Hosea 12:4Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

And I am few in number; those gathered against me will cut me off, and I and my house shall perish’ (Genesis 34:30). However, the young men did not waver in their resolve, responding, ‘Should they treat our sister like a harlot?’ (Gen. 34:31). Despite the righteous man being in deep fear, he turned to God who saves. Then God, who loves the righteous, assured him of deliverance from his fears, shortly thereafter commanding, ‘Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there, and make there an altar to God who has revealed Himself to you when you fled from Esau, your brother’ (Genesis 35:1). The blessed Jacob, on his way to Bethel and to the house of God (Bethel means ‘the house of God’), called out to all his household and those with him: ‘Put away the gods of the foreign nations... Let us ascend to Bethel and create an altar there to God, who has answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me on the journey I have undertaken. And he surrendered the foreign gods that were in their hands, along with the earrings in their ears, to Jacob; and Jacob buried them under the Terebinth tree in Shechem, and he destroyed them to this day’ (Genesis 35:2-4). Following this, the divine Jacob found security, as he was entirely free from the suspicion of the Shechemites, for God, through His own power, quelled those who opposed him. (Gen. 35:5.) The fear of God fell upon the cities surrounding them, and they did not pursue the children of Israel. When the altar of sacrifice was established at Luz (which is Bethel), it is said, ‘God appeared to Jacob... and blessed him. And He said, ‘I am your God; be fruitful and multiply; the nations and the assemblies of tongues will come from you, and kings will emerge from your lineage. And the land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give to you... and to your descendants after you I will give this land’ (Genesis 35:9-12). These events serve as a prophetic reminder for the present case. Thus, from the very start, Jacob was a stumbler, but you constantly impede yourselves and are not hindered by sin. He was industrious and noble in his actions and pure before God, yet you indulge in your waywardness and fail to honor the source of every spiritual blessing. Your forebears, he says, ‘wept and prayed to Me’ - they wept and prayed when accused and were in peril, for they sought salvation from Me alone: but you reinforce the cities, believing that perhaps, even against My will, you would be rescued and triumph over your foes. Those ‘in the house found me,’ for, as highlighted, Jacob ascended to Bethel, and God manifested to him, ‘and there spoke to him’ the promise of blessing, as we have now illustrated: but you do not seek God in His house but instead eagerly flee to the shrines of Baal, abandoning the words of God for demonic omens. The divine Jacob went to Bethel, the house of God, and dismantled idols, while you, in stark contrast, erect a graven image in the house of God, because at Bethel you set up a golden calf. As mentioned, Bethel signifies ‘the house of God.’ Therefore, God, through the prophet Jeremiah, laments over the Jewish synagogue: ‘Why has my beloved in my house committed an abomination?’ That is, an idol (Jeremiah 11:15). The divine Jacob instructed those ascending to the house of God to purify themselves and even to change their garments; yet you approach the house of God dirty and impure, entering with unwashed feet: are you not stained, He asks? And because Jacob acted thus, ‘the Lord Almighty will be his remembrance,’ retaining him in the memory of God, and he possesses an enduring glory, as God honors those who love Him. Therefore, I will reiterate something vital for edification: the virtues of the fathers serve as a condemnation for us if we do not align with their mindset or emulate their deeds and accomplishments. Thus, you will be judged not only for endangering your own soul but also for dishonoring the glory of your fathers and tarnishing the dignity of your ancestors.

Weeping and pleading for me, they found me in the house of ὢν, where it was declared, “The Lord God Almighty is his memorial; return also to your God, uphold mercy and justice, and draw near to Him perpetually.” Ephraim betrays us, chasing after falsehoods, even to the point of wavering between surrounding nations, forging ties with the Assyrians, and sending provisions to Egypt. Now I maintain all judgment with Judah and visitation over Jacob. Through this visitation, calamities and punishments arise, so that having justly dealt with Ephraim, He may also weigh Judah, a descendant of Jacob, based on his own ways and actions. Judah’s downfall is not mere chance or human frailty; he sought and discovered opportunities for sin.

