AME Zion Universal Reading December 4th 2022

Sunday School Zoom Link

First Portion

Genesis Chapter 28

10And Jacob left Beer sheba, and he went to Haran.11And he arrived at the place and lodged there because the sun had set, and he took some of the stones of the place and placed [them] at his head, and he lay down in that place.12And he dreamed, and behold! a ladder set up on the ground and its top reached to heaven; and behold, angels of God were ascending and descending upon it.13And behold, the Lord was standing over him, and He said, "I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac; the land upon which you are lying to you I will give it and to your seed.14And your seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and you shall gain strength westward and eastward and northward and southward; and through you shall be blessed all the families of the earth and through your seed.15And behold, I am with you, and I will guard you wherever you go, and I will restore you to this land, for I will not forsake you until I have done what I have spoken concerning you."16And Jacob awakened from his sleep, and he said, "Indeed, the Lord is in this place, and I did not know [it]."17And he was frightened, and he said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."18And Jacob arose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had placed at his head, and he set it up as a monument, and he poured oil on top of it.19And he named the place Beth El, but Luz was originally the name of the city.20And Jacob uttered a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and He will guard me on this way, upon which I am going, and He will give me bread to eat and a garment to wear;21And if I return in peace to my father's house, and the Lord will be my God;22Then this stone, which I have placed as a monument, shall be a house of God, and everything that You give me, I will surely tithe to You.

Luke 1:18–25 (NLT):

18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.”

19 Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! 20 But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.”

21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary, wondering why he was taking so long. 22 When he finally did come out, he couldn’t speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures and his silence that he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary.

23 When Zechariah’s week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home. 24 Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. 25 “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.”

Second Portion

Genesis Chapter 29

1Now Jacob lifted his feet and went to the land of the people of the East.2And he looked, and behold! a well in the field, and behold! three flocks of sheep lying beside it, because from that well they would water the flocks, and a huge rock was upon the mouth of the well.3And all the flocks would gather there, and they would roll the rock off the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and [then] they would return the rock onto the mouth of the well, to its place.4And Jacob said to them, "My brothers, where are you from?" And they said, "We are from Haran."5And he said to them, "Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?" And they said, "We know [him]."6And he said to them, "[Are things going] well with him?" And they said, "[Things are going] well, and behold, his daughter Rachel is coming with the sheep."7And he said, "The day is yet long; it is not the time to take in the livestock. Water the sheep and go, pasture."8And they said, "We cannot [do that], until all the flocks are gathered together, and they will roll the rock off the mouth of the well, and we shall [then] water the sheep."9While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherdess.10And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother and the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother, that Jacob drew near and rolled the rock off the mouth of the well, and he watered the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother.11And Jacob kissed Rachel, and he raised his voice and wept.12And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's kinsman and that he was Rebecca's son, and she ran and told her father.13Now it came to pass when Laban heard the report of Jacob, his sister's son, that he ran towards him, and he embraced him, and he kissed him, and he brought him into his house. He told Laban all these happenings.14And Laban said to him, "Indeed, you are my bone and my flesh." And so he stayed with him a full month.15And Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my kinsman, should you work for me gratis? Tell me what your wages shall be."16Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.17Leah's eyes were tender, but Rachel had beautiful features and a beautiful complexion.

Monday

John 10:22–30 (NLT): Jesus Claims to Be the Son of God

22 It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of Hanukkah, the Festival of Dedication. 23 He was in the Temple, walking through the section known as Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The people surrounded him and asked, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

25 Jesus replied, “I have already told you, and you don’t believe me. The proof is the work I do in my Father’s name. 26 But you don’t believe me because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, 29 for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.”

