12 And Jacob H3290 fled H1272 into the country H7704 of Syria, H758 and Israel H3478 served H5647 for a wife, H802 and for a wife H802 he kept H8104 sheep.
Now therefore, my son, H1121 obey H8085 my voice; H6963 and arise, H6965 flee H1272 thou to Laban H3837 my brother H251 to Haran; H2771
And Jacob H3290 loved H157 Rachel; H7354 and said, H559 I will serve H5647 thee seven H7651 years H8141 for Rachel H7354 thy younger H6996 daughter. H1323 And Laban H3837 said, H559 It is better H2896 that I give H5414 her to thee, than that I should give H5414 her to another H312 man: H376 abide H3427 with me. And Jacob H3290 served H5647 seven H7651 years H8141 for Rachel; H7354 and they seemed H5869 unto him but a few H259 days, H3117 for the love he had H160 to her. And Jacob H3290 said H559 unto Laban, H3837 Give H3051 me my wife, H802 for my days H3117 are fulfilled, H4390 that I may go in H935 unto her. And Laban H3837 gathered together H622 all the men H582 of the place, H4725 and made H6213 a feast. H4960 And it came to pass in the evening, H6153 that he took H3947 Leah H3812 his daughter, H1323 and brought H935 her to him; and he went in H935 unto her. And Laban H3837 gave H5414 unto his daughter H1323 Leah H3812 Zilpah H2153 his maid H8198 for an handmaid. H8198 And it came to pass, that in the morning, H1242 behold, it was Leah: H3812 and he said H559 to Laban, H3837 What is this thou hast done H6213 unto me? did not I serve H5647 with thee for Rachel? H7354 wherefore then hast thou beguiled H7411 me? And Laban H3837 said, H559 It must not be so done H6213 in our country, H4725 to give H5414 the younger H6810 before H6440 the firstborn. H1067 Fulfil H4390 her H2063 week, H7620 and we will give H5414 thee this also for the service H5656 which thou shalt serve H5647 with me yet seven H7651 other H312 years. H8141 And Jacob H3290 did H6213 so, and fulfilled H4390 her week: H7620 and he gave H5414 him Rachel H7354 his daughter H1323 to wife H802 also.
And Isaac H3327 called H7121 Jacob, H3290 and blessed H1288 him, and charged H6680 him, and said H559 unto him, Thou shalt not take H3947 a wife H802 of the daughters H1323 of Canaan. H3667 Arise, H6965 go H3212 to Padanaram, H6307 to the house H1004 of Bethuel H1328 thy mother's H517 father; H1 and take H3947 thee a wife H802 from thence of the daughters H1323 of Laban H3837 thy mother's H517 brother. H251 And God H410 Almighty H7706 bless H1288 thee, and make thee fruitful, H6509 and multiply H7235 thee, that thou mayest be a multitude H6951 of people; H5971 And give H5414 thee the blessing H1293 of Abraham, H85 to thee, and to thy seed H2233 with thee; that thou mayest inherit H3423 the land H776 wherein thou art a stranger, H4033 which God H430 gave H5414 unto Abraham. H85 And Isaac H3327 sent away H7971 Jacob: H3290 and he went H3212 to Padanaram H6307 unto Laban, H3837 son H1121 of Bethuel H1328 the Syrian, H761 the brother H251 of Rebekah, H7259 Jacob's H3290 and Esau's H6215 mother. H517 When Esau H6215 saw H7200 that Isaac H3327 had blessed H1288 Jacob, H3290 and sent him away H7971 to Padanaram, H6307 to take H3947 him a wife H802 from thence; and that as he blessed H1288 him he gave him a charge, H6680 saying, H559 Thou shalt not take H3947 a wife H802 of the daughters H1323 of Canaan; H3667 And that Jacob H3290 obeyed H8085 his father H1 and his mother, H517 and was gone H3212 to Padanaram; H6307 And Esau H6215 seeing H7200 that the daughters H1323 of Canaan H3667 pleased H5869 not H7451 Isaac H3327 his father; H1 Then went H3212 Esau H6215 unto Ishmael, H3458 and took H3947 unto the wives H802 which he had Mahalath H4258 the daughter H1323 of Ishmael H3458 Abraham's H85 son, H1121 the sister H269 of Nebajoth, H5032 to be his wife. H802 And Jacob H3290 went out H3318 from Beersheba, H884 and went H3212 toward Haran. H2771 And he lighted H6293 upon a certain place, H4725 and tarried there all night, H3885 because the sun H8121 was set; H935 and he took H3947 of the stones H68 of that place, H4725 and put H7760 them for his pillows, H4763 and lay down H7901 in that place H4725 to sleep. H7901 And he dreamed, H2492 and behold a ladder H5551 set up H5324 on the earth, H776 and the top of it H7218 reached H5060 to heaven: H8064 and behold the angels H4397 of God H430 ascending H5927 and descending H3381 on it. And, behold, the LORD H3068 stood H5324 above it, and said, H559 I am the LORD H3068 God H430 of