Blow the ram's horn in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah; raise the battle cry in Beth-aven: Lead on, O Benjamin! Blow the ram’s hornThe ram's horn, or "shofar" in Hebrew, is a significant instrument in ancient Israel, used for various purposes such as calling people to worship, signaling the start of a battle, or announcing important events. The blowing of the shofar in this context is a call to attention and urgency. It signifies a divine warning and a call to repentance. The shofar's sound is meant to awaken the people from spiritual slumber, urging them to heed God's message through the prophet Hosea. in Gibeah
Gibeah was a city in the territory of Benjamin, known for its historical and moral significance. It was the site of a grievous sin in Israel's past, as recorded in Judges 19-21, which led to civil war and great tragedy. Mentioning Gibeah here serves as a reminder of past sins and the consequences of turning away from God. It underscores the need for repentance and the importance of aligning with God's will to avoid repeating history's mistakes. the trumpet in Ramah
Ramah, another city in Benjamin, was a place of significance in Israel's history. It was the home of the prophet Samuel and a site of judgment and prophecy. The use of the trumpet, or "chatsotsrah" in Hebrew, alongside the shofar, emphasizes the gravity of the situation. The trumpet was often used in religious ceremonies and as a call to arms. Here, it symbolizes a divine summons to heed the prophetic warning and prepare for impending judgment. sound the alarm in Beth-aven
Beth-aven, meaning "house of wickedness," is a derogatory name for Bethel, a center of idolatrous worship in the northern kingdom of Israel. By referring to Bethel as Beth-aven, Hosea highlights the spiritual corruption and idolatry that have led the people astray. Sounding the alarm here is a call to recognize the falsehood and emptiness of idol worship and to return to the true worship of Yahweh. After you, O Benjamin!
The tribe of Benjamin is called to action, possibly as a leader or participant in the coming judgment. This phrase can be seen as a rallying cry, urging Benjamin to take heed of the warning and lead the charge in returning to God. Historically, Benjamin was a small but significant tribe, often caught between the larger tribes of Judah and Ephraim. This call to Benjamin underscores the importance of every tribe and individual in responding to God's call for repentance and renewal. Persons / Places / Events 1. GibeahA city in the territory of Benjamin, often associated with significant events in Israel's history, including moral and spiritual decline. 2. RamahAnother city in Benjamin, known as a place of judgment and prophecy. It was a strategic location for sounding alarms due to its elevation. 3. Beth-avenLiterally meaning "house of wickedness," it is often used as a derogatory name for Bethel, a center of idolatrous worship in Israel. 4. BenjaminOne of the twelve tribes of Israel, known for its warriors. The tribe's territory included Gibeah and Ramah, making them central to the warning. 5. The Ram’s Horn (Shofar)An ancient musical instrument used in Israel for religious purposes and as a call to arms or alert. Teaching Points The Call to RepentanceThe sounding of the ram’s horn is a call to awaken from spiritual slumber and recognize the need for repentance. Just as Israel was warned, we must heed the call to turn from sin and seek God earnestly. The Urgency of the MessageThe urgency in Hosea’s message is clear. The alarm is not just a warning but a call to immediate action. In our lives, we must respond promptly to God’s warnings and not delay in making necessary changes. The Consequences of IdolatryBeth-aven symbolizes the consequences of turning away from God to idolatry. We must examine our lives for modern-day idols that may lead us away from true worship. Community ResponsibilityThe call to sound the alarm in various cities indicates a communal responsibility. As believers, we are called to watch over one another and encourage each other in faithfulness to God. Spiritual WarfareThe imagery of the trumpet and alarm signifies spiritual warfare. We must be vigilant and prepared to stand firm in our faith, recognizing the spiritual battles we face. Bible Study Questions 1. What significance do the cities of Gibeah, Ramah, and Beth-aven hold in the context of Hosea 5:8, and how do they relate to the spiritual state of Israel? 2. How does the use of the ram’s horn in Hosea 5:8 compare to its use in other parts of the Bible, and what does it symbolize in terms of spiritual readiness? 3. In what ways can we identify and address modern-day idols in our lives, drawing parallels from the warning given to Israel in Hosea 5:8? 4. How can we, as a community of believers, effectively "sound the alarm" to encourage repentance and spiritual vigilance among ourselves? 5. Reflect on a time when you felt a sense of urgency in your spiritual life. How did you respond, and what can you learn from Hosea 5:8 about responding to God’s warnings? Connections to Other Scriptures Amos 3:6This verse discusses the sounding of a trumpet as a warning, similar to Hosea 5:8, emphasizing the seriousness of God's impending judgment. Jeremiah 4:5-6These verses also speak of blowing the trumpet in the land as a warning of coming disaster, highlighting the urgency of repentance. Isaiah 58:1This verse calls for a loud proclamation of transgression, akin to the alarm sounded in Hosea 5:8, urging the people to recognize their sins. People Benjamin, Hosea, Israelites, JarebPlaces Assyria, Beth-aven, Gibeah, Mizpah, Ramah, TaborTopics Alarm, Aloud, Aven, Battle, Behind, Benjamin, Beth, Bethaven, Beth-aven, Beth-a'ven, Blow, Cornet, Cry, Gibeah, Gib'e-ah, Horn, Lead, Loud, O, Raise, Ramah, Shout, Sounded, Tremble, TrumpetDictionary of Bible Themes Hosea 5:8 4654 horn
5595 trumpet Library 'Physicians of no Value'
'When Ephralm saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to Assyria, and sent to king Jareb: but he is not able to heal you, neither shall he cure you of your wound.'--HOSEA v. 13 (R.V.). The long tragedy which ended in the destruction of the Northern Kingdom by Assyrian invasion was already beginning to develop in Hosea's time. The mistaken politics of the kings of Israel led them to seek an ally where they should have dreaded an enemy. As Hosea puts it in figurative fashion, Ephraim's …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureAn Obscured vision
(Preached at the opening of the Winona Lake Bible Conference.) TEXT: "Where there is no vision, the people perish."--Proverbs 29:18. It is not altogether an easy matter to secure a text for such an occasion as this; not because the texts are so few in number but rather because they are so many, for one has only to turn over the pages of the Bible in the most casual way to find them facing him at every reading. Feeling the need of advice for such a time as this, I asked a number of my friends who …
J. Wilbur Chapman—And Judas Iscariot The Call and Feast of Levi
"And He went forth again by the seaside; and all the multitude resorted unto Him, and He taught them. And as He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the place of toll, and He saith unto him, Follow Me. And he arose and followed Him. And it came to pass, that He was sitting at meat in his house, and many publicans and sinners sat down with Jesus and His disciples: for there were many, and they followed Him. And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that He was eating with the …
G. A. Chadwick—The Gospel of St. Mark That None Should Enter on a Place of Government who Practise not in Life what they have Learnt by Study.
