Hosea 12:8

Hosea 12:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)Ephraim boasts, “I am very rich; I have become wealthy. With all my wealth they will not find in me any iniquity or sin.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Ephraim has said, "Ah, but I am rich; I have found wealth for myself; in all my labors they cannot find in me iniquity or sin."
• New King James Version (NKJV)And Ephraim said, ‘Surely I have become rich, I have found wealth for myself; In all my labors They shall find in me no iniquity that is sin.’

Context of Hosea 12:8

6But you must return to your God. Maintain love and justice, and always put your hope in God. 7A merchant loves to extort with dishonest scales in his hands. But Ephraim thinks, “How rich I have become; I made it all myself. In all my earnings, no one can find any iniquity in me that I can be punished for!” 9I have been the Lord your God ever since the land of Egypt. I will make you live in tents again, as in the festival days. 10I will speak through the prophets and grant many visions; I will give parables through the prophets.

Hosea 12:8 word by word

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֶפְרַ֔יִם אַ֣ךְ עָשַׁ֔רְתִּי מָצָ֥אתִי א֖וֹן לִ֑י כָּל־יְגִיעַ֕י לֹ֥א יִמְצְאוּ־לִ֖י עָוֹ֥ן אֲשֶׁר־חֵֽטְא׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Ephraimאֶפְרַ֫יִם'ephrayim · EphraimH669
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Yet I am become richעָשַׁר‛âshar · to enrichH6238
• I have found me outמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• substanceאוֹן'ôn · strengthH202
• all my laboursיְגִיעַyegîya‛ · toilH3018
• none iniquityעָוֺן‛âvôn ‛âvôn · iniquity: crimeH5771
• sinחֵטְאchêţ' · sinH2399

Cross-references for Hosea 12:8

• Job 31:24If I placed my confidence in gold or called fine gold my trust,
• Psalms 49:6They trust in their wealth and boast of their abundant riches.
• Psalms 52:7“Here is the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, taking refuge in his destructive behavior.”
• Psalms 62:10Place no trust in oppression or false hope in robbery. If wealth increases, don’t set your heart on it.
• Zechariah 11:5Those who buy them slaughter them but are not punished. Those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the Lord because I have become rich!’ Even their own shepherds have no compassion for them.
• Luke 12:19Then I’ll say to myself, “You have many goods stored up for many years. Take it easy; eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.”’
• Luke 16:13No servant can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
• 1 Timothy 6:5and constant disagreement among people whose minds are depraved and deprived of the truth, who imagine that godliness is a way to material gain.
• Revelation 3:17For you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’ and you don’t realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.
• Deuteronomy 8:17You may say to yourself, ‘My power and my own ability have gained this wealth for me,’
• Isaiah 10:13For he said: I have done this by my own strength and wisdom, for I am clever. I abolished the borders of nations and plundered their treasures; like a mighty warrior, I subjugated the inhabitants.
• Habakkuk 1:16That is why they sacrifice to their dragnet and burn incense to their fishing net, for by these things their portion is rich and their food plentiful.
• Habakkuk 2:5Moreover, wine betrays; an arrogant man is never at rest. He enlarges his appetite like Sheol, and like Death he is never satisfied. He gathers all the nations to himself; he collects all the peoples for himself.
• Proverbs 30:12There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not washed from its filth.
• Jeremiah 2:23How can you protest, “I am not defiled; I have not followed the Baals”? Look at your behavior in the valley; acknowledge what you have done. You are a swift young camel twisting and turning on her way,
• Malachi 2:17You have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet you ask, “How have we wearied him?” When you say, “Everyone who does what is evil is good in the Lord’s sight, and he is delighted with them, or else where is the God of justice?”

Commentaries on Hosea 12:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8I am become rich - They boasted in their riches, notwithstanding the unjust manner in which they were acquired. In all my labors they shall find none iniquity in me - This is frequently the language of merchants, tradesmen, etc. None are so full of professions of equity and justice, while all the time they are endeavoring to overreach, both in buying and selling. "Sir, I cannot afford it at that price." "It is not mine for that money." "I assure you that…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8And Ephraim said, Yet am I become rich - Literally, “I am simply rich.” As if he said, “the only result of all this, with which the prophets charge me, is that I am become rich:‘ and since God thus prospers me, it is a sure proof that he is not displeased with me, that no iniquity‘ can be found in me;‘” the ordinary practical argument of men, as long as God withholds His punishments, that their ways cannot be so displeasing to Him. With the people of this…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-14Verses 7-14 Ephraim became a merchant: the word also signifies a Canaanite. They carried on trade upon Canaanitish principles, covetously and with fraud and deceit. Thus they became rich, and falsely supposed that Providence favoured them. But shameful sins shall have shameful punishments. Let them remember, not only what a mighty prince Jacob was with God, but what a servant he was to Laban. The benefits we have had from the word of God, make our sin and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-8During the reign of Jeroboam II (793–753 BC), Israelite merchants became very wealthy. They often used deceitful business practices like dishonest scales (see Amos 8:5–6). The Hebrew term for merchants is kena‘an (“Canaan”). Canaanite traders were known in the ancient world for their crafty dealings. The Israelites imitated their pagan neighbors in both religion and commerce.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. 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…Read the comment

Topics related to Hosea 12:8

• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• Measure
• Riches
• Self-Delusion
• Self-Righteousness

In the dictionaries

• Ephraim
• Ephraim, Ephraimite
• Commerce
• Hosea
• Zechariah, Book of

Commentaries on Hosea 12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings