Chapter 12 of Hoshea opens with a sharp contrast between the kingdom of Ephraim (the Ten Tribes, the kingdom of Samaria) and the kingdom of Judah. Ephraim corrupted its ways on two fronts simultaneously: in matters of faith and in interpersonal conduct. Judah, at least during that era, still clung to Hashem and remained faithful to His path. From this comparison, the prophet embarks on a journey back to the roots of the matter - to Yaakov Avinu, his struggle with the angel, and the way Ephraim distorted their forefather's legacy and turned it into a pretext for the worship of the golden calves.
סְבָבֻנִי בְכַחַשׁ אֶפְרַיִם וּבְמִרְמָה בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל וִיהוּדָה עֹד רָד עִם־אֵל וְעִם־קְדוֹשִׁים נֶאֱמָן - Ephraim has encompassed Me with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit; but Judah still rules with God, and is faithful to the holy ones.
The Malbim explains: "Ephraim" refers to the royal seat of the Ten Tribes, and it has surrounded Hashem with deceit (kachash). "Kachash" signifies denial, and denial here means heresy - heresy regarding the fundamental principles of faith. Regarding the golden calves, they would proclaim, "These are your gods, O Israel." This denial began with Ephraim, through Yerovam ben Nevat, and therefore it is mentioned first.
"And the house of Israel with deceit" - the other tribes of the kingdom of Samaria were not great tzaddikim either. They corrupted themselves in interpersonal matters, through deceit and dishonesty, as we will see later in the chapter: "A merchant with balances of deceit in his hand." Thus, Ephraim was flawed on both levels: denial in faith, and deceit toward fellow human beings.
Who remained righteous? "But Judah still rules with God" - only Judah, referring to Judah and Benjamin, the kingdom of Judah. This refers to the eras of Yotam and Chizkiyahu, during which the fear of Hashem ruled, and they clung to Hashem both in matters of faith and in interpersonal conduct. "Rad" is from the language of dominion and rulership (rediyah), as in "for he had dominion (rodeh) over all the region on this side of the River, from Tifsach even to Gaza," meaning that the fear of Hashem ruled over them. The Malbim also brings an additional explanation: "rad" comes from the concept of thinning or beating out metal (ridud), as when one beats out a thin plate to overlay and bind to an object, as in "and he overlaid (vayarad) gold upon the cherubim" - meaning that Judah was still connected and bound closely to God.
The end of the verse directly corresponds to the two flaws mentioned regarding Ephraim: "Still rules with God" is the opposite of "deceit / denial" - Judah believes in Hashem; "and is faithful to the holy ones" is the opposite of "guile" - in their interpersonal dealings they are trustworthy, and their conduct is that of holy people, individuals who are devoted to the service of Hashem.
אֶפְרַיִם רֹעֶה רוּחַ וְרֹדֵף קָדִים כָּל־הַיּוֹם כָּזָב וָשֹׁד יַרְבֶּה וּבְרִית עִם־אַשּׁוּר יִכְרֹתוּ וְשֶׁמֶן לְמִצְרַיִם יוּבָל - Ephraim feeds on wind, and pursues the east wind; all day long he multiplies falsehood and desolation; they make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried into Egypt.
Ephraim, in contrast to Judah, "feeds on wind and pursues the east wind" - pursuing futility and emptiness in matters of faith. "All day long he multiplies falsehood and desolation" - this corresponds to interpersonal relations, where they were likewise corrupt.
Not only that, but they set a trap for themselves with their own hands: "They make a covenant with Assyria" - King Hoshea became a vassal to the king of Assyria. But if they forged an alliance with Assyria, what is the meaning of "and oil is carried into Egypt"? Why were messengers and gifts (oil, meaning rich, choice goods) sent to So, king of Egypt, in an attempt to rebel against the king of Assyria? This was precisely the cause that brought about the downfall of Hoshea's reign: people who acted as a fifth column went and informed the king of Assyria that Hoshea ben Elah had made a covenant with him while secretly conspiring with So, king of Egypt, to rebel against him. This was the cause of the exile, as explained at length. The prophet marvels: Do they not realize that through this very act, they are bringing destruction upon themselves?
