Hosea 12

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 12:7

He is a merchant ,.... Here is a change of person from "thou" to "he", from Judah to Ephraim, who is said to be a "merchant"; and if that was all, there is nothing worthy of dispraise in it; but he was a cheating merchant, a fraudulent dealer, as appears by what follows: or he is Canaan, or a Canaanite F25 כנען χανααν , Sept. "Chanaan", V. L. Tigurine version; "Chanauaeum" refers, Munster. ; more like a descendant of Canaan, by his manners, than a descendant of Jacob. But the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 12:8

And Ephraim said, yet I am become rich ,.... Notwithstanding they took such unjust methods, as to use deceitful balances, they prospered in the world, got abundance of riches; and therefore concluded from thence that their manner of dealing was not criminal, at least not so bad as the prophets represented to them; and so promised themselves impunity, and that what they were threatened with would not come upon them; and, as long as they got riches, they cared not in what manner; and inasmuch... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 12:9

And I that am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt ,.... Ephraim being so very corrupt in things, both religious and civil, and so very impenitent and impudent, is let alone to suffer the just punishment of his sins; but Judah being called to repentance, and brought unto it, gracious promises are here made unto him, to be fulfilled in the times of the Messiah, either at the first or latter part of them; especially the last is to be understood, when indeed all Israel shall return to the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 12:10

I have also spoken to the prophets ,.... Or, "I will speak" F2 ודברתי "et loquar", Piscator, Liveleus, Drusius, Cocceius, Schmidt. ; for this respects not the Lord's speaking by the prophets of the Old Testament who spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost; though all they said were for the use of, and profitable unto, Christian churches; but his speaking by the apostles, prophets, and teachers, under the Gospel dispensation; by whom the doctrines of grace have been more clearly... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 12:11

Is there iniquity in Gilead ?.... Idolatry there? strange that there should be, seeing it was a city of the priests; a city of refuge; or there is none there, say the priests, who pretended they did not worship idols, but the true Jehovah in them: or, "is there not iniquity", or idolatry, "in Gilead" F5 אם גלעד און "an non in Galaad iniquitas?" Vatablus. ? verily there is, let them pretend to what they will: or, "is there only iniquity in it" F6 "En in Gileade ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 12:12

And Jacob fled into the country of Syria ,.... Or, "field of Syria" F13 שדה ארם "agrum Aram", Montanus; "in agrum Syriae", Vatablus, Drusius, Rivet, Schmidt. ; the same with Padanaram; for "Padan", in the Arabic language, as Bochart has shown, signifies a field; and "Aram" is Syria, and is the word here used. This is to be understood of Jacob's fleeing thither for fear of his brother Esau, the history of which is had in Genesis 28:1 ; though some interpret this of his fleeing... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 12:13

And by a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt ,.... Or, "by the prophet"; the famous and most excellent prophet Moses, who, by way of eminency, is so called; him the Lord sent, and employed, and made use of him as an instrument to bring his people out of their bondage in Egypt; in which he was a type of Christ the great Prophet of the church, raised up like unto him, and the Redeemer of his people from sin, Satan, and the world, law, hell, and death, and all enemies: and by a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Hosea 12:14

Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly ,.... The Vulgate Latin version supplies it, me; that is, God, as Kimchi; or his Lord, as it may be supplied from the last clause of the verse; the sense is the same either way: it was God that Ephraim or the ten tribes provoked to stir up his wrath and vengeance against them; notwithstanding all the favours that they and their ancestors had received from him, they provoked him in a most bitter manner, to bitter anger, vehement wrath and fury:... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hosea 12

The prophet, in very pointed terms, describes the unprofitableness and destruction attending vicious courses; particularly such as Ephraim pursued, who forsook God, and courted the alliance of idolatrous princes, Hosea 12:1 . Judah is also reproved, Hosea 12:2 . He is reminded of the extraordinary favor of God to his father Jacob, in giving him the birthright; and exhorted, after his example, to wrestle with God (the Angel of the covenant, the same unchangeable Jehovah) for a blessing; and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hosea 12:1

Ephraim feedeth on wind - He forms and follows empty and unstable counsels. Followeth after the east wind - They are not only empty, but dangerous and destructive. The east wind was, and still is, in all countries, a parching, wasting, injurious wind. He daily increaseth lies - He promises himself safety from foreign alliances. He "made a covenant with the Assyrians," and sent a subsidy of "oil to Egypt." The latter abandoned him; the former oppressed him. read more

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