Third Portion

Genesis Chapter 29

18And Jacob loved Rachel, and he said, "I will work for you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter."19And Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you than I should give her to another man. Stay with me."20So Jacob worked for Rachel seven years, but they appeared to him like a few days because of his love for her.21And Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my days are completed, that I may come to her."22So Laban gathered all the people of the place, and he made a feast.23And it came to pass in the evening that Laban took his daughter Leah, and he brought her to him, and he came to her.24And Laban gave Zilpah his maidservant to his daughter Leah as a maidservant.25And it came to pass in the morning, and behold she was Leah! So he said to Laban, "What is this that you have done to me? Did I not work with you for Rachel? Why have you deceived me?"26And Laban said, "It is not done so in our place to give the younger one before the firstborn.27Complete the [wedding] week of this one, and we will give you this one too, for the work that you will render me for another seven years."28And Jacob did so, and he completed the week of this one, and he gave his daughter Rachel to him as a wife.29And Laban gave his daughter Rachel his maidservant Bilhah, for a maidservant.30And he came also to Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah; and he worked with him yet another seven years.31And the Lord saw that Leah was hated, so He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.32And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, "Because the Lord has seen my affliction, for now my husband will love me."33And she conceived again and bore a son, and she said, "Since the Lord has heard that I am hated, He gave me this one too." So she named him Simeon.34And she conceived again and bore a son, and she said, "Now this time my husband will be attached to me, for I have borne him three sons; therefore, He named him Levi.35And she conceived again and bore a son, and she said, "This time, I will thank the Lord!" Therefore, she named him Judah, and [then] she stopped bearing.

Genesis Chapter 30

1And Rachel saw that she had not borne [any children] to Jacob, and Rachel envied her sister, and she said to Jacob, "Give me children, and if not, I am dead."2And Jacob became angry with Rachel, and he said, "Am I instead of God, Who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?"3So she said, "Here is my maidservant Bilhah; come to her, and she will bear [children] on my knees, so that I, too, will be built up from her."4So she gave him her maidservant Bilhah for a wife, and Jacob came to her.5And Bilhah conceived, and she bore Jacob a son.6And Rachel said, "God has judged me, and He has also hearkened to my voice and has given me a son"; so she named him Dan.7And Bilhah, Rachel's maidservant, conceived again and bore Jacob a second son.8And Rachel said, "[With] divine bonds I have been joined to my sister; I have also prevailed"; so she named him Naftali.9When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing [children], she took her maidservant Zilpah, and gave her to Jacob for a wife.10And Zilpah, Leah's maidservant, bore Jacob a son.11And Leah said, "Luck has come"; so she named him Gad.12And Zilpah, Leah's maidservant, bore Jacob a second son.13And Leah said, "Because of my good fortune, for women have declared me fortunate"; so she named him Asher.

Tuesday

John 16:1–15 (NLT): “I have told you these things so that you won’t abandon your faith. 2 For you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God. 3 This is because they have never known the Father or me. 4 Yes, I’m telling you these things now, so that when they happen, you will remember my warning. I didn’t tell you earlier because I was going to be with you for a while longer.

The Work of the Holy Spirit

5 “But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. 6 Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you. 7 But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. 9 The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. 10 Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. 11 Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.

12 “There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. 14 He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’

Fourth Portion

Genesis Chapter 30

14Reuben went in the days of the wheat harvest, and he found dudaim in the field and brought them to Leah, his mother, and Rachel said to Leah, "Now give me some of your son's dudaim."15And she said to her, "Is it a small matter that you have taken my husband, that [you wish] also to take my son's dudaim?" So Rachel said, "Therefore, he shall sleep with you tonight as payment for your son's dudaim."16When Jacob came from the field in the evening, and Leah came forth toward him, and she said, "You shall come to me, because I have hired you with my son's dudaim," and he slept with her on that night.17And God hearkened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son.18And Leah said, "God has given [me] my reward for I have given my maidservant to my husband"; so she named him Issachar.19And Leah conceived again, and she bore Jacob a sixth son.20And Leah said, "God has given me a good portion. This time, my husband will live with me, for I have borne him six sons"; so she named him Zebulun.21And afterwards, she bore a daughter, and she named her Dinah.22And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and He opened her womb.23And she conceived and bore a son, and she said, "God has taken away my reproach."24So she named him Joseph, saying, "May the Lord grant me yet another son!"25It came to pass when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, "Send me away, and I will go to my place and to my land.26Give [me] my wives and my children for whom I worked for you, and I will go, for you know my work, which I have worked for you."27And Laban said to him, "If only I have now found favor in your eyes! I have divined, and the Lord has blessed me for your sake."

Wednesday

Isaiah 30:18–26 (NLT):

18 So the Lord must wait for you to come to him

so he can show you his love and compassion.

For the Lord is a faithful God.

Blessed are those who wait for his help.

19 O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem,

you will weep no more.

He will be gracious if you ask for help.

He will surely respond to the sound of your cries.

20 Though the Lord gave you adversity for food

and suffering for drink,

he will still be with you to teach you.