וְרִיב לַה' עִם־יְהוּדָה וְלִפְקֹד עַל־יַעֲקֹב כִּדְרָכָיו כְּמַעֲלָלָיו יָשִׁיב לוֹ - Hashem also has a dispute with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his deeds He will repay him.
Here lies a major difficulty that all the commentators grapple with: just two verses earlier it stated, "and Judah still rules with God," meaning that Judah remains attached to Hashem. How, then, immediately afterward, can it say, "Hashem also has a dispute with Judah"?
The Radak answers: even though it said "and Judah still rules with God," meaning they upheld the service of God in the Beit HaMikdash, their deeds later deteriorated under wicked kings. In simple terms, this refers to two different periods. This nuance may even be hinted at in the wording of the verse: "still rules with God" - just as when someone inquires about a friend and is told, "he is still holding on," implying that the situation is about to change. Judah is still with the Holy One, Blessed be He, but in the next stage, when unworthy kings arose over them, Hashem came to have a grievance and rebuke against them.
The Radak adds in explaining "and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his deeds He will repay him": all the kindness and promises that the Holy One, Blessed be He, made to Jacob were intended for his descendants after him. For Jacob himself endured nothing but suffering in his lifetime - the ordeal of Joseph, the ordeal of Dinah, the ordeal of Shechem, endless troubles - while all the magnificent promises were meant for his children after him. Yet all this was conditional on their turning their hearts toward Him and remaining attached to His service, recognizing that all of this was done for them, walking in His ways, and justifying these gifts. But his children failed to acknowledge this. Had they recognized that all these benevolent promises applied to them, they would have cleaved to Hashem, and He would have fulfilled the blessing of Jacob their forefather for them. According to the Radak, "according to his deeds He will repay him" refers to Jacob's good deeds, which Hashem wishes to repay and bestow upon his descendants - yet they must be deserving to receive them.
Most commentators follow the Radak's line of thought, but the Malbim offers an innovative interpretation: "Hashem also has a dispute with Judah" does not mean that Hashem has a dispute with Judah, but rather that Ephraim is stirring up a dispute with Judah, and it is a dispute regarding Hashem. During that era, there was strife between Ephraim and Judah, between the Ten Tribes and the Two Tribes, and the cause was the service of Hashem: Judah was still attached to Hashem, offering sacrifices, with the Beit HaMikdash in their possession; Ephraim, on the other hand, clung to the sins of Jeroboam and worshipped the golden calves - and hence the feud.
And this was also the cause of Ephraim's downfall, the Malbim explains. For when Samaria was in distress, one would have expected Judah to rush to the aid of their brother. But when relations between brothers are fractured, and there is persistent strife over the service of Hashem (and indeed, in the days of Ahaz, Judah incited the king of Assyria against them) - there was no one to help them, and Judah would not stand by their side against the kings descending upon Samaria.
And in the continuation of the verse, "and will punish Jacob according to his ways": the Ten Tribes referred to themselves by the name Jacob, designating themselves as the seed of Jacob. Wherever "the house of Jacob" appears, it refers to the Ten Tribes, and wherever "Israel and Judah" appears, Israel denotes the Ten Tribes. Thus, the names Jacob and Israel became their specific designations. According to this, in Ephraim's dispute with Judah and in their rebellion against Hashem by making calves for themselves, it seemed as if they sought to walk in the ways of Jacob and emulate him. This matter still seems obscure, but through the following verses, the Malbim's riddles will become clear.
בַּבֶּטֶן עָקַב אֶת־אָחִיו וּבְאוֹנוֹ שָׂרָה אֶת־אֱלֹהִים - In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his strength he strived with God.
וַיָּשַׂר אֶל־מַלְאָךְ וַיֻּכָל בָּכָה וַיִּתְחַנֶּן־לוֹ בֵּית־אֵל יִמְצָאֶנּוּ וְשָׁם יְדַבֵּר עִמָּנוּ - He strove with an angel and prevailed; he wept and pleaded with him; at Beit-El He would find him, and there He would speak with us.
