Hosea 12:1-8

12:1 Ephraim continually feeds on the wind;

he chases the east wind all day;

he multiplies lies and violence.

They make treaties with Assyria,

and send olive oil as tribute to Egypt.

12:2 The Lord also has a covenant lawsuit against Judah;

he will punish Jacob according to his ways

and repay him according to his deeds.

Israel Must Return to the God of Jacob

12:3 In the womb he attacked his brother;

in his manly vigor he struggled with God.

12:4 He struggled with an angel and prevailed;

he wept and begged for his favor.

He found God at Bethel,

and there he spoke with him!

12:5 As for the Lord God Almighty,

the Lord is the name by which he is remembered!

12:6 But you must return to your God,

by maintaining love and justice,

and by waiting for your God to return to you.

The Lord Refutes Israel’s False Claim of Innocence

12:7 The businessmen love to cheat;

they use dishonest scales.

12:8 Ephraim boasts, “I am very rich!

I have become wealthy!

In all that I have done to gain my wealth,

no one can accuse me of any offense that is actually sinful.”