Israel’s History

• [fn] Ephraim has surrounded me with lies,[fn]
• and the house of Israel with deceit;
• and Judah is still wandering with God
  • and is faithful to the Holy One.

12 Ephraim herds the wind[fn]

• and is pursuing the east wind all day long;
  • he multiplies deception and violence
• and he[fn] makes a treaty with Assyria ,[fn]
  • and oil is brought to Egypt.
  • 2 Yahweh has a quarrel[fn] 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.[fn]
  • 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;[fn] he loves to oppress.
  • 8 And Ephraim said, “Surely, I am rich, I gained[fn] 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[fn] 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[fn]
    • 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,[fn] 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[fn] was watched over.
  • 14 Ephraim has caused bitter provocation, and his Lord will hold him responsible for his crimes[fn]
  • and pay back to him his insults.