E´phra-im feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt.
And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land: and Men´ahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand.
The wind shall eat up all thy pastors, and thy lovers shall go into captivity: surely then shalt thou be ashamed and confounded for all thy wickedness.
Yea, behold, being planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? it shall wither in the furrows where it grew.
I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy E´phra-im: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city.
Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Beth–a´ven, nor swear, The Lord liveth.
When E´phra-im saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went E´phra-im to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.
When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of E´phra-im was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without.
For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.