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Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

Hosea 12:1-9

AN APPEAL IS MADE TO JACOB'S EXAMPLE WHICH SIMPLY SERVES TO REVEAL ISRAEL'S PARLOUS STATE AND GUARANTEES THE COMING JUDGMENT OF DESTRUCTION AND THE EXILE BUT IT IS WITH THE PROMISE OF FINAL RESTORATION AND FRUITFULNESS IN VIEW (Hosea 12:1 to Hosea 14:9).

These words were probably mainly spoken during the latter part of the reign of Hoshea, with the destruction of Samaria threatening on the horizon. After a further appeal for repentance Israel is seen to be finally doomed, with any hope that they have lying far in the future because of their unrepentant hearts.

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See also Hosea 12:1-9 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    CHAPTER XII _The prophet, in very pointed terms, describes the_ _unprofitableness and destruction attending vicious courses;_ _particularly such as Ephraim pursued, who forsook God, and_ _courted...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    EPHRAIM FEEDETH ON WIND, AND FOLLOWETH AFTER THE EAST WIND - The East wind in Palestine, coming from Arabia and the far East, over large tracts of sandy waste, is parching, scorching, destructive to v...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER S 11:12-12:14 THE INDICTMENT _ 1. Ephraim's indictment (Hosea 11:12; Hosea 12:1) _ 2. Remembrance of the past (Hosea 12:3) 3. What Israel had become ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    HOSEA 11:12 TO HOSEA 12:14 (= Hebrews 12:1). EPHRAIM'S INFIDELITY TRACED FROM THE BEGINNING. This is one of the most difficult passages in Hosea. In the text Judah also is mentioned; but this may be d...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    FEEDETH ON WIND. Compare Hosea 8:7. WIND. Hebrew. _ruach._ App-9. FOLLOWETH AFTER. pursueth. DAILY. all the day long DESOLATION. violence. MAKE. COVENANT, &C. Compare Hosea 5:13; H

