Hosea 6:8
Gilead is a city of evildoers, tracked with footprints of blood.
Gilead
The name "Gilead" refers to a region east of the Jordan River, known for its balm and rugged terrain. In the context of Hosea, Gilead symbolizes a place of spiritual and moral decay. Historically, Gilead was a significant area for the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. The Hebrew root of Gilead, "Gil‘ad," can mean "heap of testimony" or "rocky region," which may imply a place that should stand as a testament to God's faithfulness but instead has become a witness to sin. This highlights the tragic transformation from a place of potential blessing to one of corruption.

is a city of evildoers
The phrase "city of evildoers" underscores the pervasive wickedness that has taken root in Gilead. The Hebrew word for "evildoers" is "pō‘al," which conveys the idea of active wrongdoing or those who practice iniquity. This suggests that the inhabitants are not merely passive in their sin but are actively engaged in actions that defy God's commandments. The city, once a place of refuge and healing, has become a hub of moral corruption, reflecting the broader spiritual decline of Israel.

tracked with footprints of blood
This vivid imagery of being "tracked with footprints of blood" paints a picture of violence and murder. The Hebrew word "‘āqēb," translated as "tracked," implies a path or trail, suggesting that the evidence of bloodshed is unmistakable and pervasive. Blood, in biblical terms, often signifies life and its unjust taking represents a grave sin. This phrase indicates that the city is marked by violence, and the shedding of innocent blood is a testament to its guilt. The imagery serves as a powerful indictment of the society's moral state, calling the people to recognize their need for repentance and divine intervention.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Gilead
A region east of the Jordan River, known for its balm and fertile land. In this context, it is depicted as a place of corruption and violence.

2. Evildoers
The inhabitants of Gilead, who are characterized by their sinful actions and moral decay.

3. Footprints of Blood
A metaphor indicating the pervasive violence and guilt present in Gilead.
Teaching Points
The Consequences of Sin
Gilead's reputation as a city of evildoers serves as a warning about the destructive nature of sin and its impact on communities.

The Call to Repentance
Just as Gilead was called out for its sins, we are reminded of the importance of turning away from wrongdoing and seeking God's forgiveness.

The Pervasiveness of Violence
The imagery of "footprints of blood" challenges us to consider how violence and injustice can become ingrained in society and our responsibility to address it.

Historical and Spiritual Significance
Understanding Gilead's historical context helps us appreciate the depth of its spiritual decline and the broader account of redemption in Scripture.

God's Justice and Mercy
While God condemns the sin in Gilead, His ultimate desire is for restoration and healing, pointing to His justice tempered with mercy.
Bible Study Questions
1. What historical significance does Gilead hold, and how does this context enhance our understanding of Hosea 6:8?

2. How does the description of Gilead as a "city of evildoers" reflect the broader themes of sin and judgment in the book of Hosea?

3. In what ways can the metaphor of "footprints of blood" be seen in today's society, and how should Christians respond?

4. How do other biblical references to Gilead (e.g., Jeremiah 8) deepen our understanding of its spiritual condition?

5. What steps can we take to ensure that our communities do not fall into the same patterns of sin and violence as Gilead?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Genesis 31
Gilead is first mentioned as a place of covenant between Jacob and Laban, highlighting its historical significance.

Jeremiah 8
The prophet laments over the lack of healing in Gilead, symbolizing spiritual decay.

