Hosea 12:1

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. 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 ). He exhorts them to follow their father Jacob's persevering prayerfulness, which brought God's favour upon him. Since God is unchangeable, He will show the same favour to Jacob's posterity as He did to Jacob, if like him they seek God. EPHRAIM FEEDETH ON WIND - (, "The mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness;" ). Followeth after vain objects, such as alliances with idolaters and thei...

The Prophet here inveighs against the vain hopes of the people, for they were inflated with such arrogance, that they despised all instruction and all admonitions. It was therefore necessary, in the first place, to correct this vice, and hence he says, _Ephraim feeds on wind _For when one gulps the wind, he seems indeed to fill his mouth, and his throat, and his chest, and his whole stomach; but there is nothing but air, no nourishment. So he says that Israel entertained indeed much confidence in their crafty ways, but it was to feed only on the wind. They dreamt that they were happy, when they secured confederacies, when they had both the Assyrians and the Egyptians as their associates. They are only blasts, says the Prophet; nay, he says, they are noxious blasts; for by the _East _he understands the east wind, which blows from the rising of the sun; and this, as they say, is in Judea a...

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 him. When his faith upon the Divine promise prevailed above his fears, then by his strength he had power with God. He is Jehovah, the same that was, and is, and is to come. What was a revelation of God to one, is his memorial to many, to all generations. Then let those who have gone from God, be turned to him. Turn thou to the Lord, by repentance and faith, as thy God. Let those that are converted to him, walk with him in all holy conversation and godliness. Let us wrestle with Him for promised blessings, determined not to give over till we prevail...

CHAPTER XII _The prophet, in very pointed terms, describes the_ _unprofitableness and destruction attending vicious courses;_ _particularly such as Ephraim pursued, who forsook God, and_ _courted the alliance of idolatrous princes_, 1. _Judah is also reproved_, 2. _He is reminded of the extraordinary favour of God to his father_ _Jacob, in giving him the birthright; and exhorted, after his_ _example, to wrestle with God (the Angel of the covenant, the_ _same unchangeable Jehovah) for a blessing; and to love mercy_ and execute j

EPHRAIM 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 Psalms 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 place.” In leaving God and following idols, Ephraim “fed on” what is unsatisfying, and chased after what is destructive. If a hungry man were to “feed on wind,” it would be light food. If a man could overtake the East wind, it were his destruction. :

EXPOSITION In Hosea 12:1 God continues his complaint against Ephraim, charging them specially with the pursuit of vain and futile courses to their great detriment. Instead of repairing to the true and everlasting source of safety and salvation, they had recourse to foreign alliances to support and strengthen their decaying state and sinking interests. And yet the only staying power was Jehovah. The controversy now embraces Judah also; and thus Jacob—both Israel and Judah—is threatened with such punishment as their doings deserved. The mention of their great ancestor Jacob naturally suggests a contrast; while his conduct is proposed to them for an example. They are accordingly invited to follow in his footsteps, imitate the piety and wisdom of his course, and so entertain good hope of similar success from the unchanging and unchangeable God of their pious ancestor....

EPHRAIM FEEDETH ON WIND,.... Which will be no more profitable and beneficial to him than wind is to a man that opens his mouth, and fills himself with it: the phrase is expressive of labour in vain, and of a man's getting nothing by all the pains he takes; the same with sowing the wind, and reaping the whirlwind, Hosea 8:7; and so the Targum has it here, "the house of Israel are like to one that sows the wind, and reaps the whirlwind all the day;'' and this refers either to the worship of idols, and the calves in particular, and the vain hope of good things promised to themselves from thence; or to their vain confidence in the alliances and confederacies they entered into with neighbouring nations; from which they expected much, but found little: AND FOLLOWED AFTER THE EAST WIND; a wind strong and vehement, burning and blasting, very noxious and harmful;

CHAPTER S 11:12-12:14 THE INDICTMENT _ 1. Ephraim's indictment (Hosea 11:12; Hosea 12:1) _ 2. Remembrance of the past (Hosea 12:3) 3. What Israel had become (Hosea 12:7) Chapter 11:12-12:2. Lying and deceit had been Ephraim's course towards Jehovah; instead of trusting Him and following Him faithfully they had attached themselves to idols, while Judah still outwardly cleaved to Jehovah, though it was in a rambling way. The word translated “ruleth” means rambling. The better rendering of the sentence is “and Judah is also rambling towards God (or unbridled against Him) and towards the faithful Holy One.” But while ou

HOSEA 11:12 TO HOSEA 12:14 (= Hebrews 12:1). EPHRAIM'S INFIDELITY TRACED FROM THE BEGINNING. This is one of the most difficult passages in Hosea. In the text Judah also is mentioned; but this may be due to a later hand. Hosea 12:4 f., Hosea 12:12 f. are probably additions. The chapter-division is wrong in EV and right in the Heb. Israel's sins of treason and deceit as it were surround Yahweh (nor has Judah been faithful). Ephraim loves (see note) wind, symbol of worthlessness and violence, heaps up falsehood and fraud, and faithlessly enters into covenant

FEEDETH ON WIND. Compare Hosea 8:7. WIND. Hebrew. _ruach._ App-9. FOLLOWETH AFTER. pursueth. DAILY. all the day long DESOLATION. violence. MAKE. COVENANT, &C. Compare Hosea 5:13; Hosea 7:11. OIL IS CARRIED, &C. As. present, to obtain favour and help. Compare Hosea 5:13.Isaiah 30:2; Isaiah 57:9. See 2 Kings 17:4....