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Selected Verse: Hosea 12:12 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ho 12:12	Strong Concordance	And Jacob [03290] fled [01272] into the country [07704] of Syria [0758], and Israel [03478] served [05647] for a wife [0802], and for a wife [0802] he kept [08104] sheep.
	King James	And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
Jacob fled . . . served--Though ye pride yourselves on the great name of "Israel," forget not that your progenitor was the same Jacob who was a fugitive, and who served for Rachel fourteen years. He forgot not ME who delivered him when fleeing from Esau, and when oppressed by Laban (Gen 28:5; Gen 29:20, Gen 29:28; Deu 26:5). Ye, though delivered from Egypt (Hos 12:13), and loaded with My favors, are yet unwilling to return to Me. country of Syria--the champaign region of Syria, the portion lying between the Tigris and Euphrates, hence called Mesopotamia. Padan-aram means the same, that is, "Low Syria," as opposed to Aramea (meaning the "high country") or Syria (Gen 48:7).

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

Jacob fled . . . served--Though ye pride yourselves on the great name of "Israel," forget not that your progenitor was the same Jacob who was a fugitive, and who served for Rachel fourteen years. He forgot not ME who delivered him when fleeing from Esau, and when oppressed by Laban (Gen 28:5; Gen 29:20, Gen 29:28; Deu 26:5). Ye, though delivered from Egypt (Hos 12:13), and loaded with My favors, are yet unwilling to return to Me.

country of Syria--the champaign region of Syria, the portion lying between the Tigris and Euphrates, hence called Mesopotamia. Padan-aram means the same, that is, "Low Syria," as opposed to Aramea (meaning the "high country") or Syria (Gen 48:7).

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
And Jacob fled into the country of Syria - Jacob chose poverty and servitude rather than marry an idotatress of Canaan. He knew not from where, except from God's bounty and providence, he should have "bread to eat, or raiment to put on" Gen 28:20; "with his staff alone he passed over Jordan" Gen 32:10. His voluntary poverty, bearing even unjust losses Gen 31:39, and "repaying the things which he never took," reproved their dishonest traffic; his trustfulness in God, their mistrust; his devotedness to God, their alienation from Him, and their devotion to idols. And as the conduct was opposite, so was the result. Ill-gotten riches end in poverty; stable wealth is gained, not by the cupidity of man, but by the good pleasure of God. Jacob, having "become two bands," trusting in God and enriched by God, returned from Syria to the land promised to him by God; Israel, distrusting God and enriching himself, was to return out of the land which the Lord his God had given him, to Assyria, amid the loss of all things.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
This punishment Israel well deserved. Hos 12:12. "And Jacob fled to the fields of Aram; and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife did he keep guard. Hos 12:13. And through a prophet Jehovah brought Israel out of Egypt, and through a prophet was he guarded. Hos 12:14. Ephraim has stirred up bitter wrath; and his Lord will leave his blood upon him, and turn back his shame upon him." In order to show the people still more impressively what great things the Lord had done for them, the prophet recals the flight of Jacob, the tribe-father, to Mesopotamia, and how he was obliged to serve many years there for a wife, and to guard cattle; whereas God had redeemed Israel out of the Egyptian bondage, and had faithfully guarded it through a prophet. The flight of Jacob to Aramaea, and his servitude there, are mentioned not "to give prominence to his zeal for the blessing of the birthright, and his obedience to the commandment of God and his parents" (Cyr., Theod., Th. v. Mops.); nor "to bring out the double servitude of Israel - the first the one which the people had to endure in their forefather, the second the one which they had to endure themselves in Egypt" (Umbreit); nor "to lay stress upon the manifestation of the divine care towards Jacob as well as towards the people of Israel" (Ewald); for there is nothing at all about this in Hos 12:12. The words point simply to the distress and affliction which Jacob had to endure, according to Genesis 29-31, as Calvin has correctly interpreted them. "Their father Jacob," he says, "who was he? what was his condition?... He was a fugitive from his country. Even if he had always lived at home, his father was only a stranger in the land. But he was compelled to flee into Syria. And how splendidly did he live there? He was with his uncle, no doubt, but he was treated quite as meanly as any common slave: he served for a wife. And how did he serve? He was the man who tended the cattle." Shâmar, the tending of cattle, was one of the hardest and lowest descriptions of servitude (cf. Gen 30:31; Gen 31:40; Sa1 17:20). Sedēh 'ărâm (the field of Aram) is no doubt simply the Hebrew rendering of the Aramaean Paddan-'ărâm (Gen 28:2; Gen 31:18 : see at Gen 25:20). Jacob's flight to Aramaea, where he had to serve, is contrasted in sv. 10 with the leading of Israel, the people sprung from Jacob, out of Egypt by a prophet, i.e., by Moses (cf. Deu 18:18); and the guarding of cattle by Jacob is placed in contrast with the guarding of Israel on the part of God through the prophet Moses, when he led them through the wilderness to Canaan. The object of this is to call to the nation's remembrance that elevation from the lowest condition, which they were to acknowledge with humility every year, according to Deu 26:5., when the first-fruits were presented before the Lord. For Ephraim had quite forgotten this. Instead of thanking the Lord for it by love and faithful devotedness to Him, it had provoked Him in the bitterest manner by its sins (הכעיס, to excite wrath, to provoke to anger: tamrūrı̄m, an adverbial accusative = bitterly). For this should its blood-guiltiness remain upon it. According to Lev 20:9., dâmı̄m denotes grave crimes that are punishable by death. Nâtash, to let a thing alone, as in Exo 23:11; or to leave behind, as in Sa1 17:20, Sa1 17:28. Leaving blood-guiltiness upon a person, is the opposite of taking away (נשׂא) or forgiving the sin, and therefore inevitably brings the punishment after it. Cherpâthō (its reproach or dishonour) is the dishonour which Ephraim had done to the Lord by sin and idolatry (cf. Isa 65:7). And this would be repaid to it by its Lord, i.e., by Jehovah.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

