Blow the ram’s horn
The 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.

(8) Cornet . . . trumpet.--The two kinds of trumpet mentioned here are the cornet, made like the bent horn of an animal, and the long, straight metallic trumpet, used for sounding an alarm and convoking the congregation (Numbers 10:2). Gibeah and Ramah were lofty hills on the northern boundary of Benjamin. From the parallel passage, Isaiah 10:29, we conclude that Gibeah lay between Jerusalem and Ramah (the modern Er Ram), not far from the road which passes in a northern direction from Jerusalem to Mount Ephraim. A lofty hill, which satisfies these conditions (Tel el Ful), has been discovered by Robinson, where there is a prospect over almost the whole tribal region of Benjamin, and with this spot Gibeah is probably to be identified. Hosea does not mention the metropolis, but he reveals the imminent peril of Jerusalem if these high towers, within sight of her defenders, were giving the alarm at the approach of the Assyrian king.

After thee is obscure. Translate, He (the enemy) is behind thee, O Benjamin, the tribe in which the metropolis was situated. This combined disaster for both Israel and Judah is reiterated in a variety of ways. "The tribes of Israel "are in parallelism with "Ephraim."

Verses 8, 9. - Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah. Intimation had been given in the preceding verse that the period of their fast-approaching destruction was at hand; that, as Kimchi expresses it, the now moon would soon come at which their enemies would destroy them. Now he pictures them as already on the march, and just advancing to execute the work of destruction; while the terror and alarm consequent thereon are here presented with great vividness, but at the same time with much brevity. A similar scene is depicted at full length by Isaiah 10:28-32, where the line of the Assyrians' march seems to be indicated, if, indeed, it be not a poetic representation of it, which the prophet gives. Thus from Aiath (el-Tell) to the pass of Michmash, now Mukmas, where he lays up his baggage; forward to Gobs, where they quarter for the night; then on to Nob, where he halts in sight at the holy city, and scarce an hour's march distant. The alarm was to be sounded with the shophar, or far-sounding cornet, made of curved horn, and the chatsotserah, or straight trumpet, made of brass or silver, used in war or at festivals. This signal of hostile invasion was to he sounded in Gibeah, now Tuleil-el-Ful, some four miles north of Jerusalem, and in Ramah, now er-Ram, two miles further distant. Both these towns, situated on eminences, as the names denote, belong to the northern boundary of Benjamin. The overthrow of the northern kingdom is rims presented as an already accomplished fact; while the invading host has already reached the frontier of the southern kingdom. Cry aloud at Beth-avon, after thee, O Benjamin. This cry is the sound at' the war-signals already mentioned, and the repetition intensifies the nature of the alarm and the urgency of the case. Beth-avon was either Bethel, now Beitin, on the border of Benjamin, or a town nearer Michmash, belonging to Benjamin. The meaning of the somewhat obscure words in the concluding clause can give little trouble, when read in the light of the context. The sounding of the alarm of war indicates with tolerable plainness what was coming behind Benjamin; nor is there need to supply the words, "the enemy rises behind thee," with same, or" the sword rages behind thee," with others. The signals announce the foe as arrived at the frontier of Judah. The enemy is close behind thee, Benjamin, in close pursuit after thee, upon thy very heels. Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke. The day of rebuke is the season when God rebukes sin by punishment; the punishment in this case is no slight rebuke or temporary chastisement. On the contrary, it is extreme in severity and final in duration. Famine, or pestilence, or war might lay a country desolate for a time, and yet relief might soon ensue and recuperative power be vigorously developed. Not so here. Ephraim is made more than desolate partially and for a short period; it becomes a desolation - "an entire desolation," as the words literally mean. In this desolation the other tribes would be involved. Nor was the menace lightly to be regarded or treated as meaningless; it was firm - well grounded as the word of the Eternal, and irreversible as his decree.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Blow
תִּקְע֤וּ (tiq·‘ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 8628: To clatter, slap, clang, to drive, to become bondsman

the horn
שׁוֹפָר֙ (šō·w·p̄ār)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7782: A cornet, curved horn

in Gibeah,
בַּגִּבְעָ֔ה (bag·giḇ·‘āh)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1390: Gibeah -- 'hill', three cities in Palestine

the trumpet
חֲצֹצְרָ֖ה (ḥă·ṣō·ṣə·rāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2689: (an ancient) trumpet

in Ramah;
בָּרָמָ֑ה (bā·rā·māh)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 7414: Ramah -- 'height', the name of several places in Israel

raise the battle cry
הָרִ֙יעוּ֙ (hā·rî·‘ū)
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 7321: To mar, to split the ears, shout

in Beth-aven:
אָ֔וֶן (’ā·wen)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1007: Beth-aven -- between

Lead on,
אַחֲרֶ֖יךָ (’a·ḥă·re·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's 310: The hind or following part

O Benjamin!
בִּנְיָמִֽין׃ (bin·yā·mîn)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1144: Benjamin -- 'son of the right hand', youngest son of Jacob, also the name of two other Israelites


Hosea 5:8 NIV
Hosea 5:8 NLT
Hosea 5:8 ESV
Hosea 5:8 NASB
Hosea 5:8 KJV

Hosea 5:8 BibleApps.com
Hosea 5:8 Biblia Paralela
Hosea 5:8 Chinese Bible
Hosea 5:8 French Bible
Hosea 5:8 Catholic Bible

OT Prophets: Hosea 5:8 Blow the cornet in Gibeah and (Ho Hs Hos.)