| New American Standard Bible 1995 | NET Bible |
| 1Ephraim feeds on wind, And pursues the east wind continually; He multiplies lies and violence. Moreover, he makes a covenant with Assyria, And oil is carried 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 has a dispute with Judah, And will punish Jacob according to his ways; He will 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 took his brother by the heel, And in his maturity he contended with God. | 3In the womb he attacked his brother; in his manly vigor he struggled with God. |
| 4Yes, he wrestled with the angel and prevailed; He wept and sought His favor. He found Him at Bethel And there He spoke with us, | 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! |
| 5Even the LORD, the God of hosts, The LORD is His name. | 5As for the LORD God Almighty, the LORD is the name by which he is remembered! |
| 6Therefore, return to your God, Observe kindness and justice, And wait for your God continually. | 6But you must return to your God, by maintaining love and justice, and by waiting for your God to return to you. |
| 7A merchant, in whose hands are false balances, He loves to oppress. | 7The businessmen love to cheat; they use dishonest scales. |
| 8And Ephraim said, "Surely I have become rich, I have found wealth for myself; In all my labors they will find in me No iniquity, which would be sin." | 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 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. | 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 have also spoken to the prophets, And I gave numerous visions, And through the prophets I gave parables. | 10I spoke to the prophets; I myself revealed many visions; I spoke in parables through the prophets." |
| 11Is there iniquity in Gilead? Surely they are worthless. In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls, Yes, their altars are like the stone heaps Beside 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! |
| 12Now Jacob fled to the land of Aram, And Israel worked for a wife, And for a wife he kept 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 from Egypt, And by a prophet he was kept. | 13The LORD brought Israel out of Egypt by a prophet, and due to a prophet Israel was preserved alive. |
| 14Ephraim has provoked to bitter anger; So his Lord will leave his bloodguilt on him And bring back his reproach to him. | 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. |
| New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. //netbible.com. Used by permission. All rights reserved. |
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