1Ephraim has surrounded me with lies; Israel comes to me with deceit. They follow Baal and run after the sanctuaries. 2Ephraim feeds on wind, forever chasing the east wind, always more given to falsehood and violence. They have made a treaty with Assyria and brought oil to Egypt.
3Yahweh has brought Jacob to trial. He will call him to account for his ways and repay his deeds.
4In the womb he supplanted his brother and later he struggled with God, battling until he got the better of the angel. 5The angel, in fact, wept and pleaded with him! He met him at Bethel and there he spoke to him. 6(Yahweh, the God of armies, Yahweh is his Name.)
7You must return to your God, practice love and justice and trust in your God.
8Canaan has dishonest scales and likes to cheat. 9Ephraim boasts, “I have become rich and possess a fortune.” Yet he will be left with nothing of what he has treasured for he was doing wrong.
10I am Yahweh, your God, since the days of Egypt; I will have you live in tents again as in the days of Meeting. 11Then I will speak to the prophets, give them many visions and teach you through their parables.
12The people of Gilead are wicked; they are false. They offered sacrifices to bulls in Gilgal. This is why their altars will become ruins on a plowed field.
13Jacob fled to the plains of Aram; Israel served to have a wife, and for her sake he cared for sheep. 14Yahweh, in turn brought Israel out of Egypt through a prophet; by means of this prophet he cared for them. 15Ephraim, nevertheless, angered him bitterly. The Lord will bring down on him the blood he shed and repay him for his contempt.
