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Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

Hosea 12:4

the Angel. Defined in Hosea 12:5.

prevailed. He (the Angel) overcame him (Jacob). See notes on Genesis 32:28. Hence the change of Jacob's name to "Israel". God commands.

he wept: i.e. Jacob. This is the Figure of speech Hysteresis (App-6), by which former histories are supplemented by later Divine inspiration.

He found him: i.e. God found Jacob in Beth-el. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 28:17; Genesis 28:19). Note the implied contrast, Beth-el being now the seat of idolatry.

He spake. Jehovah spake. See next verse.

with us. Aquila, Symmachus, Theodotion, and Syriac read "with him".

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See also Hosea 12:4 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Hosea 12:4. _HE HAD POWER OVER THE ANGEL_] Who represented the invisible Jehovah. _HE WEPT, AND MADE SUPPLICATION_] He entreated with tears that God would bless him; and he _prevailed_. The cir...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    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...

  • 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...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _he had power over_ Rather, HE CONTENDED WITH. _he wept_, &c. (The subject is Jacob, not the angel.) This feature is not given in Genesis 32; it is however well adapted to the hortatory object of Hos...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Two episodes (for a third, see Hosea 12:12) in the history of Jacob are applied to the spiritual wants of his descendants. Jacob in the very womb seemed ambitious of the blessing, and when a grown man...

  • 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...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 1172 JACOB WRESTLING WITH THE ANGEL Hosea 12:3; Hosea 12:6. _By his strength he had power with God: yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept and made supplication unto him....

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    YEA, HE HAD POWER OVER THE ANGEL, &C.— Concerning this translation, see the notes on Genesis 32. Houbigant reads the last clause of the verse, _And there he spake with him: even Jehovah God of Hosts,_...

  • 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

    Yea, 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; YEA, HE HAD POWER OVER THE ANGEL - the uncreated "ange...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    HE WEPT] Not mentioned in Genesis 32:25. HE FOUND HIM] the subject is Jehovah. IN BETH-EL] The reference is probably to Jacob's dream (Genesis 28:10). WITH US] Hosea here regards God's promises to Jac...

  • 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

    HAD POWER. — Should be, _strove._ Prayers and tears were the weapons used in the memorable struggle for pardon, reconciliation, peace in the self-conquest as well as the God-conquest which was achieve...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    _[Hosea 12:5]_ וָ יָּ֤שַׂר אֶל ־מַלְאָךְ֙ וַ...

  • 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

    Yea, he had (e) power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: (f) he found him [in] Bethel, and there he spake with us; (e) Read (Genesis 32:24). (f) God found Jacob a...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Wept. Septuagint, "they wept, and besought me." Other interpreters agree with the Vulgate. --- Us. By changing a vowel point, in Hebrew, it might be, "He spoke to him." (Cap.[Cappel?;] Grotius) --- Th...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    We have here the most honorable testimony of the Patriarch Jacob, in the record God the Holy Ghost hath been pleased to give of his conduct at Bethel in that memorable night, when expecting the furiou...

  • 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

    And since this was especially worthy of being remembered, he repeats, that _he had power with the angel, and prevailed_. But we have already said how Jacob prevailed not indeed of himself, but because...

  • 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

    YEA, HE HAD POWER OVER THE ANGEL, AND PREVAILED,.... This is repeated in different words, not only for the confirmation of it, it being a very extraordinary thing, and difficult of belief; but to dire...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Yea, 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; Ver. 4. _Yea, he had power over the angel_] That Angel...

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

    _He had power over the angel_ Called God, Hosea 12:3, and Jehovah, God of hosts, Hosea 12:5, namely, God by nature and essence, and an angel by office and voluntary undertaking. _He wept and made supp...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE LORD'S ACCUSATION...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    yea, he had power over the Angel, who is thus identified with God, and the ancient conception of Him as the Angel of the Lord, the revelation of the Son of God in the Old Testament, is correct, AND PR...

  • 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

    HE; your famous progenitor of whom you boast. HAD POWER; behaved himself as a prince with God, GENESIS 32:28. OVER; with: the angel was willing to be conquered, or Jacob could not have gotten the vict...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Hosea 12:4 struggled H7786 (H8799) Angel H4397 prevailed H3201 (H8799) wept H1058 (H8804) favor H2603 ...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    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 RESTORATIO...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his manhood he had power with God, yes, he had power over the angel, and prevailed. He wept, and made supplication to him. He found him at Beth-el,...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    YHWH MAKES A FURTHER APPEAL TO EPHRAIM AND JUDAH ON THE BASIS OF WHAT THEIR ANCESTOR JACOB DID (HOSEA 12:1). Having first stressed Ephraim's total folly and unacceptable deceitfulness, and the fact th...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    ANGEL (_ See Scofield) - (Hebrews 1:4). _...

  • 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

    _And by his strength he had power with God._ WRESTLING JACOB This story has a strange fascination for most Bible readers, due, in part, to the vividness with which it is told; in part, to the deep sp...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    HOSEA—NOTE ON HOSEA 12:2 Hosea recounts incidents from Israel’s past in order to display the Lord’s enduring kindness and Israel’s stubborn ingratitude. ⇐...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    HOSEA—NOTE ON HOSEA 12:3 HE STROVE WITH THE ANGEL AND PREVAILED at Peniel (Genesis 32:24). There the angel touched Jacob’s hip socket and put it out of joint. That div

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.] Hosea 12:3.] Jacob was their forefather; they should imitate his good, not his bad qualities. They are descendants, but their ways contrast with his (Micah 2:7). He secured the birth...

  • 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

    1 Thessalonians 4:17; Acts 7:30; Exodus 3:2; Genesis 28:11;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    The angel — Called Hosea 12:3, God; and Hosea 12:5, Jehovah, Lord of hosts. He was no created angel, but the Messiah; eternal God by nature and essence, angel by office, and voluntary undertaking. He...

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