| New King James Version | NET 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 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. |
| 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 covenant lawsuit against Judah; he will punish Jacob according to his ways and repay him according to his deeds. |
| 3He took his brother by the heel in the womb, And in his strength he struggled 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 favor from Him. He found Him in Bethel, And there He spoke to 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! |
| 5That is, the LORD God of hosts. The LORD is His memorable name. | 5As for the LORD God Almighty, the LORD is the name by which he is remembered! |
| 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, by maintaining love and justice, and by waiting for your God to return to you. |
| 7“A cunning Canaanite! Deceitful scales are in his hand; 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 shall find in me no iniquity that is 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." |
| 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. | 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 by the prophets, And have multiplied visions; I have given symbols through the witness of the prophets.” | 10I spoke to the prophets; I myself revealed many visions; I spoke in 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. | 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 country of Syria; Israel served for a spouse, And 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. |
| 13By 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 provoked Him to anger most bitterly; Therefore his Lord will leave the guilt of his bloodshed upon him, And return his reproach upon 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. |
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