Abraham H85 thy father, H1 and the God H430 of Isaac: H3327 the land H776 whereon thou liest, H7901 to thee will I give it, H5414 and to thy seed; H2233 And thy seed H2233 shall be as the dust H6083 of the earth, H776 and thou shalt spread abroad H6555 to the west, H3220 and to the east, H6924 and to the north, H6828 and to the south: H5045 and in thee and in thy seed H2233 shall all the families H4940 of the earth H127 be blessed. H1288 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep H8104 thee in all places whither H834 thou goest, H3212 and will bring thee again H7725 into this land; H127 for I will not leave H5800 thee, until H834 I have done H6213 that which I have spoken H1696 to thee of. And Jacob H3290 awaked H3364 out of his sleep, H8142 and he said, H559 Surely H403 the LORD H3068 is H3426 in this place; H4725 and I knew H3045 it not. And he was afraid, H3372 and said, H559 How dreadful H3372 is this place! H4725 this is none other but the house H1004 of God, H430 and this is the gate H8179 of heaven. H8064 And Jacob H3290 rose up early H7925 in the morning, H1242 and took H3947 the stone H68 that he had put H7760 for his pillows, H4763 and set it up H7760 for a pillar, H4676 and poured H3332 oil H8081 upon the top of it. H7218 And he called H7121 the name H8034 of that place H4725 Bethel: H1008 but H199 the name H8034 of that city H5892 was called Luz H3870 at the first. H7223 And Jacob H3290 vowed H5087 a vow, H5088 saying, H559 If God H430 will be with me, and will keep me H8104 in this way H1870 that I go, H1980 and will give H5414 me bread H3899 to eat, H398 and raiment H899 to put on, H3847 So that I come again H7725 to my father's H1 house H1004 in peace; H7965 then shall the LORD H3068 be my God: H430 And this stone, H68 which I have set H7760 for a pillar, H4676 shall be God's H430 house: H1004 and of all that thou shalt give H5414 me I will surely H6237 give the tenth H6237 unto thee.
Thus have I been twenty H6242 years H8141 in thy house; H1004 I served thee H5647 fourteen H702 H6240 years H8141 for thy two H8147 daughters, H1323 and six H8337 years H8141 for thy cattle: H6629 and thou hast changed H2498 my wages H4909 ten H6235 times. H4489
And he said H559 unto him, What is thy name? H8034 And he said, H559 Jacob. H3290 And he said, H559 Thy name H8034 shall be called H559 no more Jacob, H3290 but Israel: H3478 for as a prince hast thou power H8280 with God H430 and with men, H582 and hast prevailed. H3201
And thou shalt speak H6030 and say H559 before H6440 the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 A Syrian H761 ready to perish H6 was my father, H1 and he went down H3381 into Egypt, H4714 and sojourned H1481 there with H4962 a few, H4592 and became there a nation, H1471 great, H1419 mighty, H6099 and populous: H7227
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Hosea 12
Commentary on Hosea 12 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 12
Ho 12:1-14. Reproof of Ephraim and Judah: Their Father Jacob Ought to Be a Pattern to Them.
This prophecy was delivered about the time of Israel's seeking the aid of the Egyptian king So, in violation of their covenant with Assyria (see Ho 12:1). He exhorts them to follow their father Jacob's persevering prayerfulness, which brought God's favor upon him. As God is unchangeable, He will show the same favor to Jacob's posterity as He did to Jacob, if, like him, they seek God.
1. feedeth on wind—(Pr 15:14; Isa 44:20). Followeth after vain objects, such as alliances with idolaters and their idols (compare Ho 8:7).
east wind—the simoon, blowing from the desert east of Palestine, which not only does not benefit, but does injury. Israel follows not only things vain, but things pernicious (compare Job 15:2).
increaseth lies—accumulates lie upon lie, that is, impostures wherewith they deceive themselves, forsaking the truth of God.
desolation—violent oppressions practised by Israel [Maurer]. Acts which would prove the cause of Israel's own desolation [Calvin].
covenant with … Assyrians—(Ho 5:13; 7:11).
oil … into Egypt—as a present from Israel to secure Egypt's alliance (Isa 30:6; 57:9; compare 2Ki 17:4). Palestine was famed for oil (Eze 27:17).
2. controversy with Judah—(Ho 4:1; Mic 6:2). Judah, under Ahaz, had fallen into idolatry (2Ki 16:3, &c.).
Jacob—that is, the ten tribes. If Judah, the favored portion of the nation, shall not be spared, much less degenerate Israel.
