Hosea 8:5

"Thy calf disgusts, O Samaria; my wrath is kindled against them: how long are they incapable of purity. Hos 8:6. For this also is from Israel: a workman made it, and it is not God; but the calf of Samaria will become splinters." Zânach (disgusts) points back to Hos 8:3. As Israel felt disgust at what was good, so did Jehovah at the golden calf of Samaria. It is true that zânach is used here intransitively in the sense of smelling badly, or being loathsome; but this does not alter the meaning, which is obvious enough from the context, namely, that it is Jehovah whom the calf disgusts. The calf of Samaria is not a golden calf set up in the city of Samaria; as there is no allusion in history to any such calf as this. Samaria is simply mentioned in the place of the kingdom, and the calf is the one that was set up at Bethel, the most celebrated place of worship in the kingdom, which is also the only one mentioned in Hos 10:5, Hos 10:15. On account of this calf the wrath of Jehovah is kindled against the Israelites, who worship this calf, and cannot desist. This is the thought of the question expressing disgust at these abominations. How long are they incapable of נקּין, i.e., purity of walk before the Lord, instead of the abominations of idolatry (cf. Jer 19:4); not "freedom from punishment," as Hitzig supposes. To לע יוּכלוּ, "they are unable," we may easily supply "to bear," as in Isa 1:14 and Psa 101:5. "For" (kı̄, Hos 8:6) follows as an explanation of the main clause in Hos 8:5, "Thy calf disgusts." The calf of Samaria is an abomination to the Lord, for it is also out of Israel (Israel's God out of Israel itself!); a workman made it, - what folly! והוּא is a predicate, brought out with greater emphasis by ו, et quidem, in the sense of iste. Therefore will it be destroy…

This chapter, as that before, divides itself into the sins and punishments of Israel; every verse almost declares both, and all to bring them to repentance. When they saw the malignant nature of their sin, in the descriptions of that, they could not but be convinced now much it was their duty to repent of what was so bad in itself; and when they saw the mischievous consequences of their sin, in the predictions of them, they could not but see how much it was their interest to repent for the preventing of them. I. The sin of Israel is here set forth, 1. In many general expressions (Hos 8:1, Hos 8:3, Hos 8:12, Hos 8:14). 2. In many particular instances; setting up kings without God (Hos 8:4), setting up idols against God (Hos 8:4-6, Hos 8:11), and courting alliances with the neighbouring nations, (Hos 8:8-10). 3. In this aggravation of it, that they still kept up a profession of religion and relation to God (Hos 8:2, Hos 8:13, Hos 8:14). II. The punishment of Israel is here set forth as answering to the sin. God would bring an enemy upon them (Hos 8:1, Hos 8:3). All their projects should be blasted (Hos 8:7). Their confidence both in their idols and in their foreign alliances should disappoint them (Hos 8:6, Hos 8:8, Hos 8:10). Their strength at home should fail them (Hos 8:14). Their sacrifices should have no reckoning made of them, and their sins should have a reckoning made for them (Hos 8:13).

8:5-6 this calf: When Jeroboam I (931–910 BC), the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel, ascended the throne, he established places of worship in the cities of Dan and Bethel so that the people would not travel to the Temple in Jerusalem, the capital of the southern kingdom. At each site, he erected a gold calf for the people to worship (1 Kgs 12:26-30).