English Standard Version
Hosea 12:3
3In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his manhood he strove with God.
Hosea 12:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God:
- New International Version (NIV)In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel; as a man he struggled with God.
- New King James Version (NKJV)He took his brother by the heel in the womb, And in his strength he struggled with God.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Even in the womb, Jacob struggled with his brother; when he became a man, he even fought with God.
Context of Hosea 12:3
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. 2The Lord has an indictment against Judah and will punish Jacob according to his ways; he will repay him according to his deeds. In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his manhood he strove with God. 4He strove with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought his favor. He met God at Bethel, and there God spoke with us— 5the Lord, the God of hosts, the Lord is his memorial name:
Read all of Hosea 12Hosea 12:3 word by word
בַּבֶּ֖טֶן עָקַ֣ב אֶת־אָחִ֑יו וּבְאוֹנ֖וֹ שָׂרָ֥ה אֶת־אֱלֹהִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Hosea 12:3
- Genesis 25:26Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau's heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
- Romans 9:11though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—
- Genesis 32:24And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day.
- James 5:16Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
Commentaries on Hosea 12:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3He took his brother by the heel - See on Genesis 25:26; (note); Genesis 32:24; (note), etc.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3He took his brother by the heel in the womb - Whether or no the act of Jacob was beyond the strength, ordinarily given to infants in the womb, the meaning of the act was beyond man‘s wisdom to declare. Whence the Jews paraphrased, “Was it not predicted of your lather Jacob, before he was born, that he should become greater than his brother?” Yet this was not fulfilled until more than 500 years afterward, nor completely until the time of David. These gifts…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3he grasped his brother’s heel (literally he supplanted his brother): The Hebrew verb ‘aqab is the root of Jacob's name. Even before birth, Jacob lived up to his name by supplanting his brother Esau (Genesis 25:26). As an adult, Jacob even fought with God (see Genesis 32:22–30) and was renamed “Israel,” meaning “God fights.”Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. He--Jacob, contrasted with his degenerate descendants, called by his name, Jacob (Ho 12:2; compare Mi 2:7). He took Esau by the heel in the womb in order to obtain, if possible, the privileges of the first-born (Ge 25:22-26), whence he took his name, Jacob, meaning "supplanter"; and again, by his strength, prevailed in wrestling with God for a blessing (Ge 32:24-29); whereas ye disregard My promises, putting your confidence in idols and foreign…Read the comment
Topics related to Hosea 12:3
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
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Commentaries