English Standard Version
Hosea 12:1
1Ephraim feeds on the wind and pursues the east wind all day long; they multiply falsehood and violence; they make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried to Egypt.
Hosea 12:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)Ephraim feeds on the wind; he pursues the east wind all day and multiplies lies and violence. He makes a treaty with Assyria and sends olive oil to Egypt.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Ephraim feeds on the wind, And pursues the east wind; He daily increases lies and desolation. Also they make a covenant with the Assyrians, And oil is carried to Egypt.
- New Living Translation (NLT)The people of Israel feed on the wind; they chase after the east wind all day long. They pile up lies and violence; they are making an alliance with Assyria while sending olive oil to buy support from Egypt.
Context of Hosea 12:1
Ephraim feeds on the wind and pursues the east wind all day long; they multiply falsehood and violence; they make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried to Egypt. 2The Lord has an indictment against Judah and will punish Jacob according to his ways; he will repay him according to his deeds. 3In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his manhood he strove with God.
Read all of Hosea 12Hosea 12:1 word by word
אֶפְרַ֜יִם רֹעֶ֥ה ר֙וּחַ֙ וְרֹדֵ֣ף קָדִ֔ים כָּל־הַיּ֕וֹם כָּזָ֥ב וָשֹׁ֖ד יַרְבֶּ֑ה וּבְרִית֙ עִם־אַשּׁ֣וּר יִכְרֹ֔תוּ וְשֶׁ֖מֶן לְמִצְרַ֥יִם יוּבָֽל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Ephraimאֶפְרַ֫יִם'ephrayim · EphraimH669
- feedethרָעָהrâ‛âh · to pastureH7462
- on windרוּחַrûach · spirit: breathH7307
- and followethרָדַףrâdaph · to pursueH7291
- after the east windקָדִיםqâdîym qâdim · eastH6921
- he dailyיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- increasethרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
- liesכָּזָבkâzâb · lieH3577
- and desolationשֹׁדshôd shôd · violenceH7701
- and they do makeכָּרַתkârath · to cut: make(covenant)H3772
- a covenantבְּרִיתberîyth · covenantH1285
- with the Assyriansאַשּׁוּר'ashshûr 'ashshûr · AssyriaH804
- and oilשֶׁ֫מֶןshemen · oilH8081
- is carriedיָבַלyâbal · to conductH2986
- into Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
Cross-references for Hosea 12:1
- Hosea 8:7For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads; it shall yield no flour; if it were to yield, strangers would devour it.
- Job 15:2"Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?
- Jeremiah 22:22The wind shall shepherd all your shepherds, and your lovers shall go into captivity; then you will be ashamed and confounded because of all your evil.
- Hosea 11:12Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit, but Judah still walks with God and is faithful to the Holy One.
- Hosea 5:13When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria, and sent to the great king. But he is not able to cure you or heal your wound.
- 2 Kings 15:19Pul the king of Assyria came against the land, and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that he might help him to confirm his hold on the royal power.
- 2 Kings 17:4But the king of Assyria found treachery in Hoshea, for he had sent messengers to So, king of Egypt, and offered no tribute 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.
- Isaiah 30:6An oracle on the beasts of the Negeb. Through a land of trouble and anguish, from where come the lioness and the lion, the adder and the flying fiery serpent, they carry their riches on the backs of donkeys, and their treasures on the humps of camels, to a people that cannot profit them.
Commentaries on Hosea 12:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Ephraim 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.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Ephraim 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 vegetation, oppressive to man, violent and destructive on the sea Psalm 48:7, and, by land also, having the force of the whirlwind (Job 27:21; see Jeremiah 18:17). “The East wind carrieth him away and he departeth, and as a whirlwind hurleth him out of his…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Judah and Israel reminded of the Divine favours. (Hos. 12:1-6) The provocations of Israel. (Hos. 12:7-14) Verses 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 contended with also. God sees the sin of his own people, and will reckon with them for it. They are put in mind of what Jacob did, and what God did for…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1a covenant with Assyria: To save his land, Hoshea became a vassal of King Shalmaneser of Assyria (2 Kings 17:3). Hoshea soon rebelled against Shalmaneser by withholding tribute and sought support from King So of Egypt (2 Kings 17:4). east wind: See study note on Job 38:24–27.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-14This 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…Read the comment
Topics related to Hosea 12:1
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries