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Hosea 12:2-4
Contemporary English Version
Hosea 12:2-4
Contemporary English Version
Israel and Judah Condemned
2 The Lord also brings charges
against the people of Judah,
the descendants of Jacob.
He will punish them
for what they have done.
3 (A)(B) Even before Jacob was born,
he cheated his brother,[a]
and when he grew up,
he fought against God.[b]
4 (C) At Bethel, Jacob wrestled
with an angel and won;
then with tears in his eyes,
he asked for a blessing,
and God spoke to us[c] there.
Footnotes
- 12.3 Jacob … cheated … brother: In Hebrew “Jacob” sounds like “cheat” and also like “heel.” Jacob grabbed his twin brother Esau by the heel at the time of their birth (see Genesis 25.26). Later he cheated him out of his rights and blessings as the first-born son (see Genesis 25.29-34; 27.1-40).
- 12.3 fought against God: See Genesis 32.22-32.
- 12.4 us: Hebrew; two ancient translations “him.”
Hosea 12:2-4
New International Version
Hosea 12:2-4
New International Version
2 The Lord has a charge(A) to bring against Judah;(B)
he will punish(C) Jacob[a] according to his ways
and repay him according to his deeds.(D)
3 In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel;(E)
as a man he struggled(F) with God.
4 He struggled with the angel and overcame him;
he wept and begged for his favor.
He found him at Bethel(G)
and talked with him there—
Footnotes
- Hosea 12:2 Jacob means he grasps the heel, a Hebrew idiom for he takes advantage of or he deceives.
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