Hosea 5:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He observed, “as many as twenty and five men giving their backsides unto the temple of the Lord, and their faces straight toward the east, and these bowing toward the east to the sun” (Ezekiel 8:16). Here we see how, through their numerous offenses and defiance against the Lord, they drew near to their own destruction.

Moreover, regarding the delay in impending judgment, God almost reprimanded those who eagerly awaited a chance to avenge Samaria and to bring confusion to Jerusalem—namely, the Assyrians, Persians, and Syrians, who at various times attacked for different reasons. He commanded them to begin the war with the sound of trumpets, heralding the beginning of His rebuke to those who had been deceived. He initially declared, “Now shall the rye appear, and their parts,” indicating that suffering and calamity (represented by “rye”) were imminent; then, He instructs them to sound the trumpet, especially in places of idol worship, potentially because these sites were soon to be consumed by fire or because they had caused irreparable ruin.

When He refers to the trumpeting “on the hills... on the high hills, in the house of Onoba,” it is clear this pertains to idol worship. The seventy elders had a different interpretation from other translators concerning “in the house of Onoba,” with some suggesting “into the house of the unfit, that is, of every idol,” while others said “in the house of Onove.” The prophetic message indicates the need for a proclamation against not just the hills and heights, signifying the idolatry of Israel, but also the breaking of allegiance in Jerusalem, with Judah and Benjamin worshipping the sun—turning away from God and neglecting their reverence to Him. This is illustrated by them having “their backs to the temple of the Lord, and their faces upright” toward the sun (Ezekiel 8:16).

Thus, when one hears “in the house of Onoah,” it is to be understood as the temple dedicated to a false and created god, or the sun. It should not appear surprising if the house of the sun represents sun worshippers, just as the house of God signifies those devoted to Him. If anyone were to refer to the golden calf as “Onom,” it would also hold validity. Indeed, the godless Jeroboam created the calf based on the model of the Egyptian sanctuary, Apis, whom the Egyptians revered, mistakenly believing he was the offspring of the moon while also acknowledging the sun’s role, since they thought the moon derived its light from the sun. It was the cunning adversary, Satan, who led them into such folly. Thus, God commands them to sound the trumpet “on the hills, and on the high places, and in the house of Onoba,” signifying the location of the golden calf.

The offenses of both nations and the necessity for punishment are revealed, as it is stated, “Benjamin was terrified,” instead of reflecting a departure from their practices or a shift to a more righteous way of thinking; this encapsulates the allure of wrongdoing. Likewise, Ephraim faced destruction—not in every instance, for “in the days of the punishment of transgression both showed faithfulness,” recognizing the fidelity and truth of God’s promises, as what was foretold was fulfilled, with none of His words proving false. By abandoning the customs of the past and losing their wisdom, they were expelled from their land, stripped of God’s love and all good fortune. Furthermore, those who forsake God inevitably lose a sense of spiritual righteousness and virtue, leading them to ruin when God admonishes and chastises them for their negligence. Thus, it remains vital to dwell in communion with God, echoing the sentiment from the Psalms: “my soul clings to you” (Psalm 62:9), for through Him, the might of the Almighty will safeguard and deliver, as assured by the Savior, “no one will take delight” (John 10:28).

Sound the horn in Gabaia, a term meaning hills, and the trumpet in Ramah, meaning heights; these two cities are adjacent in the territory of Benjamin, specifically Gabaia, where Saul was born, and Ramah, which lies just a short distance from Gabaia, seven miles from Jerusalem, and which the king of Israel sought to capture to control the entrance and exit of the tribe of Judah. Thus, declare from Gabai and Ramah using a horn (brussinah) and a trumpet. The bussinah is a curved horn used by shepherds, thus in Hebrew it is known as sophar, and in Greek, κερατ´νη. Conversely, the trumpet is made of brass or silver, and was sounded during battles and celebrations. Concerning Bethaven, once known as Bethel, where the golden calf was located, and which lies in Ephraim's territory, merely ringing and sounding will not suffice; a shout is necessary, for a severe captivity is impending. It is aptly noted that Bethaven lies behind Benjamin, as this city is constructed in the territory of Ephraim, not far from Benjamin's border. Therefore, I say and command: Blow a horn in Gabai, a trumpet in Ramah, and raise your voice in Bethaven; for Ephraim’s royal lineage, or Ephraim itself, which signifies the kingdom of Israel, will soon become desolate and draw near to captivity. In the day of reckoning and discipline of Israel's tribes, I have confirmed the trusted nature of My declarations, as I warned through My prophets, thereby validating what I foretold through My words. Some, in reference to LXX, have claimed that the house ὢ signifies the city of the sun, and since Christ is referred to as the Sun of righteousness, they suggest that His city represents the Church. However, I disagree; for within the dwelling of an idol, which Aquila termed a barren house, we cannot perceive the essence of the Church. Rather, we must assert that those heretics in Gabai and Ramah, who pride themselves on lofty knowledge, are instructed to proclaim in the residence of the idol, and they stand not before Benjamin, representing the son of the right hand, but behind him, where visibility is lacking. Indeed, all the boasting of Ephraim, which symbolizes abundance, will soon experience ruin; and when the day of judgment and the time of punishment arrives, I will demonstrate through actions that My words were not hollow. In our translation, we interpret behind you, Benjamin, as Benjamin has become bewildered, always linking ἔκοτασιν, meaning frenzy, to Benjamin or to a faithful member of the Church. Thus, it is also stated in the sixty-seventh Psalm, There young Benjamin is in a frenzy. Moreover, in the blessings of Jacob concerning Benjamin—of whose lineage the Apostle Paul hailed—we read: Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; he devours the prey in the morning and distributes food in the evening (Gen. 49:27). The one who first persecuted the Church later became a generous provider of the gospel sustenance to believers around the globe. Consequently, Saul, of the tribe of Benjamin, when seized by madness, prophesied all day and into the evening among the company of prophets (1 Sam. ch. 10).