3. He—Jacob, contrasted with his degenerate descendants, called by his name, Jacob (Ho 12:2; compare Mic 2:7). He took Esau by the heel in the womb in order to obtain, if possible, the privileges of the first-born (Ge 25:22-26), whence he took his name, Jacob, meaning "supplanter"; and again, by his strength, prevailed in wrestling with God for a blessing (Ge 32:24-29); whereas ye disregard My promises, putting your confidence in idols and foreign alliances. He conquered God, ye are the slaves of idols. Only have Jehovah on your side, and ye are stronger than Edom, or even Assyria. So the spiritual Israel lays hold of the heel of Jesus, "the First-born of many brethren," being born again of the Holy Spirit. Having no right in themselves to the inheritance, they lay hold of the bruised heel, the humanity of Christ crucified, and let not go their hold of Him who is not, as Esau, a curse (Heb 12:16, 17), but, by becoming a curse for us, is a blessing to us.
power with God—referring to his name, "Israel," prince of God, acquired on that occasion (compare Mt 11:12). As the promised Canaan had to be gained forcibly by Israel, so heaven by the faithful (Re 3:21; compare Lu 13:24). "Strive," literally, "as in the agony of a contest." So the Canaanitess (Mt 15:22).
his strength—which lay in his conscious weakness, whence, when his thigh was put out of joint by God, he hung upon Him. To seek strength was his object; to grant it, God's. Yet God's mode of procedure was strange. In human form He tries as it were to throw Jacob down. When simple wrestling was not enough, He does what seems to ensure Jacob's fall, dislocating his thigh joint, so that he could no longer stand. Yet it was then that Jacob prevailed. Thus God teaches us the irresistible might of conscious weakness. For when weak in ourselves, we are strong by His strength put in us (Job 23:6; Isa 27:5; 2Co 12:9, 10).
4. the angel—the uncreated Angel of the Covenant, as God the Son appears in the Old Testament (Mal 3:1).
made supplication—Ge 32:26: "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me."
he found him—The angel found Jacob, when he was fleeing from Esau into Syria: the Lord appearing to him "in Beth-el" (Ge 28:11-19; 35:1). What a sad contrast, that in this same Beth-el now Israel worships the golden calves!
there he spake with us—"with us," as being in the loins of our progenitor Jacob (compare Ps 66:6, "They … we;" Heb 7:9, 10). What God there spoke to Jacob appertains to us. God's promises to him belong to all his posterity who follow in the steps of his prayerful faith.
5. Lord God—Jehovah, a name implying His immutable constancy to His promises. From the Hebrew root, meaning "existence." "He that is, was, and is to be," always the same (Heb 13:8; Re 1:4, 8; compare Ex 3:14, 15; 6:3). As He was unchangeable in His favor to Jacob, so will He be to His believing posterity.
of hosts—which Israel foolishly worshipped. Jehovah has all the hosts (saba) or powers of heaven and earth at His command, so that He is as all-powerful, as He is faithful, to fulfil His promises (Ps 135:6; Am 5:27).
memorial—the name expressive of the character in which God was ever to be remembered (Ps 135:13).
6. thou—who dost wish to be a true descendant of Jacob.
to THY God—who is therefore bound by covenant to hear thy prayers.
keep mercy and judgment—(Mic 6:8). These two include the second-table commandments, duty towards one's neighbor, the most visible test of the sincerity on one's repentance.
wait on thy God—alone, not on thy idols. Including all the duties of the first table (Ps 37:3, 5, 7; 40:1).
7. merchant—a play on the double sense of the Hebrew, "Canaan," that is, a Canaanite and a "merchant" Eze 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 Isa 23:11, Margin), the greatest reproach to Israel, who despised Canaan. The Phœnicians called themselves Canaanites or merchants (Isa 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 (Re 3:17). Therefore, in just retribution, this is the very language of the enemy in being the instrument of Israel's punishment. Zec 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 (Mt 5:45) into a justification of their impenitence (compare Ec 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 (Ne 8:17). Fully and antitypically to be fulfilled at the final restoration from the present dispersion (Zec 14:16; compare Le 23:42, 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." Pr 13:11: "Wealth gotten by vanity," that is, iniquity. Isa 41:29: "They are all vanity … images." "Gilead" refers to Mizpah-gilead, a city representing the region beyond Jordan (Ho 6:8; Jud 11:29); as "Gilgal," the region on this side of Jordan (Ho 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 Ho 10:1, 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 (Ge 28:5; 29:20, 28; De 26:5). Ye, though delivered from Egypt (Ho 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 (Ge 48:7).
13. by a prophet—Moses (Nu 12:6-8; De 18:15, 18).
preserved—Translate, "kept"; there is an allusion to the same Hebrew word in Ho 12:12, "kept sheep"; Israel was kept by God as His flock, even as Jacob kept sheep (Ps 80:1; Isa 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 Molech 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.