Hosea 8:12

"Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, they became for him altars for sinning."

Key Reflection

Ephraim, one of the tribes of Israel, had erected numerous altars to worship idols, believing these practices were pleasing to God. However, in their misguided zeal, these altars instead became instruments of sin and apostasy, leading them further away from true worship and into spiritual rebellion against Yahweh. This reflects the historical context of Israel's frequent return to idolatry despite prophetic warnings, highlighting how sincere religious practices can be perverted when divorced from genuine faith in God.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

I have written to him the great things of My law -Literally, “I write.” Their sin then had no excuse of ignorance. God had written their duties for them in the ten commandments with His own hand; He had written them of old and “manifoldly” , often repeated and in divers manners. He wrote those manifold things “to them” (or “for them”) by Moses, not for that time only, but that they might be continually before their eyes, as if He were still writing. He had written to them since, in their histories, in the Psalms. His words were still sounding in their ears through the teaching of the prophets. God did not only give His law or revelation once for all, and so leave it.

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