The Meaning of Hosea 11:12 Explained

Hosea 11:12

KJV: 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.

YLT: Compassed Me with feigning hath Ephraim, And with deceit the house of Israel. And Judah again is ruling with God, And with the Holy Ones is faithful!

Darby: Ephraim encompasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit; but Judah yet walketh with God, and with the holy things of truth.

ASV: Ephraim compasseth me about with falsehood, and the house of Israel with deceit; but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the Holy One.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Hosea 11:12 Mean?

Verse Meaning

This is Hosea 11:1 of chapter12in the Hebrew Bible. The Lord complained that Ephraim (Israel) had consistently lied and tried to deceive Him. He described Himself as surrounded and under attack by His own people. Wherever He looked all He saw was cheaters. Deception (Heb. mirmah, unfaithfulness) had also marked Israel"s ancestor, Jacob (cf. Hosea 12:3-4; Hosea 12:12; Genesis 27:35). But the kingdom of Judah had also been unruly (Heb. rud, wayward) in its relationship with the Holy One (cf. Hosea 11:9) who is faithful. Yahweh was always faithful to His covenant promises even though these groups of His people had wandered from Him and sought out Baals and foreign allies. Both kingdoms had been unfaithful to the covenant the Lord had made with them.
A tone of exhortation and instruction marks this fifth and last collection of messages.

Chapter Summary: Hosea 11

1  The ingratitude of Israel unto God for his benefits
5  His judgment
8  God's mercy toward them
12  Israel's falsehood and Judah's fidelity

What do the individual words in Hosea 11:12 mean?

Has encircled Me with lies Ephraim and with deceit the house of Israel but Judah still walks with God and Even with the Holy one [who is] faithful
סְבָבֻ֤נִי בְכַ֙חַשׁ֙ אֶפְרַ֔יִם וּבְמִרְמָ֖ה בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וִֽיהוּדָ֗ה עֹ֥ד רָד֙ עִם־ אֵ֔ל וְעִם־ קְדוֹשִׁ֖ים נֶאֱמָֽן

סְבָבֻ֤נִי  Has  encircled  Me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural, first person common singular
Root: סָבַב  
Sense: to turn, turn about or around or aside or back or towards, go about or arou nd, surround, encircle, change direction.
בְכַ֙חַשׁ֙  with  lies 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כַּחַשׁ  
Sense: lying, deception.
אֶפְרַ֔יִם  Ephraim 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶפְרַיִם  
Sense: second son of Joseph, blessed by him and given preference over first son, Manasseh.
וּבְמִרְמָ֖ה  and  with  deceit 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִרְמָה  
Sense: deceit, treachery.
בֵּ֣ית  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
וִֽיהוּדָ֗ה  but  Judah 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
עֹ֥ד  still 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.
רָד֙  walks 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רוּד  
Sense: to wander restlessly, roam.
אֵ֔ל  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵל 
Sense: god, god-like one, mighty one.
וְעִם־  and  Even  with 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.
קְדוֹשִׁ֖ים  the  Holy  one 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: קָדֹושׁ  
Sense: sacred, holy, Holy One, saint, set apart.
נֶאֱמָֽן  [who  is]  faithful 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: אָמַן 
Sense: to support, confirm, be faithful.