This punishment Israel well deserved. Hos 12:12. "And Jacob fled to the fields of Aram; and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife did he keep guard. Hos 12:13. And through a prophet Jehovah brought Israel out of Egypt, and through a prophet was he guarded. Hos 12:14. Ephraim has stirred up bitter wrath; and his Lord will leave his blood upon him, and turn back his shame upon him." In order to show the people still more impressively what great things the Lord had done for them, the prophet recals the flight of Jacob, the tribe-father, to Mesopotamia, and how he was obliged to serve many years there for a wife, and to guard cattle; whereas God had redeemed Israel out of the Egyptian bondage, and had faithfully guarded it through a prophet. The flight of Jacob to Aramaea, and his servitude there, are mentioned not "to give prominence to his zeal for the blessing of the birthright, and his obedience to the commandment of God and his parents" (Cyr., Theod., Th. v. Mops.); nor "to bring out the double servitude of Israel - the first the one which the people had to endure in their forefather, the second the one which they had to endure themselves in Egypt" (Umbreit); nor "to lay stress upon the manifestation of the divine care towards Jacob as well as towards the people of Israel" (Ewald); for there is nothing at all about this in Hos 12:12. The words point simply to the distress and affliction which Jacob had to endure, according to Genesis 29-31, as Calvin has correctly interpreted them. "Their father Jacob," he says, "who was he? what was his condition?... He was a fugitive from his country. Even if he had always lived at home, his father was only a stranger in the land. But he was compelled to flee into Syria. And how splendidly did he live there? He was with his uncle, no doubt, but he was treated quite as meanly as any common slave: he served for a wife. And how did he serve? He was the man who tended the cattle." Shâmar, the tending of cattle, was one of the hardest and lowest descriptions of servitude (cf. Gen 30:31; Gen 31:40; Sa1 17:20). Sedēh 'ărâm (the field of Aram) is no doubt simply the Hebrew rendering of the Aramaean Paddan-'ărâm (Gen 28:2; Gen 31:18 : see at Gen 25:20). Jacob's flight to Aramaea, where he had to serve, is contrasted in sv. 10 with the leading of Israel, the people sprung from Jacob, out of Egypt by a prophet, i.e., by Moses (cf. Deu 18:18); and the guarding of cattle by Jacob is placed in contrast with the guarding of Israel on the part of God through the prophet Moses, when he led them through the wilderness to Canaan. The object of this is to call to the nation's remembrance that elevation from the lowest condition, which they were to acknowledge with humility every year, according to Deu 26:5., when the first-fruits were presented before the Lord. For Ephraim had quite forgotten this. Instead of thanking the Lord for it by love and faithful devotedness to Him, it had provoked Him in the bitterest manner by its sins (הכעיס, to excite wrath, to provoke to anger: tamrūrı̄m, an adverbial accusative = bitterly). For this should its blood-guiltiness remain upon it. According to Lev 20:9., dâmı̄m denotes grave crimes that are punishable by death. Nâtash, to let a thing alone, as in Exo 23:11; or to leave behind, as in Sa1 17:20, Sa1 17:28. Leaving blood-guiltiness upon a person, is the opposite of taking away (נשׂא) or forgiving the sin, and therefore inevitably brings the punishment after it. Cherpâthō (its reproach or dishonour) is the dishonour which Ephraim had done to the Lord by sin and idolatry (cf. Isa 65:7). And this would be repaid to it by its Lord, i.e., by Jehovah.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Fled - For fear of Esau.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Served for a wife - Seven years for Rachel. For a wife he kept sheep - Seven years for Leah; having been cheated by Laban, who gave him first Leah, instead of Rachel; and afterwards made him serve seven years more before he would confirm his first engagement. Critics complain of want of connection here. Why is this isolated fact predicted? Thus, in a detached sentence, the prophet speaks of the low estate of their ancestors, and how amply the providence of God had preserved and provided for them. This is all the connection the place requires.

