New International Version Is Gilead wicked? Its people are worthless! Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal? Their altars will be like piles of stones on a plowed field. New Living Translation But the people of Gilead are worthless because of their idol worship. And in Gilgal, too, they sacrifice bulls; their altars are lined up like the heaps of stone along the edges of a plowed field. English Standard Version If there is iniquity in Gilead, they shall surely come to nothing: in Gilgal they sacrifice bulls; their altars also are like stone heaps on the furrows of the field. Berean Standard Bible Is there iniquity in Gilead? They will surely come to nothing. Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal? Indeed, their altars will be heaps of stones in the furrows of the field. Berean Literal Bible If iniquity is in Gilead, surely they are worthless; In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls; even their altars are as heaps over the furrows of the field. King James Bible Is there iniquity in Gilead? surely they are vanity: they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the fields. New King James Version Though Gilead has idols— Surely they are vanity— Though they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal, Indeed their altars shall be heaps in the furrows of the field. New American Standard Bible Is there injustice in Gilead? Certainly they are worthless. In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls, Yes, their altars are like stone heaps Beside the furrows of a field. NASB 1995 Is there iniquity in Gilead? Surely they are worthless. In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls, Yes, their altars are like the stone heaps Beside the furrows of the field. NASB 1977 Is there iniquity in Gilead? Surely they are worthless. In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls, Yes, their altars are like the stone heaps Beside the furrows of the field. Legacy Standard Bible Is there wickedness in Gilead? Surely they are worthless. In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls; Yes, their altars are like the stone heaps Beside the furrows of the field. Amplified Bible Is there wickedness (idolatry) in Gilead? Surely the people there are worthless. In Gilgal [they defy Me when] they sacrifice bulls, Yes, [after My judgment] their [pagan] altars are like the stone heaps In the furrows of the fields. Berean Annotated Bible Is there iniquity in Gilead (rocky region)? They will surely come to nothing. Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal (a wheel)? Indeed, their altars will be heaps of stones in the furrows of the field. Christian Standard Bible Since Gilead is full of evil, they will certainly come to nothing. They sacrifice bulls in Gilgal; even their altars will be like piles of rocks on the furrows of a field. Holman Christian Standard Bible Since Gilead is full of evil, they will certainly come to nothing. They sacrifice bulls in Gilgal; even their altars will be like heaps of rocks on the furrows of a field. American Standard Version Is Gilead iniquity? they are altogether false; in Gilgal they sacrifice bullocks; yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the field. Contemporary English Version Gilead is terribly sinful and will end up ruined. Bulls are sacrificed in Gilgal on altars made of stones, but those stones will be scattered in every field. English Revised Version Is Gilead iniquity? they are altogether vanity; in Gilgal they sacrifice bullocks: yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the field. GOD'S WORD® Translation The people of Gilead are evil. They are worthless. They sacrifice bulls in Gilgal. But their altars will become like piles of rubble beside a plowed field. Good News Translation Yet idols are worshiped in Gilead, and those who worship them will die. Bulls are sacrificed in Gilgal, and the altars there will become piles of stone in the open fields." International Standard Version "There's iniquity in Gilead, isn't there? They have become truly vain. They sacrifice bulls in Gilgal; their altars are like piles of stone in furrowed fields. NET Bible Is there idolatry in Gilead? Certainly its inhabitants will come to nothing! Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal? Surely their altars will be like stones heaped up on a plowed field! New Heart English Bible If Gilead is wicked, surely they are worthless. In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls. Indeed, their altars are like heaps in the furrows of the field. Webster's Bible Translation Is there iniquity in Gilead? surely they are vanity: they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; yes, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the fields. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleIs there iniquity in Gilead? They will surely come to nothing. Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal? Indeed, their altars will be heaps of stones in the furrows of the field. World English Bible If Gilead is wicked, surely they are worthless. In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls. Indeed, their altars are like heaps in the furrows of the field. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionSurely Gilead [is] iniquity, "" They have been only vanity, "" In Gilead they have sacrificed bullocks, "" Also their altars [are] as heaps, on the furrows of a field. Berean Literal Bible If iniquity is in Gilead, surely they are worthless; In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls; even their altars are as heaps over the furrows of the field. Young's Literal Translation Surely Gilead is iniquity, Only, vanity they have been, In Gilead bullocks they have sacrificed, Also their altars are as heaps, on the furrows of a field. Smith's Literal Translation If Gilead nothing? Surely they were vanity: in Gilgal they sacrificed oxen; also their altars as heaps upon the furrows of the field. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleIf Galaad be an idol, then in vain were they in Galgal offering sacrifices with bullocks: for their altars also are as heaps in the furrows of the field. Catholic Public Domain Version If Gilead is an idol, then they have been sacrificing cattle in Gilgal to no purpose. For even their altars are like clutter on the soil of the field. New American Bible In Gilead is falsehood, they have come to nothing; in Gilgal they sacrifice bulls, But their altars are like heaps of stones in the furrows of the field. New Revised Standard Version In Gilead there is iniquity, they shall surely come to nothing. In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls, so their altars shall be like stone heaps on the furrows of the field. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleIn Gilead you suffered pain, and in Gilgal you sacrificed bullocks to falsehood; your altars are like dry stalks in a barren field. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated In Gelad there was pain and in Galgala you sacrificed bulls for futility, also your altars were like straw in a field of barren land OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917If Gilead be given to iniquity Becoming altogether vanity, In Gilgal they sacrifice unto bullocks; Yea, their altars shall be as heaps In the furrows of the field. Brenton Septuagint Translation If Galaad exists not, then the chiefs in Galaad when they sacrificed were false, and their altars were as heaps on the ground of the field. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context A Reproof of Ephraim, Judah, Jacob…10I spoke through the prophets and multiplied their visions; I gave parables through the prophets. 11Is there iniquity in Gilead? They will surely come to nothing. Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal? Indeed, their altars will be heaps of stones in the furrows of the field. 12Jacob fled to the land of Aram and Israel worked for a wife—for a wife he tended sheep.… Cross References Is there iniquity in Gilead? Hosea 6:8 Gilead is a city of evildoers, tracked with footprints of blood. Amos 1:13 This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of the Ammonites, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead in order to enlarge their territory. They will surely come to nothing. Isaiah 41:29 See, they are all a delusion; their works amount to nothing; their images are as empty as the wind. Jeremiah 10:15 They are worthless, a work to be mocked. In the time of their punishment they will perish. Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal? Hosea 9:15 All their evil appears at Gilgal, for there I hated them. I will drive them from My house for the wickedness of their deeds. I will no longer love them; all their leaders are rebellious. Hosea 4:15 Though you prostitute yourself, O Israel, may Judah avoid such guilt! Do not journey to Gilgal, do not go up to Beth-aven, and do not swear on oath, ‘As surely as the LORD lives!’ 1 Samuel 13:9-14 So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” And he offered up the burnt offering. / Just as he finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him. / “What have you done?” Samuel asked. And Saul replied, “When I saw that the troops were deserting me, and that you did not come at the appointed time and the Philistines were gathering at Michmash, … Indeed, their altars will be heaps of stones in the furrows of the field. Hosea 10:8 The high places of Aven will be destroyed—it is the sin of Israel; thorns and thistles will overgrow their altars. Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!” and to the hills, “Fall on us!” Micah 1:6 Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of rubble in the open field, a planting area for a vineyard. I will pour her stones into the valley and expose her foundations. Jeremiah 26:18 “Micah the Moreshite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah and told all the people of Judah that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, and the temple mount a wooded ridge.’ Isaiah 1:11-14 “What good to Me is your multitude of sacrifices?” says the LORD. “I am full from the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I take no delight in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. / When you come to appear before Me, who has required this of you—this trampling of My courts? / Bring your worthless offerings no more; your incense is detestable to Me. New Moons, Sabbaths, and convocations—I cannot endure iniquity in a solemn assembly. … Amos 5:21-23 “I hate, I despise your feasts! I cannot stand the stench of your solemn assemblies. / Even though you offer Me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; for your peace offerings of fattened cattle I will have no regard. / Take away from Me the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. Micah 6:6-8 With what shall I come before the LORD when I bow before the God on high? Should I come to Him with burnt offerings, with year-old calves? / Would the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? / He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? Jeremiah 7:21-23 This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: Add your burnt offerings to your other sacrifices and eat the meat yourselves! / For when I brought your fathers out of the land of Egypt, I did not merely command them about burnt offerings and sacrifices, / but this is what I commanded them: Obey Me, and I will be your God, and you will be My people. You must walk in all the ways I have commanded you, so that it may go well with you. 1 Samuel 15:22 But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams. Isaiah 66:3 Whoever slaughters an ox is like one who slays a man; whoever sacrifices a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever presents a grain offering is like one who offers pig’s blood; whoever offers frankincense is like one who blesses an idol. Indeed, they have chosen their own ways and delighted in their abominations. Treasury of Scripture Is there iniquity in Gilead? surely they are vanity: they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; yes, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the fields. iniquity. Hosea 6:8 Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, and is polluted with blood. 1 Kings 17:1 And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. surely. Jeremiah 10:8,15 But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities… Jonah 2:8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. they sacrifice. Hosea 4:15 Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear, The LORD liveth. Hosea 9:15 All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house, I will love them no more: all their princes are revolters. Amos 4:4 Come to Bethel, and transgress; at Gilgal multiply transgression; and bring your sacrifices every morning, and your tithes after three years: their altars. Hosea 8:11 Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin. Hosea 10:1 Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images. 2 Kings 17:9-11 And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the LORD their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city… Jump to Previous Altars Altogether Bullocks Bulls Evil Field Fields Furrows Gilead Gilgal Heaps Hollows Indeed Iniquity Masses Nought Offerings Oxen Piles Ploughed Quite Sacrifice Stone Stones Surely Value Vanity Wicked WorthlessJump to Next Altars Altogether Bullocks Bulls Evil Field Fields Furrows Gilead Gilgal Heaps Hollows Indeed Iniquity Masses Nought Offerings Oxen Piles Ploughed Quite Sacrifice Stone Stones Surely Value Vanity Wicked WorthlessHosea 12 1. A reproof of Ephraim, Judah, and Jacob.3. By former favors he exhorts to repentance. 7. Ephraim's sins provoke God. Is there iniquity in Gilead? Gilead, east of the Jordan, was renowned for fertile pastureland and healing balm, yet its outward blessings could not conceal its guilt. The Lord’s question exposes a land filled with idolatry, violence, and covenant unfaithfulness. No region’s history, prosperity, or reputation can shield it from God’s judgment when its people persist in sin. Hos 6:8 Gilead is a city of evildoers, tracked… They will surely come to nothing. Gilead’s wickedness would produce emptiness rather than security. The wealth, sacrifices, and alliances in which Israel trusted could not preserve a people who had forsaken the Lord. Sin promises gain but ends in ruin, and every work built apart from obedience to God will perish. Isa 41:29 See, they are all a delusion; their works amount to nothing;… Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal? Gilgal had once marked Israel’s entrance into the Promised Land and the renewal of covenant faithfulness under Joshua. By Hosea’s day, it had become a center of corrupt worship, where sacrifices continued without repentance or submission to God. Israel retained religious activity while rejecting the God whom its offerings were meant to honor. Hos 9:15 All their evil appears at Gilgal, for there I hated them.