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1 The people of Ephraim try to catch the wind and try to chase the east wind all day. They are very violent and destructive. They make treaties with Assyria and take olive oil to Egypt. 2 The LORD brings charges against Judah and punishes Jacob because of the way their people act. He will pay them back for what they have done. 3 Their ancestor Jacob held on to his brother's heel while the two of them were in their mother's womb. When Jacob became a man, he struggled with God. 4 He struggled with the Messenger and won. Jacob cried and pleaded with him. Jacob found him at Bethel, and he talked with him there. 5 The LORD is the God of Armies. The LORD is the name by which he is remembered. 6 Return to your God. Be loyal and fair, and always wait with hope for your God. 7 [The LORD says,] |The merchants use dishonest scales. They love to cheat people. 8 The people of Ephraim say, 'We're rich. We've made a fortune. With all this wealth, no one will find us guilty of any sin.' Hosea 12:1-8, God's Word Translation. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations.
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