According to the approach of the Malbim, this is what Ephraim claims: We are the successors of Yaakov. Look at how Yaakov Avinu conducted himself - already in the womb "he took his brother by the heel," coming out with his hand grasping the heel of Esav. Just as Yaakov engaged in a continual struggle with his brother, so too we "supplant" our brother - Yehudah. That is where they found the resemblance: their strife with Yehudah is, in their eyes, a direct continuation of Yaakov's path.
And in contrast to the fact that they consecrated Beit El and turned it into a place to serve God through calves - that is, they abandoned the true service of God and worshipped the calves - the verse states: "And in his strength he strove with God; he strove with an angel and prevailed, he wept and made supplication to him; at Beit El He would find him, and there He would speak with us."
The Malbim introduces: Through this, the prophet informs us of riddles from of old. Yarov'am built Shechem in Mount Ephraim, went out from there and built Penuel, took counsel and made two golden calves, placing one in Beit El and setting the other in Dan. Thus we have four places: Shechem, Penuel, Beit El, and Dan. And we must understand their significance.
We must remember that these were great men. Yarov'am was a person before whom all the sages of Israel appeared like grass of the field; therefore, even though he acted wickedly, his actions were calculated and deliberate, not the impulsive moves of common folk. Everything was intentional.
The calf in Dan, the Malbim explains, is understandable: the idol of Michah had stood in Dan since ancient times, and the people were convinced that the site was already consecrated for worship. It makes complete sense - when a place already naturally attracts the masses, why create a new one? They would simply come as they were accustomed and continue visiting. But what was the reason for the calf in Beit El, which was Yarov'am's primary focus, as seen from the verses? And why did he build Shechem and Penuel?
Based on the principle we began with - that the Ten Tribes traced their lineage to Yaakov and saw themselves in his image - everything falls into place. When Yarov'am sought to establish holy sites in place of Jerusalem and tell the people there was no need to make the pilgrimage, he calculated the central locations in the life of Yaakov Avinu, to whom he traced his identity: Penuel, where the struggle with the angel took place and where he saw God face to face; Shechem, where he journeyed, settled, and built an altar; and Beit El, where God was revealed to him. These were the pivotal milestones of Yaakov's journey, and that is why they were chosen.
The Midrash brings a well-known aggadah: When the angel, the Sama-el, wrestled with Yaakov and said to him, "Let me go, for the dawn has risen," Yaakov replied, "I will not let you go" until you agree with me regarding the blessing - until you concede that the blessing truly belongs to me. The angel pleaded to be released and told him: In Beit El I will agree with you about the blessing; let me go now, and I will give you that concurrence in Beit El.
The Malbim explains: This aggadah was ancient, meaning this tradition was passed down from generation to generation and was known to them as far back as Yaakov's era. Now one can understand why Yarov'am chose Beit El of all places for the primary calf: in their view, that is where the angel remained. And if the angel is still there, let us build him an altar there and make calves, and the angel will continue to deliver us. If the angel promised, "In Beit El I will concede to you regarding the blessings," then the site has remained sanctified ever since, the angel is still there, and all we must do is perform rituals to draw down bounty from that angel, that he may reveal himself to the prophets and worshippers of the calf in that place.
Accordingly, the entire verse is interpreted according to the words and false perspective of Ephraim as the successors of Yaakov's path: "In the womb he grasped his brother's heel" - we have a quarrel with Yehudah just as Yaakov had a quarrel with Esav; "and in his strength he strove with God; he strove with an angel and prevailed" - just as was said to Yaakov, "for you have striven with divine beings and with men and have prevailed"; "he wept and made supplication to him; at Beit El he would find him" - the angel wept and pleaded with Yaakov, telling him, "You will find me at Beit El, and there I will give you my concurrence on the blessings." And the conclusion of the verse, "and there He would speak with us," represents the words of Ephraim: in that very place where the angel has remained ever since, where he conceded to Yaakov's blessings - there he will speak with us, there he will reveal himself to us who worship at Beit El, channeling his abundance to us and giving us prophecies and blessings, just as he bestowed the blessing upon Yaakov Avinu back then - for we are the ones continuing his path.
