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

6So now, come back to your God. Act with love and justice, and always depend on him. 7But no, the people are like crafty merchants selling from dishonest scales— they love to cheat. Israel boasts, “I am rich! I’ve made a fortune all by myself! No one has caught me cheating! My record is spotless!” 9“But I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from slavery in Egypt. And I will make you live in tents again, as you do each year at the Festival of Shelters. 10I sent my prophets to warn you with many visions and parables.”

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 31:24“Have I put my trust in money or felt secure because of my gold?
• Psalms 49:6They trust in their wealth and boast of great riches.
• Psalms 52:7“Look what happens to mighty warriors who do not trust in God. They trust their wealth instead and grow more and more bold in their wickedness.”
• Psalms 62:10Don’t make your living by extortion or put your hope in stealing. And if your wealth increases, don’t make it the center of your life.
• Zechariah 11:5The buyers slaughter their sheep without remorse. The sellers say, ‘Praise the Lord! Now I’m rich!’ Even the shepherds have no compassion for them.
• Luke 12:19And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’
• Luke 16:13“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”
• 1 Timothy 6:5These people always cause trouble. Their minds are corrupt, and they have turned their backs on the truth. To them, a show of godliness is just a way to become wealthy.
• Revelation 3:17You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.
• Deuteronomy 8:17He did all this so you would never say to yourself, ‘I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.’
• Isaiah 10:13He boasts, “By my own powerful arm I have done this. With my own shrewd wisdom I planned it. I have broken down the defenses of nations and carried off their treasures. I have knocked down their kings like a bull.
• Habakkuk 1:16Then they will worship their nets and burn incense in front of them. “These nets are the gods who have made us rich!” they will claim.
• Habakkuk 2:5Wealth is treacherous, and the arrogant are never at rest. They open their mouths as wide as the grave, and like death, they are never satisfied. In their greed they have gathered up many nations and swallowed many peoples.
• Proverbs 30:12They are pure in their own eyes, but they are filthy and unwashed.
• Jeremiah 2:23“You say, ‘That’s not true! I haven’t worshiped the images of Baal!’ But how can you say that? Go and look in any valley in the land! Face the awful sins you have done. You are like a restless female camel desperately searching for a mate.
• Malachi 2:17You have wearied the Lord with your words. “How have we wearied him?” you ask. You have wearied him by saying that all who do evil are good in the Lord’s sight, and he is pleased with them. You have wearied him by asking, “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