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¹ Ephraim herds the wind,
    and pursues the east wind all day long;
they multiply falsehood and violence;
    they make a treaty with Assyria,
    and oil is carried to Egypt.

² The Lord has an indictment against Judah,
    and will punish Jacob according to his ways,
    and repay him according to his deeds.
³ In the womb he tried to supplant his brother,
    and in his manhood he strove with God.
⁴ He strove with the angel and prevailed,
    he wept and sought his favor;
he met him at Bethel,
    and there he spoke with him.^[a]
5 The Lord the God of hosts,
    the Lord is his name!
⁶ But as for you, return to your God,
    hold fast to love and justice,
    and wait continually for your God.

⁷ A trader, in whose hands are false balances,
    he loves to oppress.
⁸ Ephraim has said, "Ah, I am rich,
    I have gained wealth for myself;
in all of my gain
    no offense has been found in me
    that would be sin."^[b]
9 I am the Lord your God
    from the land of Egypt;
I will make you live in tents again,
    as in the days of the appointed festival.

¹⁰ I spoke to the prophets;
    it was I who multiplied visions,
    and through the prophets I will bring destruction.
¹¹ In Gilead^[c] there is iniquity,
    they shall surely come to nothing.
In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls,
    so their altars shall be like stone heaps
    on the furrows of the field.
¹² Jacob fled to the land of Aram,
    there Israel served for a wife,
    and for a wife he guarded sheep.^[d]
13 By a prophet the Lord brought Israel up from Egypt,
    and by a prophet he was guarded.
¹⁴ Ephraim has given bitter offense,
    so his Lord will bring his crimes down on him
    and pay him back for his insults.