HOSEA
Hosea 12 ©
A complaint about Ephraim and Judah, v. 1, etc. By setting before them God’s favors and mercies shown unto their forefather Jacob, and onwards to them all, they are exhorted to repentance, 4, etc. Likewise, 13, 14. Their unrighteous and deceitful dealings, their insolence, shamelessness and idolatry provoke God’s heavy wrath, 8, 9, 12, 15. A promise of grace inserted, 10, 11.
EPHRAIM feedeth on 1wind, and followeth after the 2east wind: he daily increaseth 3lies and 4desolation; and they do make a covenant with the 5Assyrians, and 6oil is carried into Egypt.
The LORD hath also a 7controversy with Judah, 8and will 9punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him.
¶ 10He tooka his 11brother by the 12heel in the 13womb, and by 14his strength he had 15power withb God:
Yea, he had power over the 16angel, and 17prevailed: 18he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found 19him in Beth-el,c and there he spake with 20us;
21Even the LORD God of 22hosts; the LORD is his 23memorial.
Therefore turn 24thou 25to 26thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and 27wait on thy God continually.
¶He is a 28merchant, the 29balances of deceit are 30in his hand: he loveth to 31oppress.
And Ephraim said, 32Yet I am become rich, I have 33found me out substance: in all my 34labours they shall find none iniquity in me that were 35sin.
36And 37I that am the LORD thy God 38from the landd of Egypt will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles, as in the days of the 39solemn feast.
I have also spoken 40by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used 41similitudes, by the 42ministry of the prophets.
Is there 43iniquity in 44Gilead?e45surely they are vanity: they sacrifice bullocks in 46Gilgal;f yea, their altars are as 47heaps in the furrows of the fields.
And 48Jacobg49fled into the country of Syria, and Israel 50served for a wife,h and for a wife he kept sheep.
And by a 51prophet the LORD brought 52Israel out of Egypt, and by a 53prophet was he preserved.
Ephraim provoked him to anger 54most bitterly: therefore shall he 55leave his 56blood upon him, and his 57reproach shall 58his Lord return unto him.