Hosea 12

Hosea · Chapter 12

Hosea 12:1

1Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt.2The LORD hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him.3He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God:4Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us;5Even the LORD God of hosts; the LORD is his memorial.6Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.7He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress.8And Ephraim said, Yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance: in all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin.9And I that am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles, as in the days of the solemn feast.10I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.11Is there iniquity in Gilead? surely they are vanity: they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the fields.12And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.13And by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.14Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly: therefore shall he leave his blood upon him, and his reproach shall his LORD return unto him.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
1Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt.Ephraim chases the wind and pursues the east wind all day long; he multiplies lies and violence; he makes a covenant with Assyria and sends olive oil to Egypt.Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he continually multiplieth lies and desolation; and they make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried into Egypt.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Where

Locations from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Some ancient sites are uncertain.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
Ephraimאֶפְרַ֜יִם'ef-RA-yimH0669G
Ephraim

אֶפְרַ֫יִם (eph.ra.yim) A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.41.52; son of: Joseph (H3130) and Asenath (H0621); brother of: Manasseh (H4519); father of: Shuthelah (H7803), Becher (H1071H), Tahan (H8465), Ezer (H5827), Elead (H0496) and Beriah (H1283H); also called Ephrathite (NIV: Ephraimite) at 1Sa.1.1; Ephron (Qere, KJV: Ephrain) at 2Ch.13.19; § Ephraim = "double ash-heap: I shall be doubly fruitful" 1) second son of Joseph, blessed by him and given preference over first son, Manasseh 2) the tribe, Ephraim 3) the mountain country of Ephraim …

[is] feedingרֹעֶ֥הro-'EHH7462B
to pasture

רָעָה (ra.ah) 1) to pasture, tend, graze, feed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to tend, pasture 1a1a) to shepherd 1a1b) of ruler, teacher (fig) 1a1c) of people as flock (fig) 1a1d) shepherd, herdsman (subst) 1a2) to feed, graze 1a2a) of cows, sheep etc (literal) 1a2b) of idolater, Israel as flock (fig) 1b) (Hiphil) shepherd, shepherdess Also means: ro.i (רֹעִי "to shepherd" H7473)

windר֙וּחַ֙RU-achH7307H
spirit

רוּחַ (ru.ach) : spirit 1) wind, breath, mind, spirit 1a) breath 1b) wind 1b1) of heaven 1b2) quarter (of wind), side 1b3) breath of air 1b4) air, gas 1b5) vain, empty thing 1c) spirit (as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation) 1c1) spirit, animation, vivacity, vigour 1c2) courage 1c3) temper, anger 1c4) impatience, patience 1c5) spirit, disposition (as troubled, bitter, discontented) 1c6) disposition (of various kinds), unaccountable or uncontrollable impulse 1c7) prophetic spirit 1d) spirit (of the living, breathing being in man and animals) …

and [is] pursuingוְרֹדֵ֣ףve-ro-DEFH7291
to pursue

רָדַף (ra.daph) 1) to be behind, follow after, pursue, persecute, run after 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to pursue, put to flight, chase, dog, attend closely upon 1a2) to persecute, harass (fig) 1a3) to follow after, aim to secure (fig) 1a4) to run after (a bribe) (fig) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be pursued 1b2) one pursued (participle) 1c) (Piel) to pursue ardently, aim eagerly to secure, pursue 1d) (Pual) to be pursued, be chased away 1e) (Hiphil) to pursue, chase

an east windקָדִ֔יםka-DIMH6921
east

קָדִים (qa.dim) 1) east, east wind 1a) east (of direction) 1b) east wind

allכָּל־kol-H3605
all

כֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

the dayהַיּ֕וֹםhai-YOMH3117G
day

יוֹם (yom) : day/when/time/period 1) day, time, year 1a) day (as opposed to night) 1b) day (24 hour period) 1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1 1b2) as a division of time 1b2a) a working day, a day's journey 1c) days, lifetime (pl.) 1d) time, period (general) 1e) year 1f) temporal references 1f1) today 1f2) yesterday 1f3) tomorrow

falsehoodכָּזָ֥בka-ZAVH3577
lie

כָּזָב (ka.zav) a lie, untruth, falsehood, deceptive thing

and violenceוָשֹׁ֖דva-SHODH7701
violence

שֹׁד (shod) 1) havoc, violence, destruction, devastation, ruin 1a) violence, havoc (as social sin) 1b) devastation, ruin

he increasesיַרְבֶּ֑הyar-BEHH7235A
to multiply

רָבָה (ra.vah) 1) be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to become many, become numerous, multiply (of people, animals, things) 1a2) to be or grow great 1b) (Piel) to make large, enlarge, increase, become many 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to make much, make many, have many 1c1a) to multiply, increase 1c1b) to make much to do, do much in respect of, transgress greatly 1c1c) to increase greatly or exceedingly 1c2) to make great, enlarge, do much Aramaic equivalent: re.vah (רְבָה "to grow great" H7236)

and a covenantוּבְרִית֙u-ve-RITH1285
covenant

בְּרִית (be.rit) 1) covenant, alliance, pledge 1a) between men 1a1) treaty, alliance, league (man to man) 1a2) constitution, ordinance (monarch to subjects) 1a3) agreement, pledge (man to man) 1a4) alliance (of friendship) 1a5) alliance (of marriage) 1b) between God and man 1b1) alliance (of friendship) 1b2) covenant (divine ordinance with signs or pledges) 2) (phrases) 2a) covenant making 2b) covenant keeping 2c) covenant violation

withעִם־'im-H5973A
with

עִם (im) 1) with 1a) with 1b) against 1c) toward 1d) as long as

Assyriaאַשּׁ֣וּר'a-SHURH0804G
Assyria

אַשּׁוּר (ash.shur) § Asshur or Assyria = "a step" the nation, Assyria the land, Assyria or Asshur

they are makingיִכְרֹ֔תוּyikh-RO-tuH3772H
to cut: cut

כָּרַת (ka.rat) : cut/fell 1) to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to cut off 1a1a) to cut off a body part, behead 1a2) to cut down 1a3) to hew 1a4) to cut or make a covenant 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be cut off 1b2) to be cut down 1b3) to be chewed 1b4) to be cut off, fail 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to be cut off 1c2) to be cut down 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cut off 1d2) to cut off, destroy 1d3) to cut down, destroy 1d4) to take away 1d5) to permit to perish 1e) (Hophal) cut off

and oilוְשֶׁ֖מֶןve-SHE-menH8081
oil

שֶׁ֫מֶן (she.men) 1) fat, oil 1a) fat, fatness 1b) oil, olive oil 1b1) as staple, medicament or unguent 1b2) for anointing 1c) fat (of fruitful land, valleys) (metaph)

to Egyptלְמִצְרַ֥יִםle-mitz-RA-yimH4714G
Egypt

מָצוֹר (ma.tsor) "Matsor", a name for Egypt Another spelling of mits.ra.yim (מִצְרַ֫יִם "Egypt" H4714G) This name means siege, entrenchment

it is carriedיוּבָֽל׃yu-VALH2986
to conduct

יָבַל (ya.val) 1) to bring, lead, carry, conduct, bear along 1a) (Hiphil) 1a1) to bear along, bring 1a2) to carry away, lead away 1a3) to lead, conduct 1b) (Hophal) 1b1) to be borne along 1b2) to be borne (to the grave) 1b3) to be brought, be led, be conducted Aramaic equivalent: ye.val (יְבַל "to bring" H2987)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.