OET interlinear HOS 12:12

12:12

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^12a Jacob fled to the land of Aram

^12band Israel worked for a wife—

^12c for a wife he tended sheep.

These lines continue to describe Jacob from 12:3–4. (See also Genesis 28–29). The verbs, “fled,” “worked” and “tended” indicate that Jacob had a difficult life. He was of low status and served others.Keil (page 99) and Davies (page 282). This verse is the first part of a comparison/contrast of Jacob to prophets. The second part is 12:13.Garrett (page 246) suggests that the following comparisons may be intended here: both Haran and Egypt are foreign lands that served as places of refuge. Both Jacob and Israel worked as slaves. God created a situation in which both Laban and the Egyptians were eager to have Jacob/Israelites leave. Also, both departed with the wealth of their hosts. Jacob “tended” (šamar) sheep to get a wife (v. 12), and in the exodus Yahweh “tended” (šamar) Israel through his prophet (v. 13).

In Hebrew, this verse begins with a word that connects it to the previous verse(s). In many other places, this word is translated as “and” or “but.”

Here the connection of this verse to the previous ones is unclear.The previous verses may demonstrate that Israel has forgotten her humble beginnings and the LORD’s loving care for her as a young nation. So here in 12:12, that history is reviewed as a reminder to them. See Deuteronomy 26:5–11 for a similar historical review for this purpose. Keil (page 99) and McComiskey (page 210). Most versions leave the connection implied. Use a natural way in your language to indicate the connection of this verse to 12:11.

12:12a

Jacob fled to the land of Aram: The Hebrew word for fled means “ran away.”HALOT (electronic edition, page 156) 1. The word connotes running in a hurry, often from a threatening situation.McComiskey (page 210). Here it refers to a time when Jacob fled from Canaan, because Esau threatened to kill him. See Genesis 27:42–45.

Some versions make explicit that Jacob was the ancestor of the people of Israel. For example:

Our ancestor Jacob had to flee to Mesopotamia (GNT)

land of Aram: This phrase is literally “field/territory of Aram.” It refers to Paddan-aram.Also called Syrian Mesopotamia. See Davies (page 232). See Genesis 28:2. Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

Northwest Mesopotamia (NCV)

country of Syria (GW)

12:12b

Israel worked for a wife: This clause is literally “Israel served for a wife.”Some commentators regard the prefix bet on the word for “wife” to be a “beth pretii,” which indicates “for a price.” Others disagree, since it is Jacob’s work, not the wife, that is the price paid. Andersen and Freedman (page 620) suggest that here the prefix means “for/to gain a wife” and that this use of bet is not its common meaning. It refers to Jacob serving his uncle Laban by caring for sheep. The clause may indicate that Jacob’s work substituted for a bride price.Andersen and Freedman (page 620).

In this clause, Jacob is called by the name Israel. Some versions use the pronoun “he” here instead. For example:

he worked for another man (GNT)

12:12c

for a wife he tended sheep: The Hebrew text repeats the same phrase for a wife here as in 12b. It has the same meaning in both lines.Davies (page 282) and Andersen and Freedman (page 620) suggest a different possibility. The phrase “for a wife” in 12b may refer to Jacob’s first wife, Leah. The same phrase in 12c may refer to Jacob’s second wife, Rachel. However, this possibility is not supported in versions. Some other versions make explicit that the phrase for a wife means to pay for a wife. Here is another way to translate this clause:

and there he earned a wife by tending sheep (NLT)

and to pay for her he tended sheep (NIV)

The words he tended sheep make explicit the meaning of the Hebrew word “to guard, watch, protect.”TWOT (#2414) I.