You will see your teacher with your own eyes.

21 Your own ears will hear him.

Right behind you a voice will say,

“This is the way you should go,”

whether to the right or to the left.

22 Then you will destroy all your silver idols

and your precious gold images.

You will throw them out like filthy rags,

saying to them, “Good riddance!”

23 Then the Lord will bless you with rain at planting time. There will be wonderful harvests and plenty of pastureland for your livestock. 24 The oxen and donkeys that till the ground will eat good grain, its chaff blown away by the wind. 25 In that day, when your enemies are slaughtered and the towers fall, there will be streams of water flowing down every mountain and hill. 26 The moon will be as bright as the sun, and the sun will be seven times brighter—like the light of seven days in one! So it will be when the Lord begins to heal his people and cure the wounds he gave them.

Fifth Portion

Genesis Chapter 30

28Then he said, "Specify your wages for me, and I will give [them]."29And he said to him, "You know how I have worked for you and how your livestock was with me.30For the little that you had before me has increased in multitude, and the Lord blessed you upon my arrival; but now, when will I, too, provide [something] for my household?"31And he said, "What shall I give you?" And Jacob said, "You shall give me nothing; if you do this thing for me, I will return, I will pasture your flocks, [and] I will watch [them].32I will pass throughout all your flocks today, removing from there every speckled and spotted kid, and every brown lamb among the sheep, and [every] spotted and speckled [one from] among the goats, and this shall be my wages.33And my righteousness will testify for me at a future date for it will come upon my wages before you. Whatever is not speckled or spotted among the goats or brown among the sheep [shall be counted as] stolen with me."34And Laban said, "Very well! If only it would be as you say!"35And he removed on that day the ringed and the spotted male goats and all the speckled and spotted female goats, whichever had white on it, and all the brown [from] among the sheep, and he gave [them] into the hands of his sons.36And he set three days' journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob tended Laban's remaining animals.37And Jacob took himself moist rod[s] of trembling poplar and hazelnut, and chestnut, and he peeled white streaks upon them, baring the white that was on the rods.38And he thrust the rods that he had peeled, into the gutters in the watering troughs where the animals would come to drink opposite the [other] animals, and they would come into heat when they came to drink.39And the flocks came into heat by the rods, and the animals bore ringed, spotted, and striped [young].40And Jacob separated the sheep, and he turned the faces of the animals toward the ringed one[s] and every brown one among Laban's animals, and he made himself flocks by himself, and he did not place them with Laban's animals.41And it came to pass, that whenever the animals that were bearing their first would come into heat, Jacob would place the rods in the troughs, before the eyes of the animals, [in order] to bring them into heat by [means of] the rods.42But if the animals would delay, he would not place them, so that the ones that delayed were Laban's, and the ones that bore their first became Jacob's.43And the man became exceedingly wealthy, and he had prolific animals, and maidservants and manservants, and camels and donkeys.

Genesis Chapter 31

1And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, "Jacob has taken all that belonged to our father, and from what belonged to our father, he has amassed this entire fortune."2And Jacob saw Laban's countenance, that he was not disposed toward him as [he had been] yesterday and the day before.3And the Lord said to Jacob, "Return to the land of your forefathers and to your birthplace, and I will be with you."4So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field, to his flocks.5And he said to them, "I see your father's countenance, that he is not disposed toward me [as he was] yesterday and the day before, but the God of my father was with me.6And you know that with all my might I served your father.7But your father mocked me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not permit him to harm me.8If he would say thus, 'Speckled ones shall be your wages,' all the animals would bear speckled ones, and if he would say thus, 'Ringed ones shall be your wages,' all the animals would bear ringed ones.9Thus, God separated your father's livestock and gave it to me.10And it came to pass at the time the animals came into heat, that I lifted my eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the he goats that mounted the animals were ringed, speckled, and striped.11And an angel of God said to me in a dream, 'Jacob!' And I said, 'Here I am.'12And he said, 'Now lift your eyes and see [that] all the he goats mounting the animals are ringed, speckled, and striped, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you.13I am the God of Beth el, where you anointed a monument, where you pronounced to Me a vow. Now, arise, go forth from this land and return to the land of your birth.'"14And Rachel and Leah replied and said to him, "Do we still have a share or an inheritance in our father's house?15Are we not considered by him as strangers, for he sold us and also consumed our money?16But all the wealth that God separated from our father is ours and our children's. So now, all that God said to you, do."

