Hosea 12

7. merchant--a play on the double sense of the Hebrew, "Canaan," that is, a Canaanite and a "merchant" Ezekiel 16:3 : "Thy birth is . . . of Canaan." They who naturally were descendants of pious Jacob had become virtually Canaanites, who were proverbial as cheating merchants (compare Isaiah 23:11 , Margin), the greatest reproach to Israel, who despised Canaan. The Phoenicians called themselves Canaanites or merchants ( Isaiah 23:8 ).
oppress--open violence: as the "balances of deceit" imply fraud.

8. And--that is, Notwithstanding.
Yet I am . . . rich--I regard not what the prophets say: I am content with my state, as I am rich ( Revelation 3:17 ). Therefore, in just retribution, this is the very language of the enemy in being the instrument of Israel's punishment. Zechariah 11:5 : "They that sell them say . . . I am rich." Far better is poverty with honesty, than riches gained by sin.
my labours--my gains by labor.
they shall find none--that is, none shall find any.
iniquity . . . that were sin--iniquity that would bring down the penalty of sin. Ephraim argues, My success in my labors proves that I am not a guilty sinner as the prophets assert. Thus sinners pervert God's long-suffering goodness ( Matthew 5:45 ) into a justification of their impenitence (compare Ecclesiastes 8:11-13 ).

9. And--rather, "And yet." Though Israel deserves to be cast off for ever, yet I am still what I have been from the time of My delivering them out of Egypt, their covenant God; therefore, "I will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles," that is, to keep the feast of tabernacles again in remembrance of a new deliverance out of bondage. Fulfilled primarily at the return from Babylon ( Nehemiah 8:17 ). Fully and antitypically to be fulfilled at the final restoration from the present dispersion ( Zechariah 14:16 ; compare Leviticus 23:42 Leviticus 23:43 ).

10. by . . . the prophets--literally, "upon," that is, My spirit resting on them. I deposited with them My instructions which ought to have brought you to the right way. An aggravation of your guilt, that it was not through ignorance you erred, but in defiance of God and His prophets [CALVIN]. Ahijah the Shilonite, Shemaiah, Iddo, Azariah, Hanani, Jehu, Elijah, Elisha, Micaiah, Joel, and Amos were "the prophets" before Hosea.
visions . . . similitudes--I adopted such modes of communication, adapted to man's capacities, as were calculated to arouse attention: I left no means untried to reform you. The first, second, and third chapters contain examples of "similitudes."

11. Is there iniquity in Gilead?--He asks the question, not as if the answer was doubtful, but to strengthen the affirmation: "Surely they are vanity"; or as MAURER translates, "They are nothing but iniquity." Iniquity, especially idolatry, in Scripture is often termed "vanity." Proverbs 13:11 : "Wealth gotten by vanity," that is, iniquity. Isaiah 41:29 : "They are all vanity . . . imag es." "Gilead" refers to Mizpah-gilead, a city representing the region beyond Jordan ( Hosea 6:8 , Judges 11:29 ); as "Gilgal," the region on this side of Jordan ( Hosea 4:15 ). In all quarters alike they are utterly vile.
their altars are as heaps in the furrows--that is, as numerous as such heaps: namely, the heaps of stones cleared out of a stony field. An appropriate image, as at a distance they look like altars (compare Hosea 10:1 Hosea 10:4 , 8:11 ). As the third member in the parallelism answers to the first, "Gilgal" to "Gilead," so the fourth to the second, "altars" to "vanity." The word "heaps" alludes to the name "Gilgal," meaning "a heap of stones." The very scene of the general circumcision of the people, and of the solemn passover kept after crossing Jordan, is now the stronghold of Israel's idolatry.

12. Jacob fled . . . served--Though ye pride yourselves on the great name of "Israel," forget not that your progenitor was the same Jacob who was a fugitive, and who served for Rachel fourteen years. He forgot not ME who delivered him when fleeing from Esau, and when oppressed by Laban ( Genesis 28:5 , Genesis 29:20 Genesis 29:28 , Deuteronomy 26:5 ). Ye, though delivered from Egypt ( Hosea 12:13 ), and loaded with My favors, are yet unwilling to return to Me.
country of Syria--the champaign region of Syria, the portion lying between the Tigris and Euphrates, hence called Mesopotamia. Padan-aram means the same, that is, "Low Syria," as opposed to Aramea (meaning the "high country") or Syria ( Genesis 48:7 ).

13. by a prophet--Moses ( Numbers 12:6-8 , Deuteronomy 18:15 Deuteronomy 18:18 ).
preserved--Translate, "kept"; there is an allusion to the same Hebrew word in Hosea 12:12 , "kept sheep"; Israel was kept by God as His flock, even as Jacob kept sheep ( Psalms 80:1 , Isaiah 63:11 ).

14. provoked him--that is, God.
leave his blood upon him--not take away the guilt and penalty of the innocent blood shed by Ephraim in general, and to Moloch in particular.
his reproach shall his Lord return unto him--Ephraim's dishonor to God in worshipping idols, God will repay to him. That God is "his Lord" by right redemption and special revelation to Ephraim only aggravates his guilt, instead of giving him hope of escape. God does not give up His claim to them as His, however they set aside His dominion.