1 “Ephraim afeeds on the wind, And pursues the east wind; He daily increases lies and1 desolation. bAlso they make a1 covenant with the Assyrians, And coil is carried to Egypt.
2 “TheaLord also brings a charge against Judah, And will punish Jacob according to his ways; According to his deeds He will recompense him.
3 He took his brother aby the heel in the womb, And in his strength he bstruggled with God.
4 Yes, he struggled with the Angel and prevailed; He wept, and sought favor from Him. He found Him inaBethel, And there He spoke to us—
5 That is, the Lord God of hosts. The Lordis His amemorable name.
6aSo you, by thehelpof your God, return; Observe mercy and justice, And wait on your God continually.
7 “A cunning1 Canaanite! aDeceitful scales are in his hand; He loves to oppress.
8 And Ephraim said, a‘Surely I have become rich, I have found wealth for myself; In all my labors They shall find in me no iniquity that is sin.’
9 “But I am the Lord your God, Ever since the land of Egypt; aI will again make you dwell in tents, As in the days of the appointed feast.
10aI have also spoken by the prophets, And have multiplied visions; I have given1 symbols through the witness of the prophets.”
11 Though aGilead has idols— Surely they are1 vanity— Though they sacrifice bulls in bGilgal, Indeed their altars shallbe heaps in the furrows of the field.
12 Jacob afled to the country of Syria; bIsrael served for a spouse, And for a wife he tended sheep.
13aBy a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, And by a prophet he was preserved.
14 Ephraim aprovoked Him to anger most bitterly; Therefore his Lord will leave the guilt of his bloodshed upon him, bAnd return his reproach upon him.
In a passage condemning Israel (specifically Ephraim, the primary tribe, having received the greater portion of the birthright blessing), God says that Israel "pursues the east wind." To pursue the east wind is to travel west.