Thursday

Psalm 103:1–12 (NLT):

1 Let all that I am praise the Lord;

with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.

2 Let all that I am praise the Lord;

may I never forget the good things he does for me.

3 He forgives all my sins

and heals all my diseases.

4 He redeems me from death

and crowns me with love and tender mercies.

5 He fills my life with good things.

My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!

6 The Lord gives righteousness

and justice to all who are treated unfairly.

7 He revealed his character to Moses

and his deeds to the people of Israel.

8 The Lord is compassionate and merciful,

slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.

9 He will not constantly accuse us,

nor remain angry forever.

10 He does not punish us for all our sins;

he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.

11 For his unfailing love toward those who fear him

is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.

12 He has removed our sins as far from us

as the east is from the west.

Sixth Portion

Genesis Chapter 31

17So Jacob rose, and he lifted up his sons and his wives upon the camels.18And he led all his livestock and all his possessions that he had acquired, the purchase of his acquisition, which he had acquired in Padan aram, to come to Isaac his father, to the land of Canaan.19Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and [meanwhile] Rachel stole her father's teraphim.20And Jacob concealed from Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was fleeing.21So he and all that were his fled, and he arose and crossed the river, and he directed his face toward Mount Gilead.22On the third day, Laban was informed that Jacob had fled.23So he took his kinsmen with him, and he pursued him seven days' journey, and he overtook him at Mount Gilead.24And God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream of the night, and He said to him, "Beware lest you speak with Jacob either good or evil."25And Laban overtook Jacob, and Jacob pitched his tent on the mountain, and Laban pitched with his kinsmen on Mount Gilead.26And Laban said to Jacob, "What have you done, that you concealed from me, and led away my daughters like prisoners of war?27Why have you fled secretly, and concealed from me, and not told me? I would have sent you away with joy and with songs, and with drum and with harp.28And you did not allow me to kiss my sons and daughters. Now, you have acted foolishly.29I have the power to inflict harm upon you, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, 'Beware of speaking with Jacob either good or bad.'30But now, you have gone away, for you longed for your father's house, [but]why have you stolen my gods?"31And Jacob replied, and he said to Laban, "Because I was afraid, because I said, 'Lest you steal your daughters from me.'32The one with whom you find your gods shall not live. In the presence of our brothers, recognize for yourself what is with me, and take [it] for yourself." For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.33So Laban entered Jacob's tent and Leah's tent and the tent[s] of the two handmaids, but he did not find [them]; and he had come out of Leah's tent and entered Rachel's tent.34But Rachel had taken the teraphim and placed them into the camel saddle and sat upon them; so Laban felt about the entire tent but did not find [them].35And she said to her father, "Let my lord not be annoyed, for I cannot rise before you, for the way of women is upon me." So he searched, but did not find the teraphim.36And Jacob was annoyed, and he quarreled with Laban, and he said to Laban, "What is my transgression? What is my sin, that you have pursued me?37For you have felt about all my things. What have you found of all the utensils of your house? Put it here, in the presence of my kinsmen and your kinsmen, and let them decide between the two of us.38Already twenty years have I been with you, and your ewes and she goats have not aborted, neither have I eaten the rams of your flocks.39I have not brought home to you anything torn [by other animals]; I would suffer its loss; from my hand you would demand it, what was stolen by day and what was stolen at night.40I was [in the field] by day when the heat consumed me, and the frost at night, and my sleep wandered from my eyes.41This is twenty years that I have spent in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your animals, and you changed my wages ten times.42Had not the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, been for me, you would now have sent me away empty handed. God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, and He reproved [you] last night."

Friday

Psalm 103:13–22 (NLT):

13 The Lord is like a father to his children,

tender and compassionate to those who fear him.

14 For he knows how weak we are;

he remembers we are only dust.

15 Our days on earth are like grass;

like wildflowers, we bloom and die.

16 The wind blows, and we are gone—

as though we had never been here.

17 But the love of the Lord remains forever

with those who fear him.

His salvation extends to the children’s children

18 of those who are faithful to his covenant,

of those who obey his commandments!

19 The Lord has made the heavens his throne;

from there he rules over everything.

20 Praise the Lord, you angels,

you mighty ones who carry out his plans,

listening for each of his commands.

