Hosea 12:2

“The Lord hath also a controversy with Judah, etc.] The two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, as well as the ten tribes; for though they had ruled with God, and had been faithful with the saints in the first times of the apostasy of Israel; yet afterwards they sadly degenerated, and fell into idolatry likewise, particularly in the time of Ahaz, in which Hosea prophesied; and therefore the Lord had somewhat against them; nor would he spare them, but reprove them by the prophets, and rebuke them in his providences; bring them to his bar, and lay before them their evils, and threaten them with punishment in case of impenitence, as follows: and will punish Jacob according to his ways; all the…”

“controversy with Judah-- (Hos 4:1; Mic 6:2). Judah, under Ahaz, had fallen into idolatry (Kg2 16:3, &c.). Jacob--that is, the ten tribes. If Judah, the favored portion of the nation, shall not be spared, much less degenerate Israel.”

“The Lord hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob - The guilt of Judah was not open apostasy, nor had he filled up the measure of his sins. Of him, then, God saith only, that He “had a controversy with” him, as our Lord says to the “Angel of the Church of Pergamos, I have a few things against thee. Repent, or else I will come unto thee quickly, and fight against thee with the sword of My mouth” Revelation 2:12, Revelation 2:16. Of Ephraim, whose sin was complete, He says, that the Lord “is to punish.” God had set His mind, as we say, on punishing him; He had (so to speak) set Himself to do it. Jacob, like Israel, is here the name for the chief part of Israel, i. e., the ten…”

“Jacob - Ephraim and Judah are of Jacob, both have corrupted themselves, and therefore I will proceed against both. Hosea 12:3”

“a controversy: Hos 4:1; Jer 25:31; Mic 6:2 and will: Kg2 17:19, Kg2 17:20; Isa 8:7, Isa 8:8, Isa 10:6; Jer 3:8-11; Eze 23:11-21; Eze 23:31, Eze 23:32 punish: Heb. visit upon, Hos 2:13, Hos 8:13, Hos 9:9; Isa 10:12, Isa 24:21 \*marg. according to his doings: Isa 3:11, Isa 59:18; Mat 16:27; Rom 2:6; Gal 6:7 Hosea 12:3”