הושע, פרק י״ב, פסוק י״ג

The prophet weaves the personal history of the patriarch Jacob with the current moral state of the Israelites, using the family's past to deliver a complex message. The primary approach among commentators is that this history serves as a reminder of God's kindness toward their ancestor, standing in sharp contrast to the ingratitude of the present generation. Fleeing the wrath of his brother Esau [רד״ק, שטיינזלץ], Jacob escaped to the land of Aram [מצודת ציון]. He arrived completely empty-handed, a destitute refugee forced to endure grueling physical labor merely to build a family [אבן עזרא, מצודת דוד, רד״ק]. He exerted himself for Rachel and worked as a shepherd guarding Laban's flocks for another wife, laboring twice for two different women [רש״י, אבן עזרא, מלבי״ם]. God reminds the people that He watched over Jacob and shielded him during this vulnerable escape, just as He protected him during his later struggle with the angel [רש״י, צאינה וראינה].

Despite his harsh beginnings and extreme poverty, Jacob was blessed by God and eventually returned to his homeland with great wealth. This historical account functions as a direct rebuke to the Israelites. They have grown proud of their riches, falsely believing they achieved their prosperity through their own strength. In their arrogance, they forget that God is the true source of their success, the One who elevated them from a state of lowliness to greatness [מצודת דוד, אבן עזרא, רד״ק].

In stark contrast, a completely different perspective reads this history not as a divine rebuke, but as a cynical and mocking retort from the people themselves. According to this view, when the prophet condemns the Israelites for their deceitful practices, they brazenly reply that deception is simply a patriarchal tradition. They point out that their ancestor only fled to Aram because he first circumvented and deceived Esau to secure the birthright and the blessings. Furthermore, upon arriving at Laban's house, Jacob became a victim of deception himself when he was given Leah, forcing him to guard the flocks a second time for another wife. Through this twisted logic, the people attempt to justify their own corrupt behavior, claiming that deceit has been an accepted practice since the days of their ancestors [מלבי״ם].