9-11. “But not so fast! I’m God, your God!Your God from the days in Egypt!I’m going to put you back to living in tents,as in the old days when you worshiped in the wilderness.I speak through the prophetsto give clear pictures of the way things are.Using prophets, I tell revealing stories.I show Gilead rampant with religious scandaland Gilgal teeming with empty-headed religion.I expose their worship centers asstinking piles of garbage in their gardens.”
12-14. Are you going to repeat the life of your ancestor Jacob?He ran off guilty to Aram,Then sold his soul to get ahead,and made it big through treachery and deceit.Your real identity is formed through God-sent prophets,who led you out of Egypt and served as faithful pastors.As it is, Ephraim has continuallyand inexcusably insulted God.Now he has to pay for his life-destroying ways.His Master will do to him what he has done.