… Indeed, their altars will be heaps of stones in the furrows of the field. The many altars erected for false worship would be torn down and scattered like fieldstones after plowing. What Israel multiplied in rebellion would become evidence of its judgment. God would not preserve religious structures that upheld idolatry, for He desires faithful hearts and worship according to His covenant. Hos 10:8 The high places of Aven will be destroyed—… Persons / Places / Events 1. GileadA region east of the Jordan River, known for its balm and fertile land. In this context, it represents a place of iniquity and idolatry. 2. Gilgal A significant location in Israel's history, often associated with religious rituals. Here, it symbolizes the corruption of worship practices. 3. Sacrificing Bulls A practice meant for worship and atonement, but in this context, it is corrupted and meaningless due to the people's idolatry. 4. Altars Structures for offering sacrifices to God, which have become corrupted and are prophesied to become mere heaps of stones. 5. Furrows of the Field Symbolizing the futility and destruction of false worship, as the altars will be reduced to rubble scattered in the fields. Teaching Points The Danger of Empty RitualsReligious practices without genuine faith and obedience are worthless in God's eyes. True worship requires a heart aligned with God's will. The Consequences of Idolatry Idolatry leads to spiritual decay and judgment. We must guard against allowing anything to take God's rightful place in our lives. The Call to Authentic Worship God desires worship that is sincere and rooted in truth. We should examine our worship practices to ensure they reflect a true relationship with God. Repentance and Restoration Even when we stray, God offers a path to restoration through repentance. We must be willing to turn from our sins and seek His forgiveness. The Importance of Spiritual Discernment We need discernment to recognize when our practices have become mere rituals. Regular self-examination and alignment with Scripture are essential. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Hosea 12:11?2. How does Hosea 12:11 highlight the futility of idol worship in our lives? 3. What lessons from Hosea 12:11 can we apply to modern-day spiritual practices? 4. How does Hosea 12:11 connect with the First Commandment in Exodus 20:3? 5. In what ways can we avoid the "altars" mentioned in Hosea 12:11 today? 6. How can Hosea 12:11 guide us in discerning true worship from false practices? 7. What does Hosea 12:11 reveal about Israel's spiritual condition and idolatry? 8. How does Hosea 12:11 challenge the authenticity of religious rituals without true devotion? 9. What historical context is necessary to understand Hosea 12:11's message? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Hosea 12? What Does Hosea 12:11 Mean Is there iniquity in Gilead?“Is there iniquity in Gilead?” • Hosea’s question is rhetorical; the Spirit points back to 6:8, “Gilead is a city of evildoers, tracked with blood,” so the answer is unmistakably yes. • Gilead, once famed for its healing balm (Jeremiah 8:22), had become a place of moral infection. The physical region still existed, but its spiritual health was terminal. • The Lord is exposing concealed sin. Much like Balaam’s attempted curses in Gilead’s vicinity (Numbers 22–24), hidden corrupt motives can masquerade as worship. • Cross-light from Psalm 139:1 and Hebrews 4:13 reminds that nothing is hidden from God’s gaze; every community, family, and heart stands open before Him. They will surely come to nothing. “Surely they will come to nothing.” • A solemn verdict: sin cancels security. Israel’s northern tribes, proud of military muscle (2 Kings 10:32-33) and fertile land, would soon be “nothing,” scattered by Assyria (2 Kings 17:6). • Compare Isaiah 40:17 (“All the nations are as nothing before Him”) and Psalm 1:4 (“The wicked are like chaff that the wind blows away”); prosperity evaporates when it stands against God. • The clause reminds us that divine patience has limits (Romans 2:4-5). Historical fulfillment came in 732 BC, when Tiglath-pileser III swept through Gilead, reducing it to rubble. • Takeaway bullet points: – Visible success is not proof of divine approval (Revelation 3:17). – National collapse begins with tolerated personal sin (Proverbs 14:34). Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal? “In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls…” • Gilgal originally celebrated God’s faithfulness (Joshua 4:19–24), yet tradition calcified into empty ritual. Hosea 4:15 and Amos 4:4; 5:5 underline that the place had become synonymous with rebellion. • Offering prime livestock looked impressive, but 1 Samuel 15:22 rings out: “To obey is better than sacrifice.” Their bulls could never substitute for surrendered hearts (Micah 6:6-8). • Modern parallel: external religiosity—services, songs, programs—can likewise mask unbelief (2 Timothy 3:5). • Key checkpoints: – Why we gather matters more than where we gather (John 4:21-24). – The absence of repentance makes even gold-plated worship worthless (Isaiah 1:11-15). Indeed, their altars will be heaps of stones in the furrows of the field. “…even their altars will be heaped up like stones on the furrows of the field.” • Picture a farmer plowing, turning up rocks that once formed elaborate shrines. That is God’s forecast: the very soil will recycle their idols into field debris. • Fulfillment echoes Hosea 10:8 (“Their high places…will be destroyed”) and 2 Kings 23:15, where Josiah smashed the altar at Bethel to dust. • Spiritual principle: what we erect against the Lord will be dismantled by the Lord (Micah 1:6-7). • Altars turned into furrow-stones illustrate: – Past sins fertilize future humility—if we learn (Joel 2:13). – God repurposes judgment into restoration; plowed ground anticipates new seed (Hosea 10:12). summary Hosea 12:11 strings together four piercing lines: hidden sin in Gilead, inevitable ruin, hollow sacrifices in Gilgal, and certain demolition of their altars. Together they teach that: • No place, however historic, is exempt from scrutiny. • Religious activity minus obedience ends in emptiness. • God’s judgment dismantles idols but also prepares the ground for renewal. Lean into wholehearted repentance now, while the soil is still being turned. (11) Translate, If Gilead be worthless, surely they have become nought. In Gilgal they sacrificed bullocks; their altars also are like heaps upon the field’s furrows, referring to a past event, the desolating invasion of Gilead by Tiglath-pileser, in 734 B.C. To this military expedition we have undoubted references in the inscriptions of Tiglath-pileser II. But unfortunately they are in a very mutilated condition. From one passage we learn:—“The city Gil [ead] and [A] bel [Maacha] which is on this side the land Beth Omri (Samaria) the distant . . . I joined in its whole extent to the territory of Assyria.” The biblical passage, 2Kings 15:29, supplements this account by stating that Napntali and Galilee also fell victims to the victorious arms of the invader. From the verse before us we infer that Gilgal, on the western bank of the Jordan near Jericho (see Note on 4:15), likewise felt the heavy hand of the conqueror, or perhaps the inhabitants fled in panic and the local shrines became deserted ruins. From this time forth we hear no more of Gilgal as a religious centre. Nowack, however, follows Ewald in regarding the passage as prophetic of a coming calamity. (See Introduction.) In the word for “heaps” (gallîm) there is a play on the name Gilgal.Hebrew Is thereאִם־ (’im-) Conjunction Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not iniquity אָ֙וֶן֙ (’ā·wen) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 205: Strictly nothingness, trouble, vanity, wickedness, an idol [in] Gilead? גִּלְעָ֥ד (gil·‘āḏ) Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 1568: Gilead -- a region in Palestine, also the name of several Israelites They will surely אַךְ־ (’aḵ-) Adverb Strong's 389: A particle of affirmation, surely come הָי֔וּ (hā·yū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be to nothing. שָׁ֣וְא (šāw) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 7723: Evil, idolatry, uselessness Do they sacrifice זִבֵּ֑חוּ (zib·bê·ḥū) Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 2076: To slaughter for sacrifice bulls שְׁוָרִ֣ים (šə·wā·rîm) Noun - masculine plural Strong's 7794: A head of cattle (bullock, ox, etcetera) in Gilgal? בַּגִּלְגָּ֖ל (bag·gil·gāl) Preposition-b, Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 1537: Gilgal -- 'circle (of stones)', the name of several places in Palestine Indeed, גַּ֤ם (gam) Conjunction Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and their altars [will be] מִזְבְּחוֹתָם֙ (miz·bə·ḥō·w·ṯām) Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural Strong's 4196: An altar heaps of stones כְּגַלִּ֔ים (kə·ḡal·lîm) Preposition-k | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 1530: Something rolled, a heap of stone, dung, a spring of water in עַ֖ל (‘al) Preposition Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against the furrows תַּלְמֵ֥י (tal·mê) Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 8525: A bank, terrace of the field. שָׂדָֽי׃ (śā·ḏāy) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 7704: Field, land Additonal Resources Hosea 12:11 Blue Letter BibleHosea 12:11 Bible Gateway Hosea 12:11 Bible.com Hosea 12:11 NIV |
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