The Meaning of Hosea 12:13 Explained

Hosea 12:13

KJV: And by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.

YLT: And by a prophet hath Jehovah brought up Israel out of Egypt, And by a prophet it hath been watched.

Darby: And by a prophet Jehovah brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.

ASV: And by a prophet Jehovah brought Israel up out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And by a prophet  the LORD  brought  Israel  out of Egypt,  and by a prophet  was he preserved. 

What does Hosea 12:13 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Later the Lord brought the Israelites out of Egypt and kept them alive during their wilderness wanderings by using a prophet, Moses (cf. Deuteronomy 18:18). The Israelites, as well as Jacob, had experienced hardship while in a foreign land. By implication they should not, therefore, have despised the prophets that Yahweh had sent them since Moses (cf. v10). Furthermore, they should remember that they could return to these conditions if they were not careful.

Context Summary

Hosea 12:1-14 - Turn To God, Not To Selfish Gain
Though Judah still ruled with God, Hosea 11:12, yet there was grave fault in him, and, like Ephraim, which had been engaging the prophet's thought, he also must come under the rod. But throughout this paragraph there lingers the sweet music of the previous chapter, and especially the reminiscence of Israel's early days, when he had power with the Angel and prevailed. The angel-haunted ideals and resolves of Beth-el could not be forgotten. Tears and weakness are the best arguments with God. He yields to us when we are weak; He yields to our despair. The soul that has been shut up to God and then casts itself at His feet can have what it will. Only beware lest after such an interview with the Angel, you deteriorate into a deceitful trafficker, and allow your God-given power to be reduced to making gain.
Notwithstanding all, God was still willing to call His people to the Feast of Tabernacles, the gladdest of all the feasts in the Hebrew year. But even divine love was thwarted by their inveterate sinning. How wonderfully these ancient prophets conceived of the love of God! The spirit of revelation led them to make declarations that the Cross has more than realized! [source]

Chapter Summary: Hosea 12

1  A reproof of Ephraim, Judah, and Jacob
3  By former favors he exhorts to repentance
7  Ephraim's sins provoke God

What do the individual words in Hosea 12:13 mean?

And by a prophet brought Yahweh - Israel out of Egypt he was preserved
וּבְנָבִ֕יא הֶעֱלָ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה אֶת־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם נִשְׁמָֽר

וּבְנָבִ֕יא  And  by  a  prophet 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָבִיא  
Sense: spokesman, speaker, prophet.
הֶעֱלָ֧ה  brought 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
יְהוָ֛ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם  out  of  Egypt 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
נִשְׁמָֽר  he  was  preserved 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.