Passage

Hosea 12

Book: Hosea · NASB95

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"1. 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. 2. Jehovah hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him. 3. In the womb he took his brother by the heel; and in his manhood he had power with God: 4. yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him at Beth-el, and there he spake with us, 5. even Jehovah, the God of hosts; Jehovah is his memorial name. 6. Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep kindness and justice, and wait for thy God continually. 7. He is a trafficker, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress. 8. And Ephraim said, Surely I am become rich, I have found me wealth: in all my labors they shall find in me no iniquity that were sin. 9. But I am Jehovah thy God from the land of Egypt; I will yet again make thee to dwell in tents, as in the days of the solemn feast. 10. I have also spoken unto the prophets, and I have multiplied visions; and by the ministry of the prophets have I used similitudes. 11. Is Gilead iniquity? they are altogether false; in Gilgal they sacrifice bullocks; yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the field. 12. And Jacob fled into the field of Aram, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep. 13. And by a prophet Jehovah brought Israel up out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved. 14. Ephraim hath provoked to anger most bitterly: therefore shall his blood be left upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him." (Hosea 12:1-14, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"1. 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. 2. Yahweh also has a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his deeds he will repay him. 3. In the womb he took his brother by the heel; and in his manhood he contended with God. 4. Indeed, he struggled with the angel, and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication to him. He found him at Bethel, and there he spoke with us, 5. even Yahweh, the God of Armies; Yahweh is his name of renown! 6. Therefore turn to your God. Keep kindness and justice, and wait continually for your God. 7. A merchant has dishonest scales in his hand. He loves to defraud. 8. Ephraim said, “Surely I have become rich, I have found myself wealth. In all my wealth they won’t find in me any iniquity that is sin.” 9. “But I am Yahweh your God from the land of Egypt. I will yet again make you dwell in tents, as in the days of the solemn feast. 10. I have also spoken to the prophets, and I have multiplied visions; and by the ministry of the prophets I have used parables. 11. If Gilead is wicked, surely they are worthless. In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls. Indeed, their altars are like heaps in the furrows of the field. 12. Jacob fled into the country of Aram, and Israel served to get a wife, and for a wife he tended flocks and herds. 13. By a prophet Yahweh brought Israel up out of Egypt, and by a prophet he was preserved. 14. Ephraim has bitterly provoked anger. Therefore his blood will be left on him, and his Lord will repay his contempt." (Hosea 12:1-14, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"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. 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. ^{punish: Heb. visit upon} 3. He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God: ^{had: Heb. was a prince, or, behaved himself princely} 4. 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; 5. Even the LORD God of hosts; the LORD is his memorial. 6. Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually. 7. He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress. ^{a merchant: or, Canaan} ^{oppress: or, deceive} 8. And 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. ^{in all: or, all my labours suffice me not: he shall have punishment of iniquity in whom is sin} ^{that: Heb. which} 9. And 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. 10. I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets. ^{ministry: Heb. hand} 11. Is 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. 12. And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep. 13. And by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved. 14. Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly: therefore shall he leave his blood upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him. ^{most: Heb. with bitternesses} ^{blood: Heb. bloods}" (Hosea 12:1-14, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"1. 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. 2. And a controversy hath Jehovah with Judah, To lay a charge on Jacob according to his ways, According to his doings He returneth to him. 3. In the womb he took his brother by the heel, And by his strength he was a prince with God, 4. Yea, he is a prince unto the Messenger, And he overcometh [by] weeping, And he maketh supplication to Him, At Bethel He doth find him, And there He doth speak with us, 5. Even Jehovah, God of the Hosts, Jehovah [is] His memorial. 6. And thou, through thy God, dost turn, Kindness and judgment keep thou, And wait on thy God continually. 7. Canaan! in his hand [are] balances of deceit! To oppress he hath loved. 8. And Ephraim saith: 'Surely I have become rich, I have found wealth for myself, All my labours, they find not against me iniquity that [is] sin.' 9. And I, Jehovah thy God from the land of Egypt, Again do I turn thee back into tents, As in the days of the appointed time. 10. And I have spoken unto the prophets, And I have multiplied vision, And by the hand of the prophets I use similes. 11. Surely Gilead [is] iniquity, Only, vanity they have been, In Gilead bullocks they have sacrificed, Also their altars [are] as heaps, on the furrows of a field. 12. And Jacob doth flee to the country of Aram, And Israel doth serve for a wife, Yea, for a wife he hath kept watch. 13. And by a prophet hath Jehovah brought up Israel out of Egypt, And by a prophet it hath been watched. 14. Ephraim hath provoked most bitterly, And his blood on himself he leaveth, And his reproach turn back to him doth his Lord!" (Hosea 12:1-14, YLT)

Setting

Speaker: TBD
Audience: TBD
Location: TBD
Time period: TBD

Theological reading

Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added.

Key words

Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap.

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Quoted in

Cumulative Case for the Deity of Christ

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.