Hosea 12

1 Ephraim [the tribe of Israel, doubly fruitful] chases [pursues, feeds on] the wind [emptiness, vanity] and pursues [follows after, tries to herd] the east wind all day long; he multiplies [increases, daily multiplies] lies [deceit, false words] and violence [desolation, destructive acts]; he makes [enters into, forms] a covenant [agreement, treaty] with Assyria [a powerful, pagan nation] and sends [carries, transports] olive oil to Egypt [a neighboring, influential country]. word study 2 The LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] also brings a charge [a controversy, a lawsuit] against Judah. He will punish [visit, judge] Jacob [the nation, the people] according to his ways [paths, actions] and repay [recompense, reward] him according to his deeds [works, accomplishments]. word study 3 In the womb [in his mother’s body, from birth] he grasped [took hold of, supplanted] his brother’s [Esau’s, his twin] heel [foot, in a struggle for supremacy], and in his vigor [strength, manhood] he wrestled [contended, had power] with God [Elohim, having a divine encounter]. word study 4 Yes, he struggled [fought, had power over] with the angel [messenger of God] and prevailed [overcame, was strengthened]; he wept [cried, made supplication] and sought [begged for, made request to] His favor [blessing, grace]; he found [came face to face with, discovered] Him at Bethel [the house of God] and spoke [communed, talked] with Him there — word study 5 the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] is the God [Elohim, the supreme Ruler] of Hosts [armies of angels, heavenly forces]— the LORD [the memorial name, Yehovah] is His name [memorial, renown] of renown [fame, glorious reputation]. word study 6 But you must return [come back, turn away from sin] to your God [Elohim, the supreme Creator], maintaining [keeping, upholding] love [kindness, mercy] and justice [right, judgment], and always [continually, at all times] waiting [hoping, depending] on your God. word study 7 A merchant [Canaan, a trafficker] loves to defraud [to oppress, cheat] with dishonest [deceitful] scales [balances of deceit] in his hands [to swindle, for gain]. word study 8 And Ephraim boasts [says proudly, claims]: “How rich [wealthy, prosperous] I have become [gained, acquired]! I have found [discovered, obtained] wealth [substance, riches] for myself. In all my labors [works, efforts], they can find [discover, see] in me no iniquity [sin, wrongdoing] that is sinful [wicked, evil].” word study 9 But I am the LORD [Yehovah] your God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] ever since the land of Egypt [the place of bondage and slavery]. I will again make you dwell in tents [tabernacles, temporary shelters], as in the days of the appointed feast [the solemn feast, a time of celebration and worship]. word study 10 I [the Lord] spoke through the prophets [by the ministry of the prophets, using them as messengers] and multiplied [greatly increased, abundantly provided] their visions [divine revelations, spiritual insights]; I gave [used, employed] parables [similitudes, comparative teachings] through the prophets [as a means of instruction, to convey spiritual truths]. word study 11 Is there iniquity [wickedness, evil] in Gilead? They will surely come to nothing [be vanity, worthless]. Do they sacrifice bulls [oxen, young cattle] in Gilgal? Indeed, their altars will be heaps [piles, masses] of stones in the furrows [hollows, plowed fields] of the field. word study 12 Jacob fled [to the country of Syria, into the field of Aram] to the land of Aram [a region in northwest Mesopotamia] and Israel worked [served, became a servant] for a wife [to gain a wife, earning a wife]— for a wife [to get a wife, as a payment for a wife] he tended [kept, looked after] sheep [cattle, flocks and herds]. word study 13 But by a prophet [through a prophet’s guidance, by means of a prophet] the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] brought Israel [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] out of Egypt [a place of bondage], and by a prophet [a spokesperson for God, a watchman] he was preserved [kept safe, protected, watched over]. word study 14 Ephraim has provoked [to anger most bitterly, really upset] bitter anger [wrath, intense displeasure], so his Lord will leave his bloodguilt [his blood, the consequences of his bloodshed] upon him and repay [render, make him pay] him for his contempt [reproach, shame, insulting him]. word study