Hosea 12:1
Ephraim feeds on the wind and pursues the east wind all day long; they multiply falsehood and violence; they make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried to Egypt.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse highlights that Ephraim's pursuits are not just empty but actively destructive; they "feed on wind" which sustains nothing and "pursue the east wind," a scorching, harmful force. This imagery reveals their alliances and trust in false hopes aren't just ineffective, but are actively leading them into ruin.
This passage opens Hosea's message by describing the spiritual emptiness and destructive political maneuvering of the northern kingdom of Israel, often called Ephraim. They are chasing after fleeting, unreliable alliances with powerful empires like Assyria and Egypt, rather than trusting in God. This reliance on worldly powers is presented as a fruitless and harmful pursuit, marked by deceit and violence against their own people and a betrayal of their covenant with God.
What do you 'feed on' that leaves you empty? Hosea paints a vivid picture of spiritual and political starvation.
The opening image of Hosea 12:1 is striking: "Ephraim feeds on the wind and pursues the east wind." This isn't just poetic language; it's a profound diagnosis of a people’s condition.
Vain Hopes
Their actions were not just misguided; they were actively detrimental, leading them further away from true sustenance and into danger.
When our foundations are shaky, our actions often become deceptive and harmful. See how Hosea connects these sins.
The 'feeding on wind' and 'pursuing the east wind' naturally leads to outward actions described as multiplying 'falsehood and violence.'
Deception and Destruction
Understand the original words
Ephrayim · Hebrew Proper Noun
The northern kingdom of Israel, often used representatively for the entire nation due to its prominence, frequently associated in Hosea with spiritual adultery and apostasy.
berit · Hebrew Noun
A binding agreement, often between two parties, but here referring to Israel's illicit political and spiritual alliances with pagan nations instead of relying on God.
Hosea's words describe the desperate and ultimately futile foreign policy of the Northern Kingdom of Israel in its final years. Their reliance on shifting alliances with powerful empires like Assyria and Egypt, symbolized by 'making a covenant' and sending costly 'oil,' was a betrayal of their covenant with God, leading only to emptiness and destruction.
c. 732 BC
Assyrian Conquest of Northern Israel
The Neo-Assyrian Empire, under Tiglath-Pileser III, conquers the northern kingdom of Israel (the territory of the tribe of Naphtali). This event marks a significant loss of territory and begins a period of increasing Assyrian dominance and tribute demands.
c. 727-722 BC
Reign of Hoshea of Israel
Hoshea becomes king of Israel, serving as a vassal to the Assyrian Empire. He faces a kingdom weakened by internal strife and under constant threat from Assyria.
c. 725 BC— this verse
Hoshea Seeks Egyptian Alliance
King Hoshea of Israel stops paying tribute to Assyria and instead sends envoys and presents, including valuable oil, to the pharaoh of Egypt (likely Shabaka or his predecessor So), seeking an alliance against Assyrian rule.
c. 724-722 BC
Assyrian Siege of Samaria
This passage echoes Hosea's theme of emptiness, describing those who 'feed on ashes' and have a 'deceitful heart' that has led them astray, mirroring Ephraim's pursuit of the wind and falsehood.
Jeremiah 17:5-6These verses directly contrast trusting in humans ('flesh') with trusting in the Lord, highlighting the futility and destructive nature of seeking human alliances over divine faithfulness, much like Ephraim's covenants.
Proverbs 26:4-5This proverb speaks to the foolishness of responding to a fool according to his folly, lest you become like him, and the futility of answering a fool in his own way, which parallels Hosea's depiction of Ephraim's unproductive and self-destructive actions.
John 8:32Jesus' promise that 'the truth will set you free' stands in stark contrast to Hosea's portrayal of Ephraim multiplying 'falsehood,' illustrating the spiritual bondage that comes from embracing lies rather than truth.
Hosea 8:7This verse from the same book directly links sowing the wind to reaping the whirlwind, reinforcing the idea that Ephraim's actions, described as 'feeding on wind,' will inevitably lead to destructive consequences.
jfbHosea 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."
CHAPTER 12Ho 12:1-14. Reproof of Ephraim and Judah: Their Father Jacob Ought to Be a Pattern to Them.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 Ho 12:1). He exhorts them to follow their father Jacob's pe…
cambridgeHosea 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."
1 . wind … the east wind ] Note the climax; the parching east wind combines the ideas of destructiveness and emptiness. Comp. Job 15:2 ; Job 27:21 , and note on Hosea 13:15 . lies and desolation ] Rather, lies and violence. But the Septuagint reads, ‘lies and falsehoods’—more plausibly, as the other comb…
The verse highlights that Ephraim's pursuits are not just empty but actively destructive; they "feed on wind" which sustains nothing and "pursue the east wind," a scorching, harmful force. This imagery reveals their alliances and trust in false hopes aren't just ineffective, but are actively leading them into ruin.
This passage opens Hosea's message by describing the spiritual emptiness and destructive political maneuvering of the northern kingdom of Israel, often called Ephraim. They are chasing after fleeting, unreliable alliances with powerful empires like Assyria and Egypt, rather than trusting in God. This reliance on worldly powers is presented as a fruitless and harmful pursuit, marked by deceit and violence against their own people and a betrayal of their covenant with God.
This passage opens Hosea's message by describing the spiritual emptiness and destructive political maneuvering of the northern kingdom of Israel, often called Ephraim. They are chasing after fleeting, unreliable alliances with powerful empires like Assyria and Egypt, rather than trusting in God. This reliance on worldly powers is presented as a fruitless and harmful pursuit, marked by deceit and violence against their own people and a betrayal of their covenant with God.
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These weren't isolated incidents but a daily, increasing pattern. Their pursuit of empty things fueled a cycle of deceit and harm, both domestically and internationally.
In times of trouble, where do you turn for security? Israel's misplaced trust reveals a deep spiritual problem.
The verse culminates by detailing the specific actions stemming from their 'wind-chasing' and 'violence': making covenants with Assyria and sending gifts to Egypt.
Seeking Earthly Security
These alliances were ultimately futile. They were 'feeding on wind' because they put their faith in human strength and political maneuvering, which proved unreliable and ultimately led to greater destruction. They were exchanging God's steadfast covenant for shaky, self-serving pacts.
In response to Hoshea's rebellion and his alliance with Egypt, the Assyrian king Shalmaneser V lays siege to the capital city of Samaria. The siege lasts for several years.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and End of Israel
Samaria falls to the Assyrians under Sargon II (who succeeded Shalmaneser V). The Northern Kingdom of Israel is destroyed, its people are exiled, and the land is repopulated with foreigners, marking the end of the ten northern tribes as a distinct entity.
"Ephraim feeds on the wind and pursues the east wind all day long; they multiply falsehood and violence; they make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried to Egypt." — The verse highlights that Ephraim's pursuits are not just empty but actively destructive; they "feed on wind" which sustains nothing and "pursue the east wind," a scorching, harmful force. This image…
