Hosea 12:3
in Hosea 12In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel, and in his vigor he wrestled with God.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
In the womb he took his brother by the heel; and in his manhood he had power with God:
KJV
He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God:
⋯
This verse in Hosea 12
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
He took his brother by the heel in the womb - Whether or no the act of Jacob was beyond the strength, ordinarily given to infants in the womb, the meaning of the act was beyond man’s wisdom to declare. Whence the Jews paraphrased , “Was it not predicted of your lather Jacob, before he was born, that he should become greater than his brother?” Yet this was not fulfilled until more than 500 years afterward, nor completely until the time of David. These gifts were promised to Jacob out of the free mercy of God, antecedent to all deserts.
This site's exposition
grasped his brother’s heel
on Hosea 12:3-5
"In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel" recalls Jacob's birth (Genesis 25:26), then Peniel, where he wrestled until daybreak (Genesis 32:24 to 30). Verse 5 names the God he met, "the LORD is His name of renown", the covenant name the nation now bears and dishonors.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
The judgment therefore of the Lord with Judah: and a visitation upon Jacob. He will render to him according to his ways, and according to his inventions he will recompense him. In the womb he supplanted his brother: and in his strength he had success with the angel, and he prevailed over the angel, and was strengthened: he wept and made supplication to him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spoke with us.
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
Took his brother - The design of mentioning this is to mind them of that goodness which God shewed them in their father Jacob. His strength - This strength was not of nature, but of grace. Strength received of God was well employed betimes; in it he wrestled for and obtained the blessing.
Jacob was poor, and low, and a fugitive; therefore his posterity ought not to be proud. He was a plain man, dwelling in tents, and keeping sheep; therefore balances of deceit ill became them. He served for a wife that was not a Canaanitess, as Esau's wives were; therefore it was a shame for them to degenerate into Canaanites, and mingle with the nations.
He took his brother by the heel in the womb,.... That is, Jacob took his brother Esau by the heel, as he came forth from his mother's womb; the history of it is in Gen 25:
The providence of God fought against him when he met with one danger after another, in his return homewards; but the grace of God enabled him to go on cheerfully in his way, and, when his faith acted upon the divine promise that was for him prevailed above his fears that arose from the divine providences that wee against him, then by his strength he had power with God.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
As the promised Canaan had to be gained forcibly by Israel, so heaven by the faithful (Re 3:21; compare Lu 13:24). "Strive," literally, "as in the agony of a contest." So the Canaanitess (Mt 15:22). his strength--which lay in his conscious weakness, whence, when his thigh was put out of joint by God, he hung upon Him. To seek strength was his object; to grant it, God's.
He took his brother by the heel - See on Gen 25:26 (note); Gen 32:24 (note), etc.
The words behind it
8 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בַּבֶּ֖טֶן | babeten | in the womb | H990 → | 72 times |
| עָקַ֣ב | ʾakav | he took by [the] heel | H6117 → | |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אָחִ֑יו | ʾachiv | brother his | H251 → | 630 times |
| וּבְאוֹנ֖וֹ | uveono | and in manly vigor his | H202 → | |
| שָׂרָ֥ה | sarah | he struggled | H8280 → | |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | with | H854 → | 929 times |
| אֱלֹהִֽים׃ | ʾelohim | God | H430 → | 2601 times |
בַּבֶּ֖טֶןin the womb
babetenH990 →72 times
עָקַ֣בhe took by [the] heel
ʾakavH6117 →
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
אָחִ֑יוbrother his
ʾachivH251 →630 times
וּבְאוֹנ֖וֹand in manly vigor his
uveonoH202 →
שָׂרָ֥הhe struggled
sarahH8280 →
אֶת־with
ʾet-H854 →929 times
אֱלֹהִֽים׃God
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
7 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Romans 9:11Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand,
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 1:9
He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began.
- Ephesians 1:4–5
For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love
- 2 Peter 1:10
Therefore, brothers, strive to make your calling and election sure. For if you practice these things you will never stumble,
- Ephesians 1:9–11
And He has made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ
- Romans 8:28–30
And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.
- 2 Timothy 1:9
Through
Genesis 25:26After this, his brother came out grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. And Isaac was sixty years old when the twins were born.
it leads to
- Genesis 27:36
So Esau declared, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me twice. He took my birthright, and now he has taken my blessing.” Then he asked, “Haven’t you saved a blessing…
- Genesis 38:28–30
And as she was giving birth, one of them put out his hand; so the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it around his wrist. “This one came out first,” she announced.
- Genesis 27:36
Where this verse is studied
About Hosea
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Carl Friedrich Keil, The Twelve Minor Prophets; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Hosea 12:2-6; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.