Israel grows among his brothers, but a powerful east wind will come—the Lord’s wind will blow from the desert. Then his well will dry up. His spring of water will be dry. The wind will take away anything of value.
Ephraim is wasting its time; Israel “chases the wind” all day long. The people tell more and more lies and steal more and more. They have made agreements with Assyria, and they are carrying their olive oil to Egypt.
But some of them have left me. They say to their gold statues, ‘You are my gods.’ They trust their false gods, but they will be disappointed and shamed.