Hosea 2:17Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

“My husband shall call me,” she declares, indicating her transition from unrighteousness and her rejection of infidelity. She will cherish her role as a lawful wife and embrace a bond rooted in spirituality. He will not invoke the names of the Baals, treating as deities those created from stone and shaped by human hands. Thus, she says, “my husband shall name me.” Like a devoted and esteemed wife, she will dedicate her love solely to him, abandoning the name Baalim entirely. However, for those who wish, this statement can also be interpreted differently. Baalim undoubtedly refers to idols, and it was customary among Hebrew women to refer to their spouses by the names of false gods, an inappropriate expression of honor. This practice is attributed to Nin the Babylonian, who named his father Bil after an idol they worshiped. Her departure from such disgraceful habits is expressed in the statement, “My husband shall name me, and I shall not call him Baalim.” For if she chooses to refer to him as husband, she will consistently add, “my husband,” out of respect, refraining from invoking the names of idols. Therefore, it is said, “I will remove the names of Baalim from her lips, and they shall not be recalled by her.”

In Hebrew, this figure is known as Bel, and many prophets, particularly Daniel according to Theodotion, refer to him as an idol of Babylon. The Sidonians and Phoenicians refer to him as Baal because there exists a shared vowel sound between the consonants bet and lamed, allowing it to be pronounced either Beel or Baal. Thus, Dido of Sidon, hailing from royalty, poured wine to Jupiter from a cup traditionally used by Bel and his descendants.

We learn of the origin of the demon, or rather of a man elevated to demon status, since all idols arise through delusion from the deceased. In both Hebrew and Syriac, Baal signifies “having.” To express possession, one would say Baali—this is how wives refer to their husbands, meaning my husband, signifying he who holds me, or possesses me in the covenant of marriage. In Hebrew, a husband is referred to as is, and therefore a wife is termed issa in Genesis, similar to the derivation of the word vir from vir (husband). Consequently, the Lord's words carry this meaning: since both languages use issi and baali to denote my husband or my spouse, I detest idol names to such an extent that I refuse to be called even what might carry a benign interpretation, preferring instead to be known as issi rather than baali, in order to avoid confusion and not think of idols while addressing my husband.

Forgive the obscurity, which may stem from three factors: the complexity of the topic, the inexperience of the presenter, or the lack of understanding from the listener. In interpreting the Hebrew prophet, my approach will not rely on ornate rhetoric or captivating tales, but instead, with your prayers and fervent desire to learn, I will unveil what is concealed. Therefore, Aquila, a diligent and insightful translator, states that she shall call me: my husband and shall no longer call me: he who has me, which represents Baal.