John Calvin Commentary Hosea 12:12-13

"And Jacob fled into the field of Aram, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept [sheep]. And by a prophet Jehovah brought Israel up out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved." — Hosea 12:12-13 (ASV)

The Prophet now employs another kind of reproof—that the Israelites did not consider from what source they had come, and were forgetful of their origin. And the Prophet deliberately touches on this point, for we know how boldly and proudly the people boasted of their own prominence. For as a pagan took pride in being an Athenian, so also the Jews think that we are all brute animals, and imagine that they have a different origin from the rest of mankind because they are the descendants of Abraham.

Since they were blinded by such pride, God meant to undeceive them, as He does here: "Jacob your father, who was he? What was his condition? What was his nobility? What was his power? What was his dignity and prominence according to the flesh? Indeed, he was a fugitive from his own country. Had he always lived at home, his father was only a sojourner; but he was forced to flee into Syria.

And how splendidly did he live there? He was indeed with his uncle, but he was treated no better than if he had been some worthless slave: He served for a wife. And how did he serve? He was a keeper of sheep. Go now then and boast of your dignity, as if you were more noble than others, as if your condition were better than that of the common people.” God then brings against them the condition of their father, in whose name they gloried, but who was an abject person and a fugitive, who was like a worthless slave, who was a keeper of sheep; who, in short, had nothing which could be considered reputable among men.

And God, he says, brought you up by a Prophet from Egypt, and by a Prophet you have been preserved. This was, so to speak, their second birth. Some think that the comparison is between their first origin and their deliverance, as though Hosea had said, "Though you were born of a very poor and ignoble man, yet God has favored you with a unique privilege, for He gave Moses to be the instrument of your liberation." But in my judgment, the Prophet speaks in a simpler way. First, he shows the people's first origin: they were from Jacob. Then he shows their second origin, for God had begotten them again when He brought them out of Egypt.

And they were there, as is well known, very miserable. They did not come out by their own valor; they did not attain their liberty for themselves. Instead, Moses alone extended his hand to them, having been sent for this purpose by God. Since this was the case, it was strange that they now provoked God by their altars, as he says in the last verse.

And it very frequently occurs in the Prophets that God reminds the Israelites from what source they had come: Look to your origin, to the stone from which ye were cut off; for Abraham was alone and childless, and his wife also was barren; and yet God multiplied their race (Isaiah 51:2). This was said because the Israelites did not look to God. In their adversity, they despaired when no way appeared by which they could be restored; but in their prosperity, they became proud and regarded God's favor as nothing.

We then see what the Prophet had in view. The Lord says, "Acknowledge what you owe to Me, for I have chosen Jacob your father, and I have not chosen him because he was eminent for great dignity in the world; for he was a fugitive and a keeper of sheep, and served for his wife.

I afterwards redeemed you from the land of Egypt; and in that departure, there was nothing that you did. There is no reason why you should boast that liberation was obtained by your valor, for Moses alone was My servant in that deliverance. I then begot you the second time when I redeemed you.

How great is your ingratitude when you do not acknowledge and worship Me as your Redeemer?” So now we see that the Prophet thus treated the people of Israel, so that it might appear in every way that they were unworthy of so many and so great benefits God bestowed on them. For they had perverted all the works of God, and so perverted them that they did not think that anything belonged to Him, and they returned no thanks to God. On the contrary, they extolled themselves, as if God had never conferred any kindness on them.

But I will not dwell on the history of Jacob, for it is not necessary for clarifying the meaning of the Prophet, and it is well known: it is enough to refer only to what is suitable to this place. Jacob then fled into the country of Syria; and then he says, Israel served for a wife. He mentions the name Israel after Jacob. The name Israel was noble and memorable; indeed, it was given by God to the holy patriarch. But at the same time, Jacob did not in himself or in his own person excel; he nevertheless served, was in a most humble condition, and he served for a wife; that is, so that he might have a wife, for we know how he made an agreement with his uncle Laban.

Further, By a Prophet He brought them out of Egypt. This was their second birth. And by a Prophet Israel was preserved. There is an allusion here to the word שמר, shimer; for I take the word נשמר, nushimer, passively. He had said before that Jacob kept sheep; and he says now, נשמר, nushimer, kept was Israel by a Prophet. It is as if he said, "You now see that God has given you a reason for humility in your father, since he was allowed to suffer such miserable distress; and when He preserved you beyond the hope of men, and by no human means except by Moses—who was also a fugitive and who came forth as if from a cave, for he was also a keeper of sheep.

Since, then, you have been thus kept by the favor of God, how is it that your present condition fascinates you, and that you do not consider that you were once redeemed by the Lord for this purpose, that you might be wholly devoted to Him forever?” Now he adds—(I will also quickly cover this verse, for there will be no lecture tomorrow, nor the day after)—