Hosea 12:7

‘A trafficker (a Canaanite), the balances of deceit are in his hand, he loves to oppress.'

But Hosea had no illusions about what Israel really were at that time, and he adds the terse comment above, which was a reminder to them of the sins that they must deal with. It indicated that they were unscrupulous dealers, carrying and using false weights, and filled with oppression. They got their way by deceit and bullying, rather than by covenant love (which is totally true and honest) and justice. The stark contrast between Hosea 12:6 and Hosea 12:7 is deliberate. He wants them to be in no doubt concerning the truth about themselves (compare Isaiah's ‘we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy (menstrual, and therefore totally ‘unclean' and abhorrent) rags' - Isaiah 64:6).

There is a double entendre here for the word for ‘trafficker' also means ‘Canaan' or ‘Canaanite'. They were not only dishonest traffickers but had also proved themselves to be perverted Canaanites at heart, that is, to have Canaan in their hearts.