Hosea 12

12 ¹ Ephraim feeds on the wind and chases the east wind all day long they pile up lies and violence. They make a treaty with Assyria and their oil is carried off to Egypt. ² Our Father has a lawsuit with Judah and he will hold Jacob accountable for his ways according to his deeds he will repay him. ³ In the womb he grasped his brother's heel and in his strength he wrestled with our Father. ⁴ He wrestled with the messenger and prevailed he wept and begged for his favor. At Bethel he found him and there he spoke with us — ⁵ Our Father, the Father of heaven's armies — our Father is the name by which he is remembered. ⁶ So you return to your Father hold fast to steadfast love and justice and wait for your Father continually.

⁷ A merchant with dishonest scales in his hand he loves to oppress. ⁸ Ephraim says, "Ah but I have grown rich I have found wealth for myself. In all my labors, they will find no guilt in me nothing that is truly sin."

⁹ But I am your Father, who brought you out from the land of Egypt I will again make you live in tents, as in the days of the appointed feast. ¹⁰ I spoke to the prophets it was I who multiplied visions and through the prophets I gave parables.

¹¹ If Gilead is wickedness, they have come to nothing in Gilgal they sacrifice bulls their altars too are like heaps of stones on the furrows of a field. ¹² Jacob fled to the country of Aram there Israel served for a wife and for a wife he tended sheep. ¹³ By a prophet our Father brought Israel up out of Egypt and by a prophet he was guarded. ¹⁴ Ephraim has stirred up bitter provocation so his Sovereign Father will leave his bloodguilt upon him and repay him for his contempt.