6. So come back to your God. Be loyal to him. Do the right thing, and always trust in your God!
7. “Jacob is a tricky merchant. He even cheats his friend! Even his scales lie.
8. Ephraim said, ‘I am rich! I have found true riches! No one will learn about my crimes. No one will learn about my sins.’
9. “But I am still the Lord your God, as I was when you left the land of Egypt. I will make you live in tents, as you do during the Festival of Shelters.
10. I spoke to the prophets and gave them many visions. I gave the prophets many ways to teach my lessons to you.
11. But the people in Gilead have sinned. There are many terrible idols in that place. They offer sacrifices to bulls at Gilgal. They have many altars. There are rows and rows of altars—like the rows of dirt in a plowed field.
12. “Jacob ran away to the land of Aram. There Israel worked for a wife. He kept sheep to get another wife.
13. But the Lord used a prophet and brought Israel out of Egypt. He used a prophet and kept Israel safe.
14. But Ephraim made the Lord very angry. Ephraim killed many people, so he will be punished for his crimes. His Lord will make him bear his shame.”