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12 All day long Israel chases
    wind from the desert;
deceit and violence
    are found everywhere.
Treaties are made with Assyria;
    olive oil is taken to Egypt.

Israel and Judah Condemned

The Lord also brings charges
against the people of Judah,
    the descendants of Jacob.
He will punish them
    for what they have done.
(A)(B) Even before Jacob was born,
    he cheated his brother,[a]
and when he grew up,
    he fought against God.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. 12.3 Jacob … cheated … brother: In Hebrew “Jacob” sounds like “cheat” and also like “heel.” Jacob grabbed his twin brother Esau by the heel at the time of their birth (see Genesis 25.26). Later he cheated him out of his rights and blessings as the first-born son (see Genesis 25.29-34; 27.1-40).
  2. 12.3 fought against God: See Genesis 32.22-32.

12 [a]Ephraim(A) feeds on the wind;(B)
    he pursues the east wind all day
    and multiplies lies and violence.(C)
He makes a treaty with Assyria(D)
    and sends olive oil to Egypt.(E)
The Lord has a charge(F) to bring against Judah;(G)
    he will punish(H) Jacob[b] according to his ways
    and repay him according to his deeds.(I)
In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel;(J)
    as a man he struggled(K) with God.

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Footnotes

  1. Hosea 12:1 In Hebrew texts 12:1-14 is numbered 12:2-15.
  2. Hosea 12:2 Jacob means he grasps the heel, a Hebrew idiom for he takes advantage of or he deceives.