The Meaning of Hosea 12:12 Explained

Hosea 12:12

KJV: And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.

YLT: And Jacob doth flee to the country of Aram, And Israel doth serve for a wife, Yea, for a wife he hath kept watch.

Darby: And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.

ASV: And Jacob fled into the field of Aram, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept'sheep .

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Jacob  fled  into the country  of Syria,  and Israel  served  for a wife,  and for a wife  he kept  [sheep]. 

What does Hosea 12:12 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Lord reminded the Israelites again of their humble origins. Jacob was a refugee who migrated to the land of Aram. There he had to work to pay for a wife, and he did so by tending sheep, a very humble occupation (cf. Deuteronomy 26:5).

Context Summary

Hosea 12:1-14 - Turn To God, Not To Selfish Gain
Though Judah still ruled with God, Hosea 11:12, yet there was grave fault in him, and, like Ephraim, which had been engaging the prophet's thought, he also must come under the rod. But throughout this paragraph there lingers the sweet music of the previous chapter, and especially the reminiscence of Israel's early days, when he had power with the Angel and prevailed. The angel-haunted ideals and resolves of Beth-el could not be forgotten. Tears and weakness are the best arguments with God. He yields to us when we are weak; He yields to our despair. The soul that has been shut up to God and then casts itself at His feet can have what it will. Only beware lest after such an interview with the Angel, you deteriorate into a deceitful trafficker, and allow your God-given power to be reduced to making gain.
Notwithstanding all, God was still willing to call His people to the Feast of Tabernacles, the gladdest of all the feasts in the Hebrew year. But even divine love was thwarted by their inveterate sinning. How wonderfully these ancient prophets conceived of the love of God! The spirit of revelation led them to make declarations that the Cross has more than realized! [source]

Chapter Summary: Hosea 12

1  A reproof of Ephraim, Judah, and Jacob
3  By former favors he exhorts to repentance
7  Ephraim's sins provoke God

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

And fled Jacob to the country of Syria and served Israel for a spouse and for a wife he tended [sheep]
וַיִּבְרַ֥ח יַעֲקֹ֖ב שְׂדֵ֣ה אֲרָ֑ם וַיַּעֲבֹ֤ד יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּאִשָּׁ֔ה וּבְאִשָּׁ֖ה שָׁמָֽר

וַיִּבְרַ֥ח  And  fled 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּרַח 
Sense: to go through, flee, run away, chase, drive away, put to flight, reach, shoot (extend), hurry away.
יַעֲקֹ֖ב  Jacob 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַעֲקֹב  
Sense: son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham, and father of the 2 patriarchs of the tribes of Israel.
שְׂדֵ֣ה  to  the  country 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שָׂדֶה 
Sense: field, land.
אֲרָ֑ם  of  Syria 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲרָם 
Sense: Aram or Syria the nation.
וַיַּעֲבֹ֤ד  and  served 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙  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.
בְּאִשָּׁ֔ה  for  a  spouse 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
וּבְאִשָּׁ֖ה  and  for  a  wife 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
שָׁמָֽר  he  tended  [sheep] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.