God’s Word Translation
Hosea 12:3
3Their ancestor Jacob held on to his brother’s heel while the two of them were in their mother’s womb. When Jacob became a man, he struggled 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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his manhood he strove 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.
Context of Hosea 12:3
1The people of Ephraim try to catch the wind and try to chase the east wind all day. They are very violent and destructive. They make treaties with Assyria and take olive oil to Egypt. 2The Lord brings charges against Judah and punishes Jacob because of the way their people act. He will pay them back for what they have done. Their ancestor Jacob held on to his brother’s heel while the two of them were in their mother’s womb. When Jacob became a man, he struggled with God. 4He struggled with the Messenger and won. Jacob cried and pleaded with him. Jacob found him at Bethel, and he talked with him there. 5The Lord is the God of Armies. The Lord is the name by which he is remembered.
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 25:26Afterwards, his brother was born with his hand holding on to Esau’s heel, and so he was named Jacob [Heel]. Isaac was 60 years old when they were born.
- Romans 9:11Before the children had been born or had done anything good or bad, Rebekah was told that the older child would serve the younger one. This was said to Rebekah so that God’s plan would remain a matter of his choice,
- Genesis 32:24So Jacob was left alone. Then a man wrestled with him until dawn.
- James 5:16So admit your sins to each other, and pray for each other so that you will be healed. Prayers offered by those who have God’s approval are effective.
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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