“Ephraim afeeds on the wind,
And pursues the east wind;
He daily increases lies and desolation.
bAlso they make a covenant with the Assyrians,
And coil is carried to Egypt.
2 “Thea Lord also brings a charge against Judah,
And will punish Jacob according to his ways;
According to his deeds He will recompense him.
3 He took his brother aby the heel in the womb,
And in his strength he bstruggled with God.
4 Yes, he struggled with the Angel and prevailed;
He wept, and sought favor from Him.
He found Him in aBethel,
And there He spoke to us—
5 That is, the Lord God of hosts.
The Lord is His amemorable name.
6 aSo you, by the help of your God, return;
Observe mercy and justice,
And wait on your God continually.
7 “A cunning Canaanite!
aDeceitful scales are in his hand;
He loves to oppress.
8 And Ephraim said,
a‘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;
aI will again make you dwell in tents,
As in the days of the appointed feast.
10 aI have also spoken by the prophets,
And have multiplied visions;
I have given symbols through the witness of the prophets.”
11 Though aGilead has idols—
Surely they are vanity—
Though they sacrifice bulls in bGilgal,
Indeed their altars shall be heaps in the furrows of the field.
12 Jacob afled to the country of Syria;
bIsrael served for a spouse,
And for a wife he tended sheep.
13 aBy a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt,
And by a prophet he was preserved.
14 Ephraim aprovoked Him to anger most bitterly;
Therefore his Lord will leave the guilt of his bloodshed upon him,
bAnd return his reproach upon him.
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson.
All rights reserved.