The Bible in Basic English BBE
New International Version NIV
1 Ephraim's food is the wind, and he goes after the east wind: deceit and destruction are increasing day by day; they make an agreement with Assyria, and take oil into Egypt.
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Ephraim feeds on the wind; he pursues the east wind all day and multiplies lies and violence. He makes a treaty with Assyria and sends olive oil to Egypt.
2 The Lord has a cause against Judah, and will give punishment to Jacob for his ways; he will give him the reward of his acts.
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The LORD has a charge to bring against Judah; he will punish Jacob according to his ways and repay him according to his deeds.
3 In the body of his mother he took his brother by the foot, and in his strength he was fighting with God;
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In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel; as a man he struggled with God.
4 He had a fight with the angel and overcame him; he made request for grace to him with weeping; he came face to face with him in Beth-el and there his words came to him;
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He struggled with the angel and overcame him; he wept and begged for his favor. He found him at Bethel and talked with him there—
5 Even the Lord, the God of armies; the Lord is his name.
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the LORD God Almighty, the LORD is his name!
6 So then, come back to your God; keep mercy and right, and be waiting at all times on your God.
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But you must return to your God; maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always.
7 As for Canaan, the scales of deceit are in his hands; he takes pleasure in twisted ways.
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The merchant uses dishonest scales and loves to defraud.
8 And Ephraim said, Now I have got wealth and much property; in all my works no sin may be seen in me.
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Ephraim boasts, “I am very rich; I have become wealthy. With all my wealth they will not find in me any iniquity or sin.”
9 But I am the Lord your God from the land of Egypt; I will give you tents for your living-places again as in the days of the holy meeting.
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“I have been the LORD your God ever since you came out of Egypt; I will make you live in tents again, as in the days of your appointed festivals.
10 My word came to the ears of the prophets and I gave them visions in great number, and by the mouths of the prophets I made use of comparisons.
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I spoke to the prophets, gave them many visions and told parables through them.”
11 In Gilead there is evil. They are quite without value; in Gilgal they make offerings of oxen; truly their altars are like masses of stones in the hollows of a ploughed field.
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Is Gilead wicked? Its people are worthless! Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal? Their altars will be like piles of stones on a plowed field.
12 And Jacob went in flight into the field of Aram, and Israel became a servant for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.
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Jacob fled to the country of Aram ; Israel served to get a wife, and to pay for her he tended sheep.
13 And by a prophet the Lord made Israel come up out of Egypt, and by a prophet he was kept safe.
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The LORD used a prophet to bring Israel up from Egypt, by a prophet he cared for him.
14 I have been bitterly moved to wrath by Ephraim; so that his blood will be on him, and the Lord will make his shame come back on him.
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But Ephraim has aroused his bitter anger; his Lord will leave on him the guilt of his bloodshed and will repay him for his contempt.