Micah 7
Similar themes of societal corruption and violence are echoed, emphasizing the need for repentance.
Divine Institutions CorruptedHomilistHosea 6:8
Divine Institutions CorruptedD. Thomas Hosea 6:8
Religion and IrreligionC. Jerdan Hosea 6:6-11
The Broken CovenantJ. Orr Hosea 6:7-11
People
Adam, Haggai, Hosea
Places
Assyria, Gilead, Shechem
Topics
Blood, Bloody, Covered, Evildoers, Evil-doers, Footprints, Gilead, Iniquity, Marked, Polluted, Slippery, Stained, Town, Tracked, Wicked, Workers, Wrongdoers
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Hosea 6:7

     1349   covenant, at Sinai
     5081   Adam, life of
     6155   fall, of Adam and Eve
     6213   participation, in sin
     8711   covenant breakers

Hosea 6:6-7

     8840   unfaithfulness, to God

Library
Our Miseries, Messengers of Mercy
Three things I must do this morning; first, I must deal a blow, at the old Tempter, who has got the first hand at you; secondly, I will come to reason comfortably with you; and then, thirdly, I must lovingly persuade you, saying--"Come, let us return unto the Lord." I. First then, I must DEAL A BLOW AT THE OLD TEMPTER, WHO HAS GOT BEFORE ME AND HAS BEGUN TO DECEIVE YOU. I cannot tell what is the precise temptation that Satan has been using with you, but I think it is very likely to be one of four.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 7: 1861

Nature of Covenanting.
A covenant is a mutual voluntary compact between two parties on given terms or conditions. It may be made between superiors and inferiors, or between equals. The sentiment that a covenant can be made only between parties respectively independent of one another is inconsistent with the testimony of Scripture. Parties to covenants in a great variety of relative circumstances, are there introduced. There, covenant relations among men are represented as obtaining not merely between nation and nation,
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

The Limitations of Earth's Great Week.
We are well aware that in broaching this point we shall probably evoke the criticism of honored brethren and be charged with "setting a date" for the Return of our Lord. Nevertheless, we feel constrained to set down our honest convictions, only asking our readers to examine in the light of Holy Writ what we now advance tentatively and not dogmatically. In ancient times it was commonly held by Jewish rabbis before our Lord's first advent, and by many of the most eminent of the church fathers afterwards,
Arthur W. Pink—The Redeemer's Return

The Synagogue at Nazareth - Synagogue-Worship and Arrangements.
The stay in Cana, though we have no means of determining its length, was probably of only short duration. Perhaps the Sabbath of the same week already found Jesus in the Synagogue of Nazareth. We will not seek irreverently to lift the veil of sacred silence, which here, as elsewhere, the Gospel-narratives have laid over the Sanctuary of His inner Life. That silence is itself theopneustic, of Divine breathing and inspiration; it is more eloquent than any eloquence, a guarantee of the truthfulness
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

St Gregory the Great (Ad 540-604)
PART I Gregory was born at Rome, of a noble and wealthy family, in the year 540. In his youth he engaged in public business, and he rose to be proctor of Rome, which was one of the chief offices under the government. In this office he was much beloved and respected by the people. But about the age of thirty-five, a great change took place in his life. He resolved to forsake the pursuit of worldly honours, and spent all his wealth in founding seven monasteries. He gave up his family house at Rome
J. C. Roberston—Sketches of Church History, from AD 33 to the Reformation

Letter xv (Circa A. D. 1129) to Alvisus, Abbot of Anchin
To Alvisus, Abbot of Anchin He praises the fatherly gentleness of Alvisus towards Godwin. He excuses himself, and asks pardon for having admitted him. To Alvisus, Abbot of Anchin. [18] 1. May God render to you the same mercy which you have shown towards your holy son Godwin. I know that at the news of his death you showed yourself unmindful of old complaints, and remembering only your friendship for him, behaved with kindness, not resentment, and putting aside the character of judge, showed yourself
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

Prayer.
CHARACTERISTICS OF PRAYER. WHAT is prayer? A sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Spirit, for such things as God hath promised. The best prayers have often more groans than words. Alas, how few there be in the world whose heart and mouth in prayer shall go together. Dost thou, when thou askest for the Spirit, or faith, or love to God, to holiness, to saints, to the word, and the like, ask for them with love to them,
John Bunyan—The Riches of Bunyan

