| Berean Study Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Ephraim chases the wind and pursues the east wind all day long; he multiplies lies and violence; he makes a covenant with Assyria and sends olive oil to Egypt. | 1Ephraim 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. |
| 2The LORD also brings a charge against Judah. He will punish Jacob according to his ways and repay him according to his deeds. | 2The LORD also has a covenant lawsuit against Judah; he will punish Jacob according to his ways and repay him according to his deeds. |
| 3In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel, and in his vigor he wrestled with God. | 3In the womb he attacked his brother; in his manly vigor he struggled with God. |
| 4Yes, he struggled with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought His favor; he found Him at Bethel and spoke with Him there— | 4He struggled with an angel and prevailed; he wept and begged for his favor. He found God at Bethel, and there he spoke with him! |
| 5the LORD is the God of Hosts—the LORD is His name of renown. | 5As for the LORD God Almighty, the LORD is the name by which he is remembered! |
| 6But you must return to your God, maintaining love and justice, and always waiting on your God. | 6But you must return to your God, by maintaining love and justice, and by waiting for your God to return to you. |
| 7A merchant loves to defraud with dishonest scales in his hands. | 7The businessmen love to cheat; they use dishonest scales. |
| 8And Ephraim boasts: “How rich I have become! I have found wealth for myself. In all my labors, they can find in me no iniquity that is sinful.” | 8Ephraim 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." |
| 9But I am the LORD your God ever since the land of Egypt. I will again make you dwell in tents, as in the days of the appointed feast. | 9"I am the LORD your God who brought you out of Egypt; I will make you live in tents again as in the days of old. |
| 10I spoke through the prophets and multiplied their visions; I gave parables through the prophets. | 10I spoke to the prophets; I myself revealed many visions; I spoke in parables through the prophets." |
| 11Is there iniquity in Gilead? They will surely come to nothing. Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal? Indeed, their altars will be heaps of stones in the furrows of the field. | 11Is there idolatry in Gilead? Certainly its inhabitants will come to nothing! Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal? Surely their altars will be like stones heaped up on a plowed field! |
| 12Jacob fled to the land of Aram and Israel worked for a wife—for a wife he tended sheep. | 12Jacob fled to the country of Aram, then Israel worked to acquire a wife; he tended sheep to pay for her. |
| 13But by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet he was preserved. | 13The LORD brought Israel out of Egypt by a prophet, and due to a prophet Israel was preserved alive. |
| 14Ephraim has provoked bitter anger, so his Lord will leave his bloodguilt upon him and repay him for his contempt. | 14But Ephraim bitterly provoked him to anger; so he will hold him accountable for the blood he has shed, his Lord will repay him for the contempt he has shown. |
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