Hos 12:12-13 | NETfull | STEP | Jacob fled to the country of Aram, then Israel worked to acquire a wife; he tended sheep to pay for her.

Hosea 12:12-13

Jacob in Aram, Israel in Egypt, and Ephraim in Trouble

12 Jacob fled to the country of Aram,
then Israel worked ^{▼▼ Heb “served” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “earned a wife.”} to acquire a wife;
he tended sheep to pay for her.
13 The Lord brought Israel out of Egypt by a prophet,
and due to a prophet ^{▼▼ Heb “by a prophet” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).} Israel ^{▼▼ Heb “he”; the referent (Israel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.} was preserved alive. ^{▼▼ Heb “was protected”; NASB “was kept.” The verb שָׁמַר (shamar, “to watch, guard, keep, protect”) is repeated in 12:13–14 HT (12:12–13 ET). This repetition creates parallels between Jacob’s sojourn in Aram and Israel’s sojourn in the wilderness. Jacob “tended = kept” (שָׁמַר) sheep in Aram, and Israel was “preserved = kept” (נִשְׁמָר, nishmar) by Moses in the wilderness.}