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _wind … the east wind_ Note the climax; the parching east wind combines the ideas of destructiveness and emptiness. Comp. Job 15:2; Job 27:21, and note on Hosea 13:15. _lies and desolation_ Rather, LI...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _GOD'S CONTROVERSY WITH ISRAEL AND JUDAH -- HOSEA 12:1-4:_ Israel was wasting her time on that which had no spiritual substance. It was like feeding on the wind. It was an "east" wind or a wind off of...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    LIES AND DESOLATIONS— _Perfidiousness and violence._ Houbigant reads the next clause, _They make a covenant with the Assyrians, whilst in the mean time oil is carried into Egypt._ That is, "While they...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    LOVE REBUKING REQUITINGEPHRAIM HAS PROVOKED TEXT: Hosea 12:1-6 1 Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he continually multiplieth lies and desolation; and they make a covenant...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    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. This prophecy was...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    A REPROOF OF COMMERCIAL DISHONESTY The Hebrew text divides the chapter more correctly at this v. The prophet returns to the subject of the unfaithfulness both of Israel and of Judah. They have sought...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    THE MAN WHO NEVER STOPPED LOVING HOSEA _MARK KIRKPATRICK_ CHAPTER 12 V1 There is much that the people of Israel do from morning to night. But it has no worth. They tell lies and they destroy thi...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    XII. (1) EAST WIND. — Comp. Isaiah 27:8 and Job 27:21. On the latter passage Wetzstein remarks: — “This wind is more frequent in winter and early spring, when, if it continues long, the tender vegetat...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    _[Hosea 12:2]_ אֶפְרַ֜יִם רֹעֶ֥ה ר֨וּחַ֙ וְ רֹדֵ֣ף...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    THE FINAL ARGUMENT Hosea 12:1 - Hosea 14:1 THE impassioned call with which the last chapter closed was by no means an assurance of salvation: "How am I to give thee, up, Ephraim? how am I to let thee...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    TURN TO GOD, NOT TO SELFISH GAIN Hosea 11:12; Hosea 12:1-14 Though Judah still ruled with God, Hosea 11:12, yet there was grave fault in him, and, like Ephraim, which had been engaging the prophet's...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    In the second movement Jehovah set the present sin in the light of His present love. The sin of Ephraim and the sin of Judah, if the marginal reading be adopted, are both declared. The sin of Ephraim...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Ephraim feedeth (a) on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and (b) oil is carried into Egypt. (a) That is...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _On. Literally, the wind. (Haydock) --- To trust in men is no less vain. (Worthington) --- Septuagint, "Ephraim is an evil spirit," &c. --- Heat. Hebrew, "eastern or burning wind." (Haydock) --- Manah...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    CONTENTS The subject contained in this Chapter hath respect to Ephraim Judah and Jacob: in it there is a mixture of reproof and commendation. Hosea 12:1 Under the figure of wind is here shown, the...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The rest of the prophecy consists of the indignant appeals of the Holy Spirit to conscience because of the increasing evils of Israel not so much the judgment of God on a grand scale, and His grace at...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    The Prophet here inveighs against the vain hopes of the people, for they were inflated with such arrogance, that they despised all instruction and all admonitions. It was therefore necessary, in the f...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    The Spirit presents another aspect of the relationship of Israel with God. He would punish Ephraim, and the sins of Judah should be remembered. But He reminds them, that there was a time when Jacob co...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    EPHRAIM FEEDETH ON WIND,.... Which will be no more profitable and beneficial to him than wind is to a man that opens his mouth, and fills himself with it: the phrase is expressive of labour in vain, a...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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. Ver. 1. _Ephraim fe...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Ephraim feedeth on wind_ Flatters himself with vain, delusive hopes, of receiving effectual support from the alliances which he forms. It is a proverbial expression to signify labour in vain, or purs...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE LORD'S ACCUSATION...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Ephraim feedeth on wind, striving after vain and empty things, AND FOLLOWETH AFTER THE EAST WIND, a hot wind coming up from the Arabian Desert, scorching everything with which it comes into contact; H...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-6 Ephraim feeds himself with vain hopes of help from man, when he is at enmity with God. The Jews vainly thought to secure the Egyptians by a present of the produce of their country. Judah is conte...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    HOSEA CHAPTER 12 Ephraim and Judah are both reproved, HOSEA 12:1,2. In consideration of God's former favours to Jacob they are exhorted to repent, HOSEA 12:3. Ephraim's sins and ingratitude provoke Go...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Hosea 12:1 Ephraim H669 feeds H7462 (H8802) wind H7307 pursues H7291 (H8802) wind H6921 daily H3117 increases...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Jehovah's response, continued. Further reproof of Israel's sins. CHARACTERS: God. CONCLUSION: Those who make creatures and things their confidence, put a cheat upon their own souls, and pr...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Hosea 12:4. _He found him in Bethel._ Christ, the angel, the mystical angel, or the Angel the Word, as St. Clemens of Alexandria calls him: so indeed do all the orthodox fathers. The church knows of n...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies and desolation._ THE EAST WIND IN PALESTINE Coming from Arabia and the far East, over large tracts of sandy waste...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.] Hosea 12:1. Feed] To eat or graze. WIND] What is empty and vain; to hunt after nothing, labour in vain. EAST] A fierce and destructive wind, oppressive and violent (Job 27:21); figur...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION In Hosea 12:1 God continues his complaint against Ephraim, charging them specially with the pursuit of vain and futile courses to their great detriment. Instead of repairing to the true and...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Ephraim feeds on the wind, and follows after the east wind: he daily increases lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians (Hsa Hosea 12:1), They tried to escape the destructi...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    2 Kings 15:19; 2 Kings 17:4; Hosea 11:12; Hosea 5:13; Hosea 8:7;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Feedeth on wind — It is a proverbial speech; denoting his supporting himself with hopes, as unfit to sustain him as the wind is to feed us. Increaseth lies — By making new leagues, and fortifying hims...

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