1 God’s Case against Jacob’s Heirs Ephraim chases Or grazes on, or tends the wind and pursues the east wind. He continually multiplies lies and violence. He makes a covenant with Assyria, and olive oil is carried to Egypt.2 The Lord also has a dispute with Judah. He is about to punish Jacob according to his conduct; he will repay him based on his actions.3 In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel, and as an adult he wrestled with God.4 Jacob struggled with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought his favor. He found him at Bethel, and there he spoke with him. LXX, Syr; MT reads us 5 The Lord is the God of Armies; the Lord is his name.6 But you must return to your God. Maintain love and justice, and always put your hope in God.7 A merchant loves to extort with dishonest scales in his hands.8 But Ephraim thinks, “How rich I have become; I made it all myself. In all my earnings, no one can find any iniquity in me that I can be punished for! ” Lit iniquity which is sin 9 Judgment on Apostate Israel I have been the Lord your God ever since LXX reads God who brought you out of the land of Egypt. I will make you live in tents again, as in the festival days.10 I will speak through the prophets and grant many visions; I will give parables through the prophets.11 Since Gilead is full of evil, they will certainly come to nothing. They sacrifice bulls in Gilgal; even their altars will be like piles of rocks on the furrows of a field.12 Further Indictment of Jacob’s Heirs Jacob fled to the territory of Aram. Israel worked to earn a wife; he tended flocks for a wife.13 The Lord brought Israel from Egypt by a prophet, and Israel was tended by a prophet.14 Ephraim has provoked bitter anger, so his Lord will leave his bloodguilt on him and repay him for his contempt.