Albert Barnes Commentary Hosea 12:1

"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." — Hosea 12:1 (ASV)

Ephraim feeds on wind, and follows after the east wind - The East wind in Palestine, coming from Arabia and the far East over large tracts of sandy wasteland, is parching, scorching, destructive to vegetation, oppressive to humans, violent and destructive on the sea (Psalms 48:7), and, by land also, has the force of the whirlwind (Job 27:21). The East wind carries him away and he departs, and as a whirlwind hurls him out of his place. In leaving God and following idols, Ephraim “fed on” what is unsatisfying and chased after what is destructive.

If a hungry man were to “feed on wind,” it would be light food. If a man could overtake the East wind, it would be his destruction. : Israel “fed on wind” when he sought by gifts to win one who could aid him no more than the wind; “he chased the East wind” when, instead of the gain which he sought, he received no slight loss from the patron whom he had adopted. Israel sought for the scorching wind when it could have taken refuge under the shadow of God. : “The scorching wind is the burning of calamities, and the consuming fire of affliction.”

He increases lies and desolation - Unrepented sins and their punishment are, in God’s government, linked together, so that to multiply sin is, in fact, to multiply desolation. Sin and punishment are bound together as cause and effect. Man overlooks what he does not see. Yet he nonetheless does treasure up wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous Judgment of God (Romans 2:5). : “Lying” will signify false speaking, false dealing, false belief, false opinions, false worship, false pretenses to justify it, false hopes, or relying on things that will deceive. In all these ways, Ephraim was guilty at that time, adding one sort of lying to another.”

They do make a covenant with the Assyrians and oil is carried into Egypt - Oil was a chief product of Palestine, which is why it is called a land of oil olive (Deuteronomy 8:8); and “oil” with balm was among its chief exports to Tyre (Ezekiel 27:17; see the note above at Hosea 2:8). It may also include precious ointments, of which it was the basis. As an export of great value, it stands for all other presents, which Hoshea sent to So, King of Egypt.

Ephraim, threatened by God, looked first to the Assyrian, then to Egypt, to strengthen itself. Having dealt falsely with God, he dealt falsely with man. First, he “made covenant with” Shalmaneser, king of “Assyria”; then, finding the tribute—the price of his help—burdensome to him, he broke that covenant by sending to Egypt.

Seeking to make friends apart from God, Ephraim made the more powerful Assyrian even more his enemy by seeking the friendship of Egypt; and God executed His judgments through those by whose help they had hoped to escape them.