Hosea 12 KJV
1 Ephraim 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.
2 The Lord hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him.
3 He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God:
4 Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us;
5 Even the Lord God of hosts; the Lord is his memorial.
6 Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment and wait on thy God continually.
Hos.12 (Old Testament)
7 He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress.
8 And Ephraim said, Yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance: in all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin.
9 And I that am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles, as in the days of the solemn feast.
10 I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.
11 Is there iniquity in Gilead? surely they are vanity: they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the fields.
12 And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.
Hos.12 (Old Testament)
13 And by a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.
14 Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly: therefore shall he leave his blood upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him.
| Hebrew Word + Transliteration | Verse + Snippet | Meaning | Scholarly Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| רִיב — rīv | Verse 2 — “the LORD hath a controversy with Judah…” | “Dispute,” legal case | Rīv (“legal dispute”) invokes covenant lawsuit imagery (“controversy”). God prosecutes His people for unfaithfulness. The term frames prophetic judgment as judicial action. — Julius Wellhausen, Prolegomena to the History of Israel (1885) |
| עָקֵב — ‘āqēv | Verse 3 — “…took his brother by the heel…” | “Heel,” deceit | ‘Āqēv (“heel”) recalls Jacob’s name and character (“heel/guile”). Hosea reviews ancestral patterns of striving and grace. The term illustrates Israel’s repeated duplicity. — C. F. Keil, Commentary on the OT (1885) |
| יָכֹל — yākhol | Verse 3 — “…by his strength he had power with God…” | “Prevail,” be able | Yākhol (“to prevail”) shows spiritual wrestling (“prevail”). Jacob’s struggle becomes Israel’s paradigm for seeking God. The term highlights perseverance. — A. B. Davidson, OT Theology (1904) |
| תְּחִנָּה — teḥinnah | Verse 4 — “…he made supplication unto Him.” | “Supplication,” entreaty | Teḥinnah (“supplication”) expresses earnest pleading (“entreaty”). Hosea depicts Jacob’s humility after striving. The term models repentant approach to God. — Gesenius, Hebrew Lexicon (1857) |
| שָׁמַר — shāmar | Verse 6 — “…keep mercy and judgment…” | “Keep,” guard | Shāmar (“to guard”) emphasizes covenant obedience (“keep”). Israel’s duty includes sustained loyalty. The term conveys vigilant faithfulness. — Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary (1890) |
| רָעָה — rā‘āh | Verse 8 — “…Ephraim said, Yet I am become rich…” | “Evil,” wrongdoing | Rā‘āh (“evil”) highlights moral corruption (“evil/wrong”). Israel rationalizes sin through prosperity. The term condemns deceptive self-confidence. — Wellhausen, History of Israel (1885) |
| עָשַׁק — ‘āshaq | Verse 7 — “…the balances of deceit…” | “Oppress,” extort | ‘Āshaq (“to oppress”) portrays economic injustice (“oppress/cheat”). Hosea unmasks Israel’s fraudulent trade practices. The term links economic sin with covenant violation. — Keil, OT Commentary (1885) |
| מִדָּה — middāh | Verse 10 — “I have spoken by the prophets…” | “Measure,” proportion | Middāh (“measure”) conveys proportional revelation (“measure”). Prophetic words are purposeful and calibrated. The term reflects divine intentionality. — Gesenius, Lexicon (1857) |
| חֶסֶד — ḥesed | Verse 6 — “…turn to your God: keep mercy…” | “Loyal love,” covenant mercy | Ḥesed (“covenant loyalty”) embodies steadfast devotion (“mercy/lovingkindness”). Hosea calls for relational fidelity. The term undergirds covenant ethics. — Davidson, OT Theology (1904) |
| תָּקָוָה — tiqvah | Verse 6 — “…wait on thy God continually.” | “Hope,” expectation | Tiqvah (“hope”) implies sustained expectation (“hope/wait”). Hope anchors Israel’s return to God. The term blends patience with trust. — Delitzsch, Prophets Commentary (1890) |
Biblical Scholars On This Chapter:
| Scholar | Work | View on Chapter 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Franz Delitzsch (University of Leipzig, 1813–1890) | Biblischer Commentar über das Buch Hosea | The chapter recounts Jacob’s story to emphasize Israel’s call to integrity and righteousness. |
| Bernhard Duhm (University of Göttingen/Berlin, 1847–1928) | Das Buch Hosea | Duhm highlights the moral and ethical lessons drawn from historical reflection. |
| Charles Foster Kent (Yale University, 1867–1925) | The Book of Hosea: Introduction and Commentary | Kent portrays the chapter as a reminder of the consequences of duplicity and unfaithfulness. |
| Hermann Gunkel (University of Göttingen, 1862–1932) | Einleitung in die Psalmen und die alttestamentliche Poesie | Gunkel emphasizes literary techniques that reinforce the prophetic message through history. |
| Otto Kaiser (University of Tübingen, 1855–1920) | Die Propheten des Alten Testaments | The chapter links Israel’s past with its present responsibilities, underscoring moral accountability. |
Hosea 12: Self-sufficiency blinds us from seeing God's goodness.
Memory verse: Hosea 12:8 And Ephraim said, ‘Surely I have become rich, I have found wealth for myself; In all my labors They shall find in me no iniquity that is sin.’
Numerous people in our age are most likely to be a similitude of the people of Ephraim. Pride and selfsufficiency become what the life of most people subsists on, maybe when they wrought something great in their endeavor – they end up drawing a verdict that, God's help can’t do too much than what they had already achieved for themselves.
What's Next? Read Our Bible Verses About Life With Purpose and Encouragement
The land of Ephraim, which happens to be the northern kingdom of Israel had become arrogant, and prideful, thinking that their possession, wealth, and successes come from their effort and agility to get things done, thereby taking their reliance away from God – they never believed in God's blessing, they are very confident of their effort. When we feel self-sufficient, God's goodness in our lives becomes something we don’t need, meanwhile, we need it.
Self-sufficiency coupled with pride would lead to nowhere else other than to the way of destruction [Pro. 16:18]. What God expects from us is that we should acknowledge His goodness and blessing upon our lives.
What's Next? Get A Piano Lesson in Houston or Online from The Alive Christians' School of Music
