Hosea 12:2-6

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 12:4

Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him. As Jacob's position at birth symbolized the pre-eminence which God's electing love had in store for him, and as in his manhood's prime he put forth such earnestness and energy to obtain the blessing, so Israel, by the example of their forefather, are encouraged to like strenuous exertion with like certainty of success. The example is more fully described and dwelt on in this verse for the purpose of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 12:5

Even the Lord God of hosts; the Lord is his memorial. Here we have at once a confirmation and a pledge of previous promises. Jacob had wronged Esau, and thereby incurred his displeasure; he had offended God by the injury inflicted on his brother. He is consequently in a position of peril with respect to both God and man; he repented of his sin, and with many and hitter tears supplicated safety—salvation in the highest sense. Jacob, or Israel, in Hosea's time were involved in greater guilt... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 12:5

Even the Lord God of hosts; the Lord is his memorial. The God who appeared to Jacob, who conversed with him in reference to his posterity as well as himself, and whom Jacob found at Bethel, was the God of Jacob's succeeding race; the God against whom they had trespassed, but to whom they are now urged to turn. V. THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF THE PRECEDING STATEMENTS . The application which the prophet makes of the subject is introduced with a "therefore." This "therefore"... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 12:6

Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually. God's character in itself, and his conduct towards the great forefather of the Hebrew race, call at once for confidence and contrition. The evidence of their repentance is twofold: one aspect is manward, consisting of mercy and judgment; the other is Godward, being a constant waiting upon God. The literal rendering brings out the meaning more clearly; it is, "And thou, in [or, 'by'] thy God thou shalt... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 12:6

Turn thou to thy God. If there is one message more frequently repeated than another in the Scriptures, both of the Old and New Testaments, it is this message requiring repentance . There has been no generation of men, nay, there has been no individual man, to whom it might not justly be said, Repent! I. HUMAN CHARACTER AND LIFE ARE SUCH AS TO RENDER NECESSARY THIS TURNING TO GOD . One who is on the right road already has no need to turn; but he who is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 12:6

Wait on thy God. It is very instructive that the prophet in this passage admonished, not only to repentance, reformation, and righteousness, but also to "waiting on God." Many of the effects of repentance, and especially the moral, subjective effects, might be felt immediately, but there were other consequences which might probably be delayed. Hence the admonition of the text. I. IT IS HONORING TO GOD THAT HIS PEOPLE SHOULD WAIT UPON HIM . It is not for man to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 12:6

Genuine human goodness. "Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually." Delitzsch renders the verse thus: "And thou to thy God shall return, keep love, and right, and hope continually in thy God." The new translation gives no new idea. The few words may be regarded as representing genuine human goodness. Looking at it in this respect it includes three things. I. SPIRITUAL CONVERSION . "Turn thou to thy God." An expression implying that... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Hosea 12:2

The Lord hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob - The guilt of Judah was not open apostasy, nor had he filled up the measure of his sins. Of him, then, God saith only, that He “had a controversy with” him, as our Lord says to the “Angel of the Church of Pergamos, I have a few things against thee. Repent, or else I will come unto thee quickly, and fight against thee with the sword of My mouth” Revelation 2:12, Revelation 2:16. Of Ephraim, whose sin was complete, He says, that... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Hosea 12:3

He took his brother by the heel in the womb - Whether or no the act of Jacob was beyond the strength, ordinarily given to infants in the womb, the meaning of the act was beyond man’s wisdom to declare. Whence the Jews paraphrased , “Was it not predicted of your lather Jacob, before he was born, that he should become greater than his brother?” Yet this was not fulfilled until more than 500 years afterward, nor completely until the time of David. These gifts were promised to Jacob out of the free... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Hosea 12:4

He wept and made supplication unto Him - Jacob’s weeping is not mentioned by Moses. Hosea then knew more than Moses related. He could not have gathered it out of Moses, for Moses relates the words of earnest supplication; yet the tone is that of one, by force of earnest energy, wresting, as it were, the blessing from God, not of one weeping. Yet Hosea adds this, in harmony with Moses. For “vehement desires and earnest petitions frequently issue in tears.” “To implore means to ask with tears” .... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 12:4

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 12:5

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 12:5

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 12:6

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 12:6

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 12:6

The Pulpit Commentary - Hosea 12:6

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Hosea 12:2

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Hosea 12:3

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Hosea 12:4

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