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⁷ And as for me, when I came [0935] from Padan [06307], Rachel [07354] died [04191] by me in the land [0776] of Canaan [03667] in the way [01870], when [05750] yet there was but a little [03530] way [0776] to come [0935] unto Ephrath [0672]: and I buried her [06912] there in the way [01870] of Ephrath [0672]; the same is Bethlehem [01035].

¹³ And by a prophet [05030] the LORD [03068] brought [05927] Israel [03478] out of Egypt [04714], and by a prophet [05030] was he preserved [08104].

⁵ And thou shalt speak [06030] and say [0559] before [06440] the LORD [03068] thy God [0430], A Syrian [0761] ready to perish [06] was my father [01], and he went down [03381] into Egypt [04714], and sojourned [01481] there with [04962] a few [04592], and became there a nation [01471], great [01419], mighty [06099], and populous [07227]:

²⁸ And Jacob [03290] did [06213] so, and fulfilled [04390] her week [07620]: and he gave [05414] him Rachel [07354] his daughter [01323] to wife [0802] also.

²⁰ And Jacob [03290] served [05647] seven [07651] years [08141] for Rachel [07354]; and they seemed [05869] unto him but a few [0259] days [03117], for the love he had [0160] to her.

⁵ And Isaac [03327] sent away [07971] Jacob [03290]: and he went [03212] to Padanaram [06307] unto Laban [03837], son [01121] of Bethuel [01328] the Syrian [0761], the brother [0251] of Rebekah [07259], Jacob's [03290] and Esau's [06215] mother [0517].

³⁹ That which was torn [02966] of beasts I brought [0935] not unto thee; I bare the loss [02398] of it; of my hand [03027] didst thou require [01245] it, whether stolen [01589] by day [03117], or stolen [01589] by night [03915].

¹⁰ I am not worthy of the least [06994] of all the mercies [02617], and of all the truth [0571], which thou hast shewed [06213] unto thy servant [05650]; for with my staff [04731] I passed over [05674] this Jordan [03383]; and now I am become two [08147] bands [04264].

