Hosea 12:2

The Lord’s Indictment of Israel and Judah

2 ¹The Lord has an indictment against Judah and will punish Jacob according to his ways; he will repay him according to his deeds.

Hosea 12:2 Meaning and Commentary

Hosea 12:2

The Lord hath also a controversy with Judah
The two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, as well as the ten tribes; for though they had ruled with God, and had been faithful with the saints in the first times of the apostasy of Israel; yet afterwards they sadly degenerated, and fell into idolatry likewise, particularly in the time of Ahaz, in which Hosea prophesied; and therefore the Lord had somewhat against them; nor would he spare them, but reprove them by the prophets, and rebuke them in his providences; bring them to his bar, and lay before them their evils, and threaten them with punishment in case of impenitence, as follows: and will punish Jacob according to his ways;
all the posterity of Jacob, whether Ephraim or Judah; those of the ten tribes, or of the two, who all descended from Jacob: or, "will visit according to his ways" ^F19; if right, and agreeably to the mind and word of God, in a way of grace and mercy; but if wrong, crooked, and perverse, then in a way of punishment; for visiting is used both ways: according to his doings will he recompense him;
as they were good or bad; if good, will reward them with a reward of grace; if bad, with vengeance. The Targum paraphrases it,

``according to his right works.''

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FOOTNOTES:

F19 (wykrdk-dqpl) "ad visitandum juxta vias ejus", Pagninus, Montanus; "visitabit secundum vias ejus", Piscator.

Hosea 12:2 In-Context

1 Ephraim feeds on the wind and pursues the east wind all day long; they multiply falsehood and violence; they make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried to Egypt.

2 The Lord has an indictment against Judah and will punish Jacob according to his ways; he will repay him according to his deeds.

3 In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his manhood he strove with God.

4 He strove with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought his favor. He met God at Bethel, and there God spoke with us—

5 the Lord, the God of hosts, the Lord is his memorial name:

Cross References

• 1. 12:2 See ch. 4:1