21 Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels

who serve him and do his will!

22 Praise the Lord, everything he has created,

everything in all his kingdom.

Let all that I am praise the Lord.

Seventh Portion

Genesis Chapter 31

43And Laban answered and said to Jacob, "The daughters are my daughters, and the sons are my sons, and the animals are my animals, and all that you see is mine. Now, what would I do to these daughters of mine today, or to their children, whom they have borne?44So now, come, let us form a covenant, you and I, and may He be a witness between me and you."45So Jacob took a stone and set it up [as] a monument.46And Jacob said to his kinsmen, "Gather stones," and they took stones and made a pile, and they ate there by the pile.47And Laban called it Yegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Gal ed.48And Laban said, "This pile is a witness between me and you today." Therefore, he called it Gal ed.49And Mizpah, because he said, "May the Lord look between me and you when we are hidden from each other.50If you afflict my daughters, or if you take wives in addition to my daughters when no one is with us, behold! God is a witness between me and you."51And Laban said to Jacob, "Behold this pile and behold this monument, which I have cast between me and you.52This pile is a witness, and this monument is a witness, that I will not pass this pile [to go] to you and that you shall not pass this pile and this monument to [come to] me to [do] harm.53May the God of Abraham and the god of Nahor judge between us, the god of their father." And Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac.54And Jacob slaughtered a slaughtering on the mountain, and he invited his friends to eat a meal, and they ate bread and lodged on the mountain.

Genesis Chapter 32

1And Laban arose early in the morning and kissed his sons and daughters and blessed them, and Laban went and returned to his place.2And Jacob went on his way, and angels of God met him.3And Jacob said when he saw them, "This is the camp of God," and he named the place Mahanaim.

Saturday

Luke 1:1–17 (NLT):

Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. 2 They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples. 3 Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write an accurate account for you, most honorable Theophilus, 4 so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.

The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

5 When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron. 6 Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. 7 They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.

8 One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. 9 As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. 10 While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying.

11 While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. 12 Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. 13 But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. 14 You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. 16 And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. 17 He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.”

Maftir Portion

Genesis Chapter 32

1And Laban arose early in the morning and kissed his sons and daughters and blessed them, and Laban went and returned to his place.2And Jacob went on his way, and angels of God met him.3And Jacob said when he saw them, "This is the camp of God," and he named the place Mahanaim.

Haftarah

Hosea Chapter 11

7And My people waver whether to return to Me, and to the matter concerning which they call them, together they do not uphold [it].8How shall I give you, Ephraim? [How] deliver you, O Israel? How shall I make you as Admah, make you as Zeboyim? My heart is turned within Me, together My remorse has been kindled.9I will not execute the kindling of My anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim, for I am God and not a man. In your midst is the Holy One, and I will not enter a city.10They shall follow the Lord, He shall roar like a lion; for He shall roar, and the children shall hasten from the west.11They shall hasten like a bird from Egypt and like a dove from the land of Assyria; and I will place them in their houses, says the Lord.

Hosea Chapter 12

1Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit, but Judah still rules with God, and with the Holy One he is faithful.2Ephraim joins the wind and chases the east wind; all day he increases deceit and plunder, and they make a treaty with Assyria, and oil is brought to Egypt.3Now the Lord has a contention with Judah, and to visit upon Jacob according to his ways; according to his deeds He shall recompense him.4In the womb, he seized his brother's heel, and with his strength he strove with an angel.5He strove with an angel and prevailed; he wept and beseeched him; In Bethel he shall find Him, and there He shall speak with us.6And the Lord is the God of the hosts; the Lord is His Name.7And you shall return by your God: keep loving-kindness and justice, and hope to your God always.8A trafficker who has deceitful scales in his hand; he loves to oppress.9And Ephraim said: Surely I have become rich; I have found power for myself; all my toils shall not suffice for my iniquity which is sin.10And I am the Lord your God from the land of Egypt; I will yet make you dwell in tents as in the days of the [early] times.11And I spoke to the prophets, and I increased their visions; and to the prophets I assumed likenesses.12If there is violence in Gilead, it is because they were but vanity; in Gilgal they sacrificed oxen; also their altars were like heaps on the furrows of the field.13And Jacob fled to the field of Aram; and Israel worked for a wife, and for a wife he guarded.14And, through a prophet, the Lord brought up Israel from Egypt, and through a prophet they were guarded.