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⁷ A trader, in whose hands are false balances,
   he loves to oppress.
⁸ Ephraim has said, ‘Ah, I am rich,
   I have gained wealth for myself;
in all of my gain
   no offence has been found in me
   that would be sin.’^*
9 I am the Lord your God
   from the land of Egypt;
I will make you live in tents again,
   as on the days of the appointed festival.

¹⁰ I spoke to the prophets;
   it was I who multiplied visions,
   and through the prophets I will bring destruction.
¹¹ In Gilead^* there is iniquity,
   they shall surely come to nothing.
In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls,
   so their altars shall be like stone heaps
   on the furrows of the field.
¹² Jacob fled to the land of Aram;
   there Israel served for a wife,
   and for a wife he guarded sheep.^*
13 By a prophet the Lord brought Israel up from Egypt,
   and by a prophet he was guarded.
¹⁴ Ephraim has given bitter offence,
   so his Lord will bring his crimes down on him
   and pay him back for his insults.

Relentless Judgement on Israel

13When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling;
   he was exalted in Israel;
   but he incurred guilt through Baal and died.
² And now they keep on sinning
   and make a cast image for themselves,
idols of silver made according to their understanding,
   all of them the work of artisans.
‘Sacrifice to these’, they say.^*
   People are kissing calves!
³ Therefore they shall be like the morning mist
   or like the dew that goes away early,
like chaff that swirls from the threshing-floor
   or like smoke from a window.