Chapter 12

A Reproof of Ephraim, Judah, and Jacob

¹Ephraim^a chases the wind

and pursues the east wind all day long;

he multiplies lies and violence;

he makes a covenant with Assyria

and sends olive oil to Egypt.

²The LORD also brings a charge against Judah.

He will punish Jacob^b according to his ways

and repay him according to his deeds.

³In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel,

and in his vigor he wrestled with God.

⁴Yes, he struggled with the angel^c and prevailed;

he wept and sought His favor;

he found Him at Bethel

and spoke with Him there^d—

⁵the LORD is the God of Hosts—

the LORD is His name of renown.

⁶But you must return to your God,

maintaining love and justice,

and always waiting on your God.

⁷A merchant loves to defraud

with dishonest scales in his hands.

⁸And Ephraim boasts: “How rich I have become!

I have found wealth for myself.

In all my labors, they can find in me

no iniquity that is sinful.”

⁹But I am the LORD your God

ever since the land of Egypt.

I will again make you dwell in tents,

as in the days of the appointed feast.

¹⁰I spoke through the prophets

and multiplied their visions;

I gave parables through the prophets.

¹¹Is there iniquity in Gilead?

They will surely come to nothing.

Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal?

Indeed, their altars will be heaps of stones

in the furrows of the field.

¹²Jacob fled to the land of Aram^e

and Israel worked for a wife—

for a wife he tended sheep.

¹³But by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt,

and by a prophet he was preserved.

¹⁴Ephraim has provoked bitter anger,

so his Lord will leave his bloodguilt upon him

and repay him for his contempt.