The Coming Revival
"Wilt Thou not revive us again: that Thy people may rejoice in Thee?"--PS. lxxxv. 6. "O Lord, revive Thy work in the midst of the years."--HAB. iii. 2. "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me: Thy right hand shall save me."--PS. cxxxviii. 7. "I dwell with him that is of a humble and contrite heart, to revive the heart of the contrite ones."--ISA. lvii. 15. "Come, and let us return to the Lord: for He hath torn, and He will heal us. He will revive us."--HOS. vi. 1, 2. The Coming
Andrew Murray—The Ministry of Intercession

The Strait Gate. Warned against Herod.
(Peræa.) ^C Luke XIII. 22-35. ^c 22 And he went on his way through cities and villages, teaching, and journeying on unto Jerusalem. [This verse probably refers back to verse 10, and indicates that Jesus resumed his journey after the brief rest on the Sabbath day when he healed the woman with the curvature of the spine.] 23 And one said unto him, Lord, are they few that are saved? [It is likely that this question was asked by a Jew, and that the two parables illustrating the smallness of the
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Work of Jesus Christ as an Advocate,
CLEARLY EXPLAINED, AND LARGELY IMPROVED, FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL BELIEVERS. 1 John 2:1--"And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." By JOHN BUNYAN, Author of "The Pilgrim's Progress." London: Printed for Dorman Newman, at the King's Arms, in the Poultry, 1689. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. This is one of the most interesting of Bunyan's treatises, to edit which required the Bible at my right hand, and a law dictionary on my left. It was very frequently republished;
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Jesus Defends Disciples who Pluck Grain on the Sabbath.
(Probably While on the Way from Jerusalem to Galilee.) ^A Matt. XII. 1-8; ^B Mark II. 23-28; ^C Luke VI. 1-5. ^b 23 And ^c 1 Now it came to pass ^a 1 At that season ^b that he ^a Jesus went { ^b was going} on the { ^c a} ^b sabbath day through the grainfields; ^a and his disciples were hungry and began ^b as they went, to pluck the ears. ^a and to eat, ^c and his disciples plucked the ears, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands. [This lesson fits in chronological order with the last, if the Bethesda
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Backsliding.
"I will heal their backsliding; I will love them freely: for Mine anger is turned away."--Hosea xiv. 4. There are two kinds of backsliders. Some have never been converted: they have gone through the form of joining a Christian community and claim to be backsliders; but they never have, if I may use the expression, "slid forward." They may talk of backsliding; but they have never really been born again. They need to be treated differently from real back-sliders--those who have been born of the incorruptible
Dwight L. Moody—The Way to God and How to Find It

Divine Calls.
"And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel; Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for Thy servant heareth."--1 Samuel iii. 10. In the narrative of which these words form part, we have a remarkable instance of a Divine call, and the manner in which it is our duty to meet it. Samuel was from a child brought to the house of the Lord; and in due time he was called to a sacred office, and made a prophet. He was called, and he forthwith answered the call. God said, "Samuel,
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VIII

Of the Nature of Regeneration, and Particularly of the Change it Produces in Men's Apprehensions.
2 COR. v. 17. 2 COR. v. 17. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold all things are become new. THE knowledge of our true state in religion, is at once a matter of so great importance, and so great difficulty that, in order to obtain it, it is necessary we should have line upon line and precept upon precept. The plain discourse, which you before heard, was intended to lead you into it; and I question not but I then said enough to convince many, that they were
Philip Doddridge—Practical Discourses on Regeneration

Job's Faith and Expectation
I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand in the latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. C hristianity, that is, the religion of which MESSIAH is the author and object, the foundation, life, and glory, though not altogether as old as creation, is nearly so. It is coeval [contemporary] with the first promise and intimation of mercy given to fallen man. When Adam, by transgression, had violated the order and law of
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

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 6:8 NIV
Hosea 6:8 NLT
Hosea 6:8 ESV
Hosea 6:8 NASB
Hosea 6:8 KJV

Hosea 6:8 Commentaries

Bible Hub
Hosea 6:7
Top of Page
Top of Page