Book of Hosea Chapter 12 Vs. 7

 The Lord's Indictment of Israel and Judah

He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress. Hos. 12:7

He is a... Five characteristics of Ephraim (Hos. 12:7-8):

1. He is a merchant—a good businessman.

2. He is deceitful in dealings.

3. He loves to oppress and defraud.

4. He loves to boast of prosperity.

5. He is hypocritical—claims innocence when guilty of many sins.

is a merchant... (Hebrew Kenaan, Canaanite merchant). Rather than being like God, Israel is like the Canaanite and the Canaanite deities they had adopted.

balances of deceit... Because the Canaanites were known as traders, the word merchant came to be used synonymously with Canaanite (Eze. 16:29; 17:4; Zeph. 1:11). Though she denied it (verse 8), Israel had become materialistic, filled with greed, and fond of dishonest gain.

God always cautioned His people to deal with just weights.

Lev. 19:36 "Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have I [am] the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt."

One of the ways you could determine who belonged to God, was by the way they conducted themselves in business.

Prov. 11:1 "A false balance [is] abomination to the LORD: but a just weight [is] his delight.”

Those who oppress their neighbor are not godly people.

Canaan! So, the prophet nicknames his mercenary generation. With false balances in his hand, he loves to defraud.

The nation’s pride.

Israel’s repentance (Hos. 12:6) would necessitate a complete reversal in her dealings and attitudes. The nation was permeated by economic dishonesty (mirmâh; cf. Hos. 11:12 for the same word), oppression (defraud), pride.