Hosea 12
New King James Version

Ephraim’s Sins Rebuked by God

12 “Ephraim^(A)feeds on the wind,
And pursues the east wind;
He daily increases lies and^[a]desolation.
^(B)Also they make a^[b]covenant with the Assyrians,
And^(C)oil is carried to Egypt.

²“The^(D)Lordalsobringsa^[c]charge against Judah,
And will punish Jacob according to his ways;
According to his deeds He will recompense him.
³He took his brother^(E)by the heel in the womb,
And in his strength he^(F)struggled with God.
⁴Yes, he struggled with the Angel and prevailed;
He wept, and sought favor from Him.
He found Himin^(G)Bethel,
And there He spoke to us—
⁵That is, theLordGod of hosts.
TheLordisHis^(H)memorable name.
⁶^(I)So you, bythe help ofyour God, return;
Observe mercy and justice,
And wait on your God continually.

⁷“A cunning^[d]Canaanite!
^(J)Deceitful scalesarein his hand;
He loves to oppress.
⁸And Ephraim said,
^(K)‘Surely I have become rich,
I have found wealth for myself;
Inall my labors
They shall find in me no iniquity thatissin.’

⁹“But IamtheLordyour God,
Ever since the land of Egypt;
^(L)I will again make you dwell in tents,
As in the days of the appointed feast.
¹⁰^(M)I have also spoken by the prophets,
And have multiplied visions;
I have given^[e]symbols^[f]through the witness of the prophets.”

¹¹Though^(N)Gileadhasidols—
Surely they are^[g]vanity—
Though they sacrifice bulls in^(O)Gilgal,
Indeed their altarsshall beheaps in the furrows of the field.

¹²Jacob^(P)fled to the country of Syria;
^(Q)Israel served for a spouse,
And for a wife he tendedsheep.
¹³^(R)By a prophet theLordbrought Israel out of Egypt,
And by a prophet he was preserved.
¹⁴Ephraim^(S)provokedHimto anger most bitterly;
Therefore his Lord will leave the guilt of his bloodshed upon him,
^(T)And return his reproach upon him.