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.

Ephraim {H669} feedeth {H7462} on wind {H7307}, and followeth {H7291} after the east wind {H6921}: he daily {H3117} increaseth {H7235} lies {H3577} and desolation {H7701}; and they do make {H3772} a covenant {H1285} with the Assyrians {H804}, and oil {H8081} is carried {H2986} into Egypt {H4714}.

Efrayim is chasing the wind, pursuing the wind from the east. All day he piles up lies and desolation they make a covenant with Ashur, while sending olive oil to Egypt.

Ephraim chases the wind and pursues the east wind all day long; he multiplies lies and violence; he makes a covenant with Assyria and sends olive oil to Egypt.

Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he continually multiplieth lies and desolation; and they make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried into Egypt.

Commentary on Hosea 12:1 KJV

Hosea 12:1 delivers a powerful indictment against the northern kingdom of Israel, often referred to as Ephraim, their dominant tribe. The verse vividly portrays their spiritual and political folly, highlighting their abandonment of God for futile and destructive pursuits.

Context

The prophet Hosea ministered during a tumultuous period in Israel's history, marked by political instability, idolatry, and alliances with foreign powers. This verse is part of a larger prophetic discourse where God, through Hosea, confronts Israel's unfaithfulness, likening it to spiritual adultery. The passage immediately preceding this verse in Hosea 11 speaks of God's tender love for Israel, making their subsequent rebellion in chapter 12 all the more grievous. Hosea frequently uses historical examples, including the patriarch Jacob, to draw parallels and contrasts with Israel's current behavior, emphasizing their departure from their covenant heritage.

Key Themes

  • Futility of Misplaced Trust: The striking metaphor "Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind" illustrates the utter emptiness and destructive nature of Israel's pursuits. They were chasing after nothing substantial, much like trying to eat the wind. Their actions were not only unproductive but actively harmful, leading to desolation.
  • Spiritual and Political Apostasy: The verse directly condemns Israel's strategic alliances that ignored God's sovereignty. By making "a covenant with the Assyrians" and carrying "oil... into Egypt," Israel sought security and prosperity through human agreements and foreign powers, rather than trusting in the Lord their God. This was a direct violation of their covenant relationship with Him, as seen in other prophetic warnings against such alliances (e.g., Isaiah 30:1-3).
  • Increasing Deceit and Desolation: The phrase "he daily increaseth lies and desolation" points to a worsening moral decay within the nation. Their unfaithfulness to God led to internal corruption, deceit, and self-inflicted ruin, both spiritually and physically.

Linguistic Insights

The imagery of the "east wind" (Hebrew: ruach qadim) is significant. In the ancient Near East, the east wind was typically hot, dry, and destructive, originating from the desert. It brought drought, withered crops, and often symbolized divine judgment or severe adversity (e.g., Genesis 41:6, Jonah 4:8). Thus, Ephraim's pursuit of the east wind is not just about futility, but about actively embracing something that would ultimately bring desolation.

Practical Application

Hosea 12:1 serves as a timeless warning against seeking security, wisdom, or fulfillment apart from God. In our own lives, "feeding on wind" can manifest as:

  • Chasing empty promises: Relying on worldly philosophies, fleeting trends, or material possessions for lasting satisfaction.
  • Placing trust in human systems: Depending solely on political powers, financial security, or personal connections instead of acknowledging God's ultimate control and provision.
  • Engaging in deceit: Allowing lies, hypocrisy, or unfaithfulness to become part of our daily lives, leading to personal and communal desolation.

This verse calls us to examine where our ultimate trust lies and to turn away from self-destructive pursuits, choosing instead to follow God's wisdom and seek His unfailing provision and protection. As Psalm 20:7 declares, "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God."

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Hosea 11:12

    Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints.

  • Ezekiel 17:10

    Yea, behold, [being] planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? it shall wither in the furrows where it grew.

  • Hosea 8:7

    For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.

  • Hosea 5:13

    When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah [saw] his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.

  • Jeremiah 22:22

    The wind shall eat up all thy pastors, and thy lovers shall go into captivity: surely then shalt thou be ashamed and confounded for all thy wickedness.

  • Job 15:2

    Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?

  • 2 Kings 17:4

    And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea: for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and brought no present to the king of Assyria, as [he had done] year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison.

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