crimes. His Lord will make him bear his shame.”

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 12:2 Israel Literally, “Judah.”
  2. Hosea 12:3 he … his brother Or “he grabbed his brother’s heel.” This is a wordplay. The Hebrew word is like the name “Jacob.” Read Gen. 25:26.
  3. Hosea 12:4 Jacob wrestled … and won Read Gen. 32:22-28.
  4. Hosea 12:5 Yahweh is the God of the armies This is like one of the names for God. It is usually translated “ Lord All-Powerful.”
  5. Hosea 12:7 Jacob … merchant Literally, “Cannan.”
  6. Hosea 12:7 scales Or “balances,” a tool for weighing things.
  7. Hosea 12:9 as … Shelters Literally, “as in the days of meeting.” This might also refer to the meeting of God with his people in the Holy Tent (see “ Holy Tent ” in the Word List) during their wandering in the desert.

12 Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt.

2 The Lord hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him.

3 He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God:

4 Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us;

5 Even the Lord God of hosts; the Lord is his memorial.

6 Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment and wait on thy God continually.

7 He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress.

8 And Ephraim said, Yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance: in all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin.

9 And I that am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles, as in the days of the solemn feast.

10 I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.

11 Is there iniquity in Gilead? surely they are vanity: they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the fields.

12 And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.

13 And by a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.

14 Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly: therefore shall he leave his blood upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him.

Ephraim Reminded

12 [ a ] Ephraim feeds on ( A ) wind,
And pursues the ( B ) east wind continually;
He multiplies lies and violence.
Moreover, [ b ] he makes a covenant with Assyria,
And oil is brought to Egypt.
2 The Lord also has a ( C ) case against Judah,
And will punish Jacob ( D ) according to his ways;
He will repay him according to his deeds.
3 In the womb he ( E ) took his brother by the heel,
And in his mature strength he ( F ) contended with God.
4 Yes, he wrestled with the angel and prevailed;
He wept and ( G ) implored His favor.
He found Him at ( H ) Bethel,
And there He spoke with us,
5 And the Lord , the God of armies,
The Lord is His [ c ] ( I ) name.
6 So as for you, ( J ) return to your God,
( K ) Maintain [ d ] kindness and justice,
And ( L ) wait for your God continually.
7 A [ e ] merchant, in whose hands are fraudulent ( M ) balances,
Loves to exploit.
8 And Ephraim said, “I have certainly become ( N ) rich,
I have found wealth for myself;
In all my labors they will find in me
( O ) No wrongdoing, which would be sin.”
9 But I have been the Lord your God since the land of Egypt;
I will make you ( P ) live in tents again,
As in the days of the appointed festival.
10 I have also spoken to the ( Q ) prophets,
And I [ f ] provided many visions,
And through the prophets I spoke in ( R ) parables.
11 Is there injustice in Gilead?
Certainly they are worthless.
In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls,
Yes, ( S ) their altars are like stone heaps
Beside the furrows of a field.

12 Now ( T ) Jacob fled to the [ g ] land of Aram,
And ( U ) Israel worked for a wife,
And for a wife he kept sheep .
13 But by a ( V ) prophet the Lord brought Israel up from Egypt,
And by a prophet he was protected.
14 ( W ) Ephraim has provoked God to bitter anger;
So his Lord will leave his ( X ) guilt for bloodshed on him
And bring his ( Y ) disgrace back to him.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 12:1 Ch 12:2 in Heb
  2. Hosea 12:1 Lit they make
  3. Hosea 12:5 Lit invocation
  4. Hosea 12:6 Or loyalty
  5. Hosea 12:7 Or Canaanite
  6. Hosea 12:10 Lit multiplied the vision
  7. Hosea 12:12 Lit field

12 [ a ] 1 Ephraim ( A ) feeds on the wind; ( B )
he pursues the east wind all day
and multiplies lies and violence. ( C )
He makes a treaty with Assyria ( D )
and sends olive oil to Egypt. ( E )
2 The Lord has a charge ( F ) to bring against Judah; ( G )
he will punish ( H ) Jacob [ b ] according to his ways
and repay him according to his deeds. ( I )
3 In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel; ( J )
as a man he struggled ( K ) with God.
4 He struggled with the angel and overcame him;
he wept and begged for his favor.
He found him at Bethel ( L )
and talked with him there—
5 the Lord God Almighty,
the Lord is his name! ( M )
6 But you must return ( N ) to your God;
maintain love and justice, ( O )
and wait for your God always. ( P )

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

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

11 Is Gilead wicked? ( X )
Its people are worthless!
Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal? ( Y )
Their altars will be like piles of stones
on a plowed field. ( Z )
12 Jacob fled to the country of Aram [ c ] ; ( AA )
Israel served to get a wife,
and to pay for her he tended sheep. ( AB )
13 The Lord used a prophet to bring Israel up from Egypt, ( AC )
by a prophet he cared for him. ( AD )
14 But Ephraim has aroused his bitter anger;
his Lord will leave on him the guilt of his bloodshed ( AE )
and will repay him for his contempt. ( AF )

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 12:1 In Hebrew texts 12:1-14 is numbered 12:2-15.
  2. Hosea 12:2 Jacob means he grasps the heel , a Hebrew idiom for he takes advantage of or he deceives .
  3. Hosea 12:12 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
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