| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1“Ephraim feeds on the wind, And pursues the east wind; He daily increases lies and desolation. Also they make a covenant with the Assyrians, And oil is carried to Egypt. | 1Ephraim chases the wind and pursues the east wind. He continually multiplies lies and violence. He makes a covenant with Assyria, and olive oil is carried to Egypt. |
| 2“The LORD also brings a charge against Judah, And will punish Jacob according to his ways; According to his deeds He will recompense him. | 2The LORD also has a dispute with Judah. He is about to punish Jacob according to his ways; He will repay him based on his actions. |
| 3He took his brother by the heel in the womb, And in his strength he struggled with God. | 3In the womb he grasped his brother's heel, and as an adult he wrestled with God. |
| 4Yes, he struggled with the Angel and prevailed; He wept, and sought favor from Him. He found Him in Bethel, And there He spoke to us— | 4Jacob struggled with the Angel and prevailed; he wept and sought His favor. He found him at Bethel, and there He spoke with him. |
| 5That is, the LORD God of hosts. The LORD is His memorable name. | 5Yahweh is the God of Hosts; Yahweh is His name. |
| 6So you, by the help of your God, return; Observe mercy and justice, And wait on your God continually. | 6But you must return to your God. Maintain love and justice, and always put your hope in God. |
| 7“A cunning Canaanite! Deceitful scales are in his hand; He loves to oppress. | 7A merchant loves to extort with dishonest scales in his hands. |
| 8And Ephraim said, ‘Surely I have become rich, I have found wealth for myself; In all my labors They shall find in me no iniquity that is sin.’ | 8But Ephraim says:" How rich I have become; I made it all myself. In all my earnings, no one can find any crime in me that I can be punished for!" |
| 9“But 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. | 9I have been Yahweh your God ever since the land of Egypt. I will make you live in tents again, as in the festival days. |
| 10I have also spoken by the prophets, And have multiplied visions; I have given symbols through the witness of the prophets.” | 10I spoke through the prophets and granted many visions; I gave parables through the prophets. |
| 11Though Gilead has idols— Surely they are vanity— Though they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal, Indeed their altars shall be heaps in the furrows of the field. | 11Since Gilead is full of evil, they will certainly come to nothing. They sacrifice bulls in Gilgal; even their altars will be like heaps of rocks on the furrows of a field. |
| 12Jacob fled to the country of Syria; Israel served for a spouse, And for a wife he tended sheep. | 12Jacob fled to the land of Aram. Israel worked to earn a wife; he tended flocks for a wife. |
| 13By a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, And by a prophet he was preserved. | 13The LORD brought Israel from Egypt by a prophet, and Israel was tended by a prophet. |
| 14Ephraim provoked Him to anger most bitterly; Therefore his Lord will leave the guilt of his bloodshed upon him, And return his reproach upon him. | 14Ephraim has provoked bitter anger, so his Lord will leave his bloodguilt on him and repay him for his contempt. |
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