²⁰ And Jacob [03290] vowed [05087] a vow [05088], saying [0559], If God [0430] will be with me, and will keep me [08104] in this way [01870] that I go [01980], and will give [05414] me bread [03899] to eat [0398], and raiment [0899] to put on [03847],

⁷ Your iniquities [05771], and the iniquities [05771] of your fathers [01] together [03162], saith [0559] the LORD [03068], which have burned incense [06999] upon the mountains [02022], and blasphemed [02778] me upon the hills [01389]: therefore will I measure [04058] their former [07223] work [06468] into their bosom [02436].

²⁸ And Eliab [0446] his eldest [01419] brother [0251] heard [08085] when he spake [01696] unto the men [0582]; and Eliab's [0446] anger [0639] was kindled [02734] against David [01732], and he said [0559], Why camest thou down [03381] hither? and with whom hast thou left [05203] those [02007] few [04592] sheep [06629] in the wilderness [04057]? I know [03045] thy pride [02087], and the naughtiness [07455] of thine heart [03824]; for thou art come down [03381] that thou mightest see [07200] the battle [04421].

²⁰ And David [01732] rose up early [07925] in the morning [01242], and left [05203] the sheep [06629] with a keeper [08104], and took [05375], and went [03212], as Jesse [03448] had commanded [06680] him; and he came [0935] to the trench [04570], as the host [02428] was going forth [03318] to the fight [04634], and shouted [07321] for the battle [04421].

¹¹ But the seventh [07637] year thou shalt let it rest [08058] and lie [05203] still; that the poor [034] of thy people [05971] may eat [0398]: and what they leave [03499] the beasts [02416] of the field [07704] shall eat [0398]. In like manner thou shalt deal [06213] with thy vineyard [03754], and with thy oliveyard [02132].

⁹ For every [0376] one [0376] that curseth [07043] his father [01] or his mother [0517] shall be surely [04191] put to death [04191]: he hath cursed [07043] his father [01] or his mother [0517]; his blood [01818] shall be upon him.

¹⁸ I will raise them up [06965] a Prophet [05030] from among [07130] their brethren [0251], like unto thee, and will put [05414] my words [01697] in his mouth [06310]; and he shall speak [01696] unto them all that I shall command [06680] him.

²⁰ And Isaac [03327] was forty [0705] years [08141] old [01121] when he took [03947] Rebekah [07259] to wife [0802], the daughter [01323] of Bethuel [01328] the Syrian [0761] of Padanaram [06307], the sister [0269] to Laban [03837] the Syrian [0761].

¹⁸ And he carried away [05090] all his cattle [04735], and all his goods [07399] which he had gotten [07408], the cattle [04735] of his getting [07075], which he had gotten [07408] in Padanaram [06307], for to go [0935] to Isaac [03327] his father [01] in the land [0776] of Canaan [03667].

² Arise [06965], go [03212] to Padanaram [06307], to the house [01004] of Bethuel [01328] thy mother's [0517] father [01]; and take [03947] thee a wife [0802] from thence of the daughters [01323] of Laban [03837] thy mother's [0517] brother [0251].

⁴⁰ Thus I was; in the day [03117] the drought [02721] consumed [0398] me, and the frost [07140] by night [03915]; and my sleep [08142] departed [05074] from mine eyes [05869].

³¹ And he said [0559], What shall I give thee [05414]? And Jacob [03290] said [0559], Thou shalt not give [05414] me any thing [03972]: if thou wilt do [06213] this thing [01697] for me, I will again [07725] feed [07462] and keep [08104] thy flock [06629]:

¹² And Jacob [03290] fled [01272] into the country [07704] of Syria [0758], and Israel [03478] served [05647] for a wife [0802], and for a wife [0802] he kept [08104] sheep.

¹⁴ Ephraim [0669] provoked him to anger [03707] most bitterly [08563]: therefore shall he leave [05203] his blood [01818] upon him, and his reproach [02781] shall his Lord [0113] return [07725] unto him.

¹³ And by a prophet [05030] the LORD [03068] brought [05927] Israel [03478] out of Egypt [04714], and by a prophet [05030] was he preserved [08104].

¹² And Jacob [03290] fled [01272] into the country [07704] of Syria [0758], and Israel [03478] served [05647] for a wife [0802], and for a wife [0802] he kept [08104] sheep.