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Hosea 7:8
Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.

1 Kings 18:21
And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORDbe God, follow him: but if Baal,then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

Isaiah 44:18
They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see;and their hearts, that they cannot understand.

break down.

Hosea 10:5-8
The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Bethaven: for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests thereofthat rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, because it is departed from it…

Hosea 8:5,6
Thy calf, O Samaria, hath castthee off; mine anger is kindled against them: how longwill it be ere they attain to innocency? …

1 Samuel 5:4
And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagonwas fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his handswere cut off upon the threshold; onlythe stump of Dagon was left to him.

now they must bear their guilt.
The consequence of their devious hearts is the bearing of guilt, indicating divine judgment. In the covenantal context, Israel was bound to follow God's laws, and deviation brought about consequences. This phrase underscores the principle of divine justice, where sin leads to accountability. The concept of bearing guilt is also seen in Leviticus, where the people are warned of the repercussions of disobedience. It foreshadows the ultimate judgment and the need for atonement, pointing to the necessity of a savior.

The LORD will break down their altars
The altars refer to places of worship, often associated with idolatry in Israel's history. These altars were erected to foreign gods, violating the first commandment. The breaking down of altars signifies God's direct intervention to remove idolatry and restore true worship. This act is reminiscent of the reforms of kings like Hezekiah and Josiah, who destroyed high places to purify worship. It also prefigures the cleansing work of Christ, who purifies the temple of our hearts.

and demolish their sacred pillars.
Sacred pillars were stone structures associated with pagan worship, often linked to fertility rites and the worship of Baal. Their demolition represents the eradication of false religious practices. This action is consistent with God's commands in Deuteronomy to destroy all forms of idolatry upon entering the Promised Land. The removal of these pillars symbolizes the call to holiness and exclusive devotion to God, a theme that resonates throughout the prophetic writings and is fulfilled in the call to worship in spirit and truth through Christ.

“​Their hearts are devious” (Hosea 10:2a).

• God sees beneath outward religious activity to the hidden motives (1 Samuel 16:7).

• A “divided heart” (Hosea 10:2, footnote) vacillates between loyalty to the Lord and attraction to idols, echoing the indictment “​​The heart is deceitful above all things” (Jeremiah 17:9).

• Double–mindedness is never neutral; it bars wholehearted love for God (Matthew 6:24;James 1:8).

• The literal charge is moral treason: Israel’s inner life is crooked, so her worship has become polluted (Hosea 7:14).

“​…now they must bear their guilt” (Hosea 10:2b).

• Consequence follows character: “​​Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return” (Galatians 6:7).

• God had long warned that unrepentant sin would carry personal responsibility (Ezekiel 18:20;Exodus 34:7).

• No substitute sacrifice, ritual, or alliance can shield the nation when the time of accountability arrives (Hosea 9:15;Amos 4:12).

• This is not arbitrary wrath but covenant justice: blessings for obedience, curses for rebellion (Deuteronomy 28:15–68).

“​The LORD will break down their altars” (Hosea 10:2c).

• The altars in view are not those God ordained at the tabernacle but private shrines dedicated to Baal and other gods (1 Kings 12:28–30;Hosea 8:11).

• By smashing the altars, God dismantles false security and exposes powerless idols (Isaiah 2:18;1 Kings 18:38–39).

• This fulfills commands such as “Tear down their altars” (Exodus 34:13) that Israel had ignored.

• Judgment on the place of worship signals judgment on the worshipers themselves (2 Kings 23:15;Psalm 78:58–59).

“​…and demolish their sacred pillars” (Hosea 10:2d).

• Sacred pillars, often linked with fertility cults, stood as bold public endorsements of idolatry (Deuteronomy 12:3).

• The Lord’s demolition proclaims His exclusive right to worship and His power over every rival (Isaiah 42:8).

• King Josiah modeled this when he “broke to pieces the sacred pillars” in his reform (2 Chronicles 34:4), a historical preview of what God Himself promises here.

• Removing the visible symbols removes the temptation, safeguarding future generations (Judges 2:10–12;2 Chronicles 31:1).

Hosea 10:2 paints a straight line from hidden deception to visible devastation. A crooked heart breeds guilt; guilt invites divine justice; justice targets the idols that fed the deception. God loves His people too much to let divided loyalty stand. He therefore exposes, judges, and tears down every counterfeit so that hearts might return to Him alone.

(1) divided, and so they halted between two opinions - between the worship of Jehovah and idolatry.Chalaq is taken in this signification by the Chaldee, Syriac, Septuagint, and Jerome, as also by the Hebrew commentators. The LXX. have

(a)ἐμέρισεν in the singular, which affords some support to Hitzig's rendering, "He (God)divided their heart," - but this is unsuitable and unscriptural; another

(b) reading of the same version isἐμέρισαν, "They have divided their hearts," which is somewhat better, yet incorrect. . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...