Hosea 12:5-14

5 -- even Jehovah, the God of hosts, -- Jehovah is his memorial.

6 And thou, return unto thy God: keep loving-kindness and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.

7 [He is] a merchant, balances of deceit are in his hand; he loveth to oppress.

8 And Ephraim saith, Nevertheless 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 But I [that am] Jehovah thy God from the land of Egypt will again make thee to dwell in tents, as in the days of the solemn feast.

10 And I have spoken to the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and by means of the prophets have I used similitudes.

11 If Gilead is iniquity, surely they are but 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].

13 And by a prophet Jehovah brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.

14 Ephraim provoked [him] to anger most bitterly; and his Lord shall leave his blood upon him, and recompense unto him his reproach.

Hosea 12:5-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO HOSEA 12

This chapter contains complaints and charges both against Israel and Judah, and threatens them with punishment in case they repent not, which they are exhorted to: and first Ephraim is charged with idolatry, vain confidence in, and alliances with, foreign nations, Ho 12:1; and then the Lord declares he has a controversy with Judah, and will punish the inhabitants of it for their sins, Ho 12:2; which are aggravated by their being the descendants of so great a man as Jacob, who got the advantage of his elder brother, had much power with God, and received favours from him, and they also, Ho 12:3-5; and therefore are exhorted to turn to God, wait on him, and do that which is right and good, Ho 12:6. Ephraim is again in his turn charged with fraudulent dealing in trade, and with oppression, and the love of it; and yet pretended he got riches by his own labour, without wronging any, Ho 12:7,8; nevertheless, the Lord promises them public ordinances of worship, and joy in them, and the ministry of his prophets, Ho 12:9,10; though for the present they were guilty of gross idolatry, Ho 12:11; which is aggravated by the raising of Jacob their progenitor from a low estate, and the wonderful preservation of him, and the bringing of them out of Egypt, Ho 12:12,13; and the chapter is closed with observing Ephraim's bitter provocation of God, for which his reproach should return unto him, and his blood be left upon him, Ho 12:14.

Footnotes

• [a]. See Ex. 3.15.
• [b]. Or 'goodness.'
• [c]. Lit. 'Canaan [is he];' see Ezek. 17.4.
• [d]. Or 'to defraud.'
• [e]. Or 'Is Gilead iniquity? They are altogether vanity.'
• [f]. Or 'fields,' or 'open country' of Aram:' see Gen. 28.2.
• [g]. Or 'kept,' as ver. 12.