Hosea 4:15Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The prophet also calls the residents of Jerusalem, meaning Judah, hypocritical and arrogantly ungodly, for their tendency to waver, or more accurately, 'wobble on both sides', in the words of the prophet. Despite their demonstrable zeal and devotion to honoring God and their performance of lawful sacrifices, they still secretly served demons, albeit not overtly, but in hidden ways. Thus, the blessed prophet Ezekiel was commanded to dig through the wall, revealing all the idols of the house of Israel inscribed upon the walls. The God of all nations then asked him, ‘Have you seen, son of man, what the elders of the house of Israel are doing here in secret, each on his bed? For they think, The Lord does not see, the Lord has abandoned the land’ (Ezekiel 8:12). The prophet also observed 'the women sitting and weeping for Thammuz' (Ezek. 8:14), referring to Adonis in Hellenistic terms. Observe how, although they cared for the divine temple and appeared to favor lawful worship, at the same time, they covertly engaged in a detestable, demonic, and God-hating service. Therefore, he declares that Israel, culpable in many respects, should 'understand not', which means to cast aside ignorance, abandon such foolish and lowly beliefs, and embrace the understanding of the law and the prophets, or of Christ and the gospel. ‘And you, Judah, shall not enter into Galgal, nor ascend to the house of wickedness, nor swear by the living Lord,' for it is unwise to invoke God's name while favoring idol worship and the homage to lifeless calves established by Jeroboam at Bethel and Dan. Thus, it is unacceptable to display hypocrisy in one's devotion to God by invoking His name while simultaneously being swayed by senseless idolatry, going up to Galgal and the 'house of wickedness'. The 'house of wickedness' is known as Bethel. Why is this? Because Bethel means 'the house of God', yet it turned into a place for idol worship, thus offending both the object of their faith and the very name itself. As I mentioned, the house of God devolved into a house of an idol. Therefore, God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah concerning the people of Israel, ‘Why has my beloved in my house committed an abomination?’ (Jer. 11:15). Truly, the God of all would also say to the descendants of Judah and Benjamin, 'These people draw near with their mouths and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me' (Isaiah 29:13).

This refers to Bethel, once known as the house of God, but after the golden calves were set up, it became Bethaven, meaning a house of no profit, a place of idolatry, as aligned with the Hebrew text. It seems fitting that the Israelites in the wilderness fashioned a golden calf for worship, just as Jeroboam son of Nebat created golden calves, seeking to preserve their Egyptian superstitions concerning Apis and Mnevis, who were deities represented as bulls.

Let’s clarify this division. If you, O Israel, are perpetually adulterous in your folly and align yourself with harlots, where anyone who fulfills their own desires or the king’s wishes, offering gifts, was made a priest of the high places; then at least you, O Judah, who dwell in Jerusalem, having righteous Levites and conducting worship in the temple, should not engage in the harlotries of Oolle, who was once your sister, nor serve idols alongside her.

Do not go to Galgalah, about which the prophet mentions, “All their wickedness is in Galgalah” (Hosea 9:15), where Saul was anointed king and the people, having first camped, were purified through the second circumcision (Joshua 4). It was here that the error of false religion took root. And do not ascend to Bethaven, which was once Bethel, for since Jeroboam set up the golden calves there, it ceased to be regarded as the house of God and became the house of an idol. I find it curious that the LXX translates it as the house of ὢν; it may simply be a mix-up in letters, where the middle letter iod was mistaken for vav, or vice versa, as they differ only in size.

And do not invoke the name of the Lord in vain. I do not wish for My name to be associated with your mouths, which are tainted by the presence of idols. Like a stubborn calf that rejects its yoke, Israel, meaning the ten tribes, has turned aside from the Lord’s service. Instead of “stubborn calf,” the LXX renders it as being one stung by a gadfly, which speaks to the distress caused. This creature is notorious for its cruelty, driving its victims into a frenzy. The air, groves, and shores are filled with the sounds of such torment. When Israel was incensed, driven mad by a spirit of unfaithfulness, not after a long time but during my prophetic ministry, when the Spirit governs my being, the Lord will shepherd them as a lamb in a wide pasture.

The prophet extends this metaphor of the stubborn calf or gadfly, so that the exile to Assyria and the dispersion of the people of Israel throughout the vast expanse of Midian parallels the guidance of flocks and lambs in an open field and broad land. This can also apply to heretics, to whom it is said: if you, O heretic, indulge in unfaithfulness, you who are part of the Church, do not sin, and do not go to Galgalah, to the gatherings of heretics, where sins are laid bare, and where they wallow in their transgressions. Do not be tempted to ascend to the proud and arrogant constructs of false teachings. For there, it is not the house of God, but a house of an idol. And do not invoke Christ’s name, whose majesty you tarnish by mingling with idols. For like a calf afflicted by a gadfly, the heretics are struck by the fiery darts of the devil, abandoning the knowledge of the law. Hence, they will wander on the broad and spacious path leading to death, and the patience of the Lord, along with the good Shepherd, will eventually lead to their ruin.

Galgalah, the name of a city, was dedicated to numerous idols. It was here that Joshua circumcised the uncircumcised members of the people using flint knives and erected twelve stones, taken from the Jordan's midst, to serve as a lasting memorial of God's favor and to teach future generations about their passage through dry land. It is truly a sign of profound ingratitude that this very city, filled with reminders of God's kindness, became a stronghold of wickedness.

There is good reason for the commandment that states, "You shall not blaspheme the living Lord." This prohibition arises from the fact that those who adhered to On and swore by him proclaimed him as the living Lord. This is further corroborated in another scripture. It is written, "If you remove the Baalim from your mouth and swear, saying, ‘As the Lord lives’ in truth" (Jer. 4:1), indicating the need to eradicate idols from one’s mind while striving to serve Me and acknowledge Me as the living Lord. Thus, you shall swear as one who honors truth and detests falsehood.

Consequently, as a young woman is compared to an arrow, Israel expressed that the Lord would deliver them like a lamb in the field. The insect troubling the livestock is called a dragonfly here; its stings inflict such pain that the afflicted cattle do not heed the shepherd's voice and cannot graze with others, but instead flee wildly and are swept away by the currents. To these cattle, God refers to Ephraim, who was tormented by the desire to serve idols. As mentioned earlier, Ephraim signifies the ten tribes. Yet, despite all this, I will not abandon them but will lead them into captivity, scattering them in various places, akin to a lost lamb seeking its mother's milk. Ephraim will experience hardship, for he was ensnared by temptations and idols, becoming envious of the Canaanites’ wickedness and arrogantly choosing to prioritize idol worship over my service.