1[a]Ephraim feeds on wind,

And pursues the east wind continually;

He multiplies lies and violence.

Moreover, [b]he makes a covenant with Assyria,

And oil is brought to Egypt.

2The LORD also has a case against Judah,

And will punish Jacob according to his ways;

He will repay him according to his deeds.

3In the womb he took his brother by the heel,

And in his mature strength he contended with God.

4Yes, he wrestled with the angel and prevailed;

He wept and implored His favor.

He found Him at Bethel,

And there He spoke with us,

5And the LORD, the God of armies,

The LORD is His [c]name.

6So as for you, return to your God,

Maintain [d]kindness and justice,

And wait for your God continually.

7A [e]merchant, in whose hands are fraudulent balances,

Loves to exploit.

8And Ephraim said, “I have certainly become rich,

I have found wealth for myself;

In all my labors they will find in me

No wrongdoing, which would be sin.”

9But I have been the LORD your God since the land of Egypt;

I will make you live in tents again,

As in the days of the appointed festival.

10I have also spoken to the prophets,

And I [f]provided many visions,

And through the prophets I spoke in parables.

11Is there injustice in Gilead?

Certainly they are worthless.

In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls,

Yes, their altars are like stone heaps

Beside the furrows of a field.

12Now Jacob fled to the [g]land of Aram,

And Israel worked for a wife,

And for a wife he kept sheep.

13But by a prophet the LORD brought Israel up from Egypt,

And by a prophet he was protected.

14Ephraim has provoked God to bitter anger;

So his Lord will leave his guilt for bloodshed on him

And bring his disgrace back to him.