Hosea 12:2-4

Contemporary English Version

Israel and Judah Condemned

²The Lord also brings charges
against the people of Judah,
    the descendants of Jacob.
He will punish them
    for what they have done.
³^(A)^(B) Even before Jacob was born,
    he cheated his brother,^[a]
and when he grew up,
    he fought against God.^[b]

⁴^(C) At Bethel, Jacob wrestled
with an angel and won;
then with tears in his eyes,
he asked for a blessing,
and God spoke to us^[c] there.

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Footnotes

12.3 Jacob … cheated … brother: In Hebrew “Jacob” sounds like “cheat” and also like “heel.” Jacob grabbed his twin brother Esau by the heel at the time of their birth (see Genesis 25.26). Later he cheated him out of his rights and blessings as the first-born son (see Genesis 25.29-34; 27.1-40).
12.3 fought against God: See Genesis 32.22-32.
12.4 us: Hebrew; two ancient translations “him.”