Bibelkommentare

Ho 12:1-14.

REPROOF OF EPHRAIM AND JUDAH: THEIR FATHER JACOB OUGHT TO BE A PATTERN TO THEM.

This 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; Isa 44:20).

Followeth after vain objects, such as alliances with idolaters and their idols (compare

Ho 8:7).

east wind--the simoon, blowing from the desert east of Palestine, which not only does not benefit, but does injury. Israel follows not only things vain, but things pernicious (compare

Job 15:2).

increaseth lies--accumulates lie upon lie, that is, impostures wherewith they deceive themselves, forsaking the truth of God.

desolation--violent oppressions practised by Israel [MAURER]. Acts which would prove the cause of Israel's own desolation [CALVIN].

covenant with . . . Assyrians--

(Ho 5:13; 7:11).

oil . . . into Egypt--as a present from Israel to secure Egypt's alliance

(Isa 30:6; 57:9;

compare

2Ki 17:4).

Palestine was famed for oil

(Eze 27:17).

2. controversy with Judah--

(Ho 4:1; Mic 6:2).

Judah, under Ahaz, had fallen into idolatry

(2Ki 16:3,

&c.).

Jacob--that is, the ten tribes. If Judah, the favored portion of the nation, shall not be spared, much less degenerate Israel.

3. He--Jacob, contrasted with his degenerate descendants, called by his name, Jacob

(Ho 12:2;

compare

Mic 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 alliances. He conquered God, ye are the slaves of idols. Only have Jehovah on your side, and ye are stronger than Edom, or even Assyria. So the spiritual Israel lays hold of the heel of Jesus, "the First-born of many brethren," being born again of the Holy Spirit. Having no right in themselves to the inheritance, they lay hold of the bruised heel, the humanity of Christ crucified, and let not go their hold of Him who is not, as Esau, a curse

(Heb 12:16, 17),

but, by becoming a curse for us, is a blessing to us.

power with God--referring to his name, "Israel," prince of God, acquired on that occasion (compare

Mt 11:12).

As the promised Canaan had to be gained forcibly by Israel, so heaven by the faithful

(Re 3:21;

compare

Lu 13:24).

"Strive," literally, "as in the agony of a contest." So the Canaanitess

(Mt 15:22).

his strength--which lay in his conscious weakness, whence, when his thigh was put out of joint by God, he hung upon Him. To seek strength was his object; to grant it, God's. Yet God's mode of procedure was strange. In human form He tries as it were to throw Jacob down. When simple wrestling was not enough, He does what seems to ensure Jacob's fall, dislocating his thigh joint, so that he could no longer stand. Yet it was then that Jacob prevailed. Thus God teaches us the irresistible might of conscious weakness. For when weak in ourselves, we are strong by His strength put in us

(Job 23:6; Isa 27:5; 2Co 12:9, 10).

4. the angel--the uncreated Angel of the Covenant, as God the Son appears in the Old Testament

(Mal 3:1).

made supplication--

Ge 32:26:

"I will not let thee go, except thou bless me."

he found him--The angel found Jacob, when he was fleeing from Esau into Syria: the Lord appearing to him "in Beth-el"

(Ge 28:11-19; 35:1).

What a sad contrast, that in this same Beth-el now Israel worships the golden calves!

there he spake with us--"with us," as being in the loins of our progenitor Jacob (compare

Ps 66:6,

"They . . . we;"

Heb 7:9, 10).

What God there spoke to Jacob appertains to us. God's promises to him belong to all his posterity who follow in the steps of his prayerful faith.

5. Lord God--JEHOVAH, a name implying His immutable constancy to His promises. From the Hebrew root, meaning "existence." "He that is, was, and is to be," always the same

(Heb 13:8; Re 1:4, 8;

compare

Ex 3:14, 15; 6:3).

As He was unchangeable in His favor to Jacob, so will He be to His believing posterity.

of hosts--which Israel foolishly worshipped. Jehovah has all the hosts (saba) or powers of heaven and earth at His command, so that He is as all-powerful, as He is faithful, to fulfil His promises

(Ps 135:6; Am 5:27).

memorial--the name expressive of the character in which God was ever to be remembered

(Ps 135:13).

6. thou--who dost wish to be a true descendant of Jacob.

to THY God--who is therefore bound by covenant to hear thy prayers.

keep mercy and judgment--

(Mic 6:8).

These two include the second-table commandments, duty towards one's neighbor, the most visible test of the sincerity on one's repentance.

wait on thy God--alone, not on thy idols. Including all the duties of the first table

(Ps 37:3, 5, 7; 40:1).

7. merchant--a play on the double sense of the Hebrew, "Canaan," that is, a Canaanite and a "merchant"

Eze 16:3:

"Thy birth is . . . of Canaan." They who naturally were descendants of pious Jacob had become virtually Canaanites, who were proverbial as cheating merchants (compare

Isa 23:11,

Margin), the greatest reproach to Israel, who despised Canaan. The Phœnicians called themselves Canaanites or merchants

(Isa 23:8).

oppress--open violence: as the "balances of deceit" imply fraud.

8. 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.

iniquity . . . that were sin--iniquity that would bring down the penalty of sin. Ephraim argues, My success in my labors proves that I am not a guilty sinner as the prophets assert. Thus sinners pervert God's long-suffering goodness

(Mt 5:45)

into a justification of their impenitence (compare

Ec 8:11-13).