Hosea 12:1
Ephraim 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.
Hosea 12:1 in other translations
| BSB | 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. |
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| WEB | Ephraim feeds on wind, and chases the east wind. He continually multiplies lies and desolation. They make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried into Egypt. |
| ASV | 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. |
| YLT | Ephraim is enjoying wind, And is pursuing an east wind, All the day lying and spoiling he multiplieth, And a covenant with Asshur they make, And oil to Egypt is carried. |
| DARBY | Ephraim feedeth on wind, and pursueth after the east wind: all day long he multiplieth lies and desolation; and they make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried into Egypt. |
| BBE | Ephraim's food is the wind, and he goes after the east wind: deceit and destruction are increasing day by day; they make an agreement with Assyria, and take oil into Egypt. |
| Webster | Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily multiplieth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt. |
What does Hosea 12:1 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
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; Is 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 (Is 30:6; 57:9; compare 2Ki 17:4). Palestine was famed for oil (Eze 27:17).Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Introduction
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, Hos 12:1. Judah is also reproved, Hos 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 to love mercy and execute justice, Hos 12:3-4. Ephraim is accused of pursuing practices that are deceitful, although pretending to integrity, Hos 12:7, Hos 12:8. God then threatens to deprive this people of their possessions, Hos 12:9, as they had rejected every means of reformation, Hos 12:10, and given themselves up to gross impieties, Hos 12:11. And, as an aggravation of their guilt, they are reminded from what humble beginnings they had been raised, Hos 12:12, Hos 12:13. The Divine judgments about to fall upon Israel are declared to be the result of great provocation, Hos 12:14. Verse 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.Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Hosea 12:1-6
Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain
Hosea 12:1 in the original Hebrew
Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Hosea 12:1
- Hosea 11:12
Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints.
- Hosea 8:7
For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.
- Hosea 5:13
When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.
- Jeremiah 22:22
The wind shall eat up all thy pastors, and thy lovers shall go into captivity: surely then shalt thou be ashamed and confounded for all thy wickedness.
- Ezekiel 17:10
Yea, behold, being planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? it shall wither in the furrows where it grew.
- Job 15:2
Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?
- Isaiah 30:6-7
The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they will carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people that shall not profit them. For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still.
- 2 Kings 17:4-6
And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea: for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and brought no present to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison. Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years. In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
- 2 Kings 15:19
And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land: and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand.
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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Context
- Hosea 12:1
Ephraim 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.
- Hosea 12:2
The Lord hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him.
Hosea 12:1 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | CERCÓME Ephraim con mentira, y la casa de Israel con engaño: mas Judá aun domina con Dios, y es fiel con los santos. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Éphraïm m’entoure de mensonge, et la maison d’Israël de fraude; mais Juda marche encore avec ✶Dieu, et avec les vrais saints. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Mit Lüge hat Ephraim mich umringt, und das Haus Israel mit Trug; und Juda ist immer noch zügellos gegen Gott und gegen den Heiligen der treu ist. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Ephraim pascit ventum, et sequitur æstum; tota die mendacium et vastitatem multiplicat: et fœdus cum Assyriis iniit, et oleum in Ægyptum ferebat. |