There are some also who investigate spiritual precepts with cunning care, but what they penetrate with their understanding they trample on in their lives: all at once they teach the things which not by practice but by study they have learnt; and what in words they preach by their manners they impugn. Whence it comes to pass that when the shepherd walks through steep places, the flock follows to the precipice. Hence it is that the Lord through the prophet complains of the contemptible knowledge …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great Ramah. Ramathaim Zophim. Gibeah.
There was a certain Ramah, in the tribe of Benjamin, Joshua 18:25, and that within sight of Jerusalem, as it seems, Judges 19:13; where it is named with Gibeah:--and elsewhere, Hosea 5:8; which towns were not much distant. See 1 Samuel 22:6; "Saul sat in Gibeah, under a grove in Ramah." Here the Gemarists trifle: "Whence is it (say they) that Ramah is placed near Gibea? To hint to you, that the speech of Samuel of Ramah was the cause, why Saul remained two years and a half in Gibeah." They blindly …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica Ripe for Gathering
'Thus hath the Lord God shewed unto me: and behold a basket of summer fruit. 2. And He said, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A basket of summer fruit. Then said the Lord unto me, The end is come upon My people of Israel; I will not again pass by them any more. 3. And the songs of the temple shall be howlings in that day, saith the Lord God: there shall be many dead bodies in every place; they shall cast them forth with silence. 4. Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Meditations for the Sick.
Whilst thy sickness remains, use often, for thy comfort, these few meditations, taken from the ends wherefore God sendeth afflictions to his children. Those are ten. 1. That by afflictions God may not only correct our sins past, but also work in us a deeper loathing of our natural corruptions, and so prevent us from falling into many other sins, which otherwise we would commit; like a good father, who suffers his tender babe to scorch his finger in a candle, that he may the rather learn to beware …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety Of Civil Government.
OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT. This chapter consists of two principal heads,--I. General discourse on the necessity, dignity, and use of Civil Government, in opposition to the frantic proceedings of the Anabaptists, sec. 1-3. II. A special exposition of the three leading parts of which Civil Government consists, sec. 4-32. The first part treats of the function of Magistrates, whose authority and calling is proved, sec. 4-7. Next, the three Forms of civil government are added, sec. 8. Thirdly, Consideration …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion That the Employing Of, and Associating with the Malignant Party, According as is Contained in the Public Resolutions, is Sinful and Unlawful.
That The Employing Of, And Associating With The Malignant Party, According As Is Contained In The Public Resolutions, Is Sinful And Unlawful. If there be in the land a malignant party of power and policy, and the exceptions contained in the Act of Levy do comprehend but few of that party, then there need be no more difficulty to prove, that the present public resolutions and proceedings do import an association and conjunction with a malignant party, than to gather a conclusion from clear premises. …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning The Arguments Usually Alleged in Support of Free Will Refuted.
1. Absurd fictions of opponents first refuted, and then certain passages of Scripture explained. Answer by a negative. Confirmation of the answer. 2. Another absurdity of Aristotle and Pelagius. Answer by a distinction. Answer fortified by passages from Augustine, and supported by the authority of an Apostle. 3. Third absurdity borrowed from the words of Chrysostom. Answer by a negative. 4. Fourth absurdity urged of old by the Pelagians. Answer from the works of Augustine. Illustrated by the testimony …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion Hosea
The book of Hosea divides naturally into two parts: i.-iii. and iv.-xiv., the former relatively clear and connected, the latter unusually disjointed and obscure. The difference is so unmistakable that i.-iii. have usually been assigned to the period before the death of Jeroboam II, and iv.-xiv. to the anarchic period which succeeded. Certainly Hosea's prophetic career began before the end of Jeroboam's reign, as he predicts the fall of the reigning dynasty, i. 4, which practically ended with Jeroboam's …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Hosea 5:8 NIVHosea 5:8 NLTHosea 5:8 ESVHosea 5:8 NASBHosea 5:8 KJV
Hosea 5:8 Commentaries
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