| King James Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt. | 1Ephraim chases 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. |
| 2The LORD hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him. | 2The LORD also has a dispute with Judah. He is about to punish Jacob according to his ways; He will repay him based on his actions. |
| 3He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God: | 3In the womb he grasped his brother's heel, and as an adult he wrestled with God. |
| 4Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us; | 4Jacob struggled with the Angel and prevailed; he wept and sought His favor. He found him at Bethel, and there He spoke with him. |
| 5Even the LORD God of hosts; the LORD is his memorial. | 5Yahweh is the God of Hosts; Yahweh is His name. |
| 6Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually. | 6But you must return to your God. Maintain love and justice, and always put your hope in God. |
| 7He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress. | 7A merchant loves to extort with dishonest scales in his hands. |
| 8And Ephraim said, Yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance: in all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin. | 8But Ephraim says:" How rich I have become; I made it all myself. In all my earnings, no one can find any crime in me that I can be punished for!" |
| 9And I that am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles, as in the days of the solemn feast. | 9I have been Yahweh your God ever since the land of Egypt. I will make you live in tents again, as in the festival days. |
| 10I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets. | 10I spoke through the prophets and granted many visions; I gave parables through the prophets. |
| 11Is there iniquity in Gilead? surely they are vanity: they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the fields. | 11Since Gilead is full of evil, they will certainly come to nothing. They sacrifice bulls in Gilgal; even their altars will be like heaps of rocks on the furrows of a field. |
| 12And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep. | 12Jacob fled to the land of Aram. Israel worked to earn a wife; he tended flocks for a wife. |
| 13And by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved. | 13The LORD brought Israel from Egypt by a prophet, and Israel was tended by a prophet. |
| 14Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly: therefore shall he leave his blood upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him. | 14Ephraim has provoked bitter anger, so his Lord will leave his bloodguilt on him and repay him for his contempt. |
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