1. Ephraim besieges me with lying, the House of Israel with duplicity. (But Judah still is on God's side, he is faithful to the Holy One.)

2. Ephraim feeds himself on wind, all day he chases the wind from the East, he heaps up cheating and violence; they make a treaty with Assyria, at the same time sending oil to Egypt.

3. Yahweh has a case against Judah, he will punish Jacob as his conduct merits, he will repay him as his deeds deserve.

4. In the very womb he overreached his brother, in maturity he wrestled against God.

5. He wrestled with the angel and beat him, he wept and pleaded with him. He met him at Bethel and there God spoke to us-

6. yes, Yahweh, God Sabaoth, Yahweh is his title!

7. So turn back with God's help, maintain faithful love and loyalty and always put your trust in your God.

8. Merchants use fraudulent scales. To defraud is his delight.

9. 'How rich I have become!' says Ephraim, 'I have made a fortune.' But of all his gains he will keep nothing because of the sin of which he is guilty.

10. But I have been Yahweh your God since your days in Egypt and will make you live in tents again as in the days of Meeting.

11. I will speak through prophets, I will give vision after vision and through the ministry of prophets will speak in parables.

12. Is Gilead a sink of iniquity? Yes, they are a worthless lot! At Gilgal they sacrifice to bulls, that is why their altars are like heaps of stones in a ploughed field.

13. Jacob fled to the countryside of Aram, Israel slaved to win a wife, to win a wife he looked after sheep.

14. By a prophet Yahweh brought Israel out of Egypt and by a prophet Israel was preserved.

15. Ephraim gave bitter provocation- Yahweh will bring his bloodshed down on him, his Lord will repay him for his insult.





“Viva sempre sob o olhar do Bom Pastor e você ficara’ imune aos pastos contaminados.” São Padre Pio de Pietrelcina