New International Version
Hosea 12:1
1Ephraim 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.
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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- 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; he pursues the east wind all day and multiplies lies and violence. He makes a treaty with Assyria and sends olive oil to Egypt. 2The Lord has a charge to bring against Judah; he will punish Jacob according to his ways and repay him according to his deeds. 3In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel; as a man he struggled 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 8:7“They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. The stalk has no head; it will produce no flour. Were it to yield grain, foreigners would swallow it up.
- Job 15:2“Would a wise person answer with empty notions or fill their belly with the hot east wind?
- Jeremiah 22:22The wind will drive all your shepherds away, and your allies will go into exile. Then you will be ashamed and disgraced because of all your wickedness.
- Hosea 11:12Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, Israel with deceit. And Judah is unruly against God, even against the faithful Holy One.
- Hosea 5:13“When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his sores, then Ephraim turned to Assyria, and sent to the great king for help. But he is not able to cure you, not able to heal your sores.
- 2 Kings 15:19Then Pul king of Assyria invaded the land, and Menahem gave him a thousand talents of silver to gain his support and strengthen his own hold on the kingdom.
- 2 Kings 17:4But the king of Assyria discovered that Hoshea was a traitor, for he had sent envoys to So king of Egypt, and he no longer paid tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year. Therefore Shalmaneser seized him and put him in prison.
- Isaiah 30:6A prophecy concerning the animals of the Negev: Through a land of hardship and distress, of lions and lionesses, of adders and darting snakes, the envoys carry their riches on donkeys’ backs, their treasures on the humps of camels, to that unprofitable nation,
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
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