Moreover, the blessings bestowed upon Judah, representing Jacob himself, are noted, recalling the history to illustrate both God's mercy towards Jacob and his steadfastness against the Lord. Even in Rebekah’s womb, he acted against his brother Esau—not through his own capacity to reason, but by God’s mercy, who knows and cherishes those predestined by Him. Not only did he strike down his brother while yet in the womb, but he also stood strong before the angel, wrestling throughout the night (Gen. 32). Because he stood firm, he received the name εὐθυτάτου, the Hebrew Isar, which indicates straightening. He overcame the angel, thus growing stronger through the blessing he received from God. As he wept and prayed to the angel, he declared, “I will not let you go unless you bless me” (Gen. 32:26). Upon the counsel of his parents, he fled to Mesopotamia and encountered the same angel at Bethel, who communicated not only with him but also with us; in Jacob, He cherished Judah. Since that time until now, the name given by the angel and God has endured. Thus, O Judas, model your father's example, weep and earnestly seek the Lord of Hosts, and turn your heart towards Him. Uphold mercy and justice, and in both, continually trust in your God, thriving in virtue through righteous deeds.

In Hebrew, instead of saying, “I cried and begged him, in Bethel I found him,” the common version states, “They cried and begged Me, in the house of ὢν they found Me.” The term ὢν signifies sorrow. Hence, anyone who weeps, repents, and pleads with the Lord shall find Him when their heart is revived, and if they call upon Him, they shall receive an answer. Judas can symbolize a member of the Church who is chastened by the Lord for failing to remember the former blessings received, continually adding sin upon sin. The nature of those blessings is revealed: “When, he says, the Church begat you who were born of faith, you killed your brother, whether Jew or Gentile, and claimed his inheritance. By your strength, you stood upright before the angel, either overcoming adverse powers or gaining strength through the angel's blessings, which came from God Himself. In a figurative sense, you sat in judgment over the angel in order to triumph over men and became fortified.

Having achieved victory, you began to weep and plead with the angel of the Lord, recalling your previous sins, discovering him at Bethel, that is, in the house of God—the Church of God—or in the house of ὢν, which represents the tribulation of tears and repentance. To clarify who Judas is, it is said, “there he spoke to us,” referring to us Christians; from that moment onward, we carry the name of Christ, who Himself corrects and upholds us. Therefore, you, a member of the Church, called Judas and confessor, daily return in repentance to your Lord, and if you stumble, follow the prophet’s words: “I will wash my bed with my tears, I will drench my couch every night” (Psalm 6:7). Do not limit yourself to these sentiments; rather, keep God’s commandments, show mercy to others so that you may also receive pardon. Judge with fairness, that you may be judged by the measures you use, and always place your trust in your God, drawing near to Him consistently, excelling in virtue at all times.

Here, both titles of God and Angel refer to the same being, as also recognized by the blessed Moses. Indeed, our Lord Jesus Christ is referred to by Isaiah as both a Mighty God and an Angel of great counsel (Isaiah 9:6).

As it is written, "Weeping and praying unto Me: in the house of Onoba they found Me, and there I spoke unto them." Other translators, including Aquila, Simmachus, and Theodotion, interpret Jacob's encounter as him crying out and pleading with the Lord, discovering Him at Bethel. Jacob, in flight from his brother's malice and journeying to his uncle Laban, received a divine revelation at Bethel along with God's promises. He was reassured with the words, "Do not be afraid, Jacob, I am with you" (Genesis 28:13, 15). With heartfelt tears, Jacob likely uttered, "If the Lord shall provide me with bread to eat and clothes to wear, and return me safely, then the Lord shall be my God. This stone, which I have set up, shall be a house of God, and I will give a tenth of all I possess to You" (Genesis 28:20-22). Upon returning to that place, Jacob said, "With this rod I crossed this Jordan; now I am two camps" (Genesis 32:10).

Thus, the interpretations of Aquila and Symmachus convey that God revealed Himself to Jacob at Bethel, where today the idol of Ones resides. The seventy interpreters’ shift from the singular to plural emphasizes that Jacob, due to his faith, received my care; however, you have chosen the opposite path by intending to repent before the idol of Ones, rather than coming to my temple for my aid. Even after such an insult, I appeared to you, and at the places where you called upon Me, I answered you. This is illustrated by the prophet Amos, whose prophecy was delivered at Bethel, where the idol of Ones was prominent. Additionally, Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, instructed him, "Go away to the land of Judah, but do not prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary" (Amos 7:12, 13).

Yet, the Lord Almighty shall be His everlasting memorial. Seek mercy and justice, and draw close to your God consistently. With such a Sovereign Lord, who reigns over all, remain always mindful of Him, uphold the truth, show love to your neighbor, and faithfully adhere to God’s decrees. By approaching God in this manner, you will find Him a willing advocate on your behalf.

I would suggest that it requires less audacity for Satan to tempt a servant than for the Lord, less for an Emilian than for Christ, less for a man than for God, and less for a creature than for the Creator.