The Malbim's explanation is magnificent, and it is worthwhile to examine the approach of the Radak as well. "In the womb he took his brother by the heel" - as it is written, "and his hand took hold of Esau's heel." This is a great wonder, for while a fetus is in the womb, it possesses neither strength nor control over any of its limbs, all the more so to pierce the placenta and grasp the heel of another fetus. And who did this? The Holy One, blessed be He, says: I did this, so that it would serve as a sign for his children after him, that the descendants of Yaakov would rule over the descendants of Esau.
And even though in the days of David they had dominion, as it is written, "and Edom became servants to David," this was not an eternal dominion, but a temporary one. The true dominion will be at the end of all generations, as it is said, "And the house of Yaakov shall be a fire, and the house of Yosef a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them," and then it will be fulfilled: "and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau." Yet Yaakov's descendants do not take any of this to heart, failing to contemplate how Hashem performed wondrous things on their behalf.
"And in his vigor he contended with an angel [Elohim]" - I showed Yaakov an additional sign that would endure for his children after him. "Elohim" denotes power, the Master of powers, and "El" means strength. I granted Yaakov the strength to contend with the angel, to hint that his children after him would be Hashem's portion alone, and that no star or angel would rule over them. If an angel seeks to govern you - you will govern it, for I already established a precedent with your forefather. Thus the verse states, "which Hashem your God has allotted to all the nations under the whole heaven," but "Hashem has taken you"; "a land which the eyes of Hashem your God are always upon." Angels and heavenly princes were assigned to all the nations, whereas over you, the Holy One, blessed be He, rules directly, and His providence remains bonded to us so long as we fulfill His will.
Thus, according to the Radak, the entire verse is an indictment against Ephraim: See how I bestowed supernatural influences upon you - in the womb he grasped his brother's heel to foreshadow your dominion over the nations, and Yaakov overcame an angel to demonstrate your superiority even over the heavenly hosts - yet you went and corrupted your ways, acting with ungratefulness, and went to worship the golden calves.
"He strove with an angel and prevailed" - it is a supernatural thing for a mortal human being to fight against an angel and triumph. "He wept and supplicated him" - the Radak notes that this is not recorded in the Torah, where it says only, "Let me go, for dawn has broken," with no mention of tears. Rather, the verse here reveals this to show that the Holy One, blessed be He, sends the angel to fulfill the will of the righteous person; and if He so wills, the angel turns into a help and aid, so much so that not only did he not harm Yaakov, but he even affirmed the blessings. We are in the hands of Hashem, and no force or angel operates independently.
The Radak cites an additional explanation in the name of his father, who interprets the verse literally: The angel said to him, "He will find him at Beit-El" - the Holy One, blessed be He, will find you at Beit-El, and there He will inform you that your name shall no longer be called Yaakov, but Yisrael. "And there He would speak with us" - meaning "there He would speak with him"; at Beit-El you will receive a divine revelation, and your name will be called Yisrael.
Another interpretation of "and there He would speak with us": these are the words of the prophet, who says that there Hashem prophesies to us. And as Amos said, "Seek Me and live, but do not seek Beit-El" - there at Beit-El, Hashem speaks to the prophets to rebuke Yisrael concerning the calves through which they corrupted themselves, having pursued idolatry and forsaken Hashem.
And Rashi explains that these are the words of the angel, the ministering prince of Esau, saying to Yaakov: The Holy One, blessed be He, will reveal Himself to us at Beit-El, and there He will speak with me and with you, to fulfill the blessing with which I bless you and to call your name Yisrael, "for you have striven with the divine and with men, and have prevailed."
And Rav Saadia Gaon explains "and there He would speak with us" - on our behalf. There He told him, "Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall come from you," and the speech there was on his behalf and for his sake; that is, "He would speak with us" means "He would speak concerning us."
וַה' אֱלֹהֵי הַצְּבָאוֹת ה' זִכְרוֹ - And Hashem, the God of Hosts, Hashem is His memorial name.
Rashi explains: Just as I was back then, so am I now. Had you walked with Me in wholesomeness like Yaakov - like Yaakov who grasped his brother's heel in the womb, and fought against an angel and prevailed - I would have dealt with you in the way I dealt with him.
Radak explains: Although He revealed Himself to your forefathers as El Shaddai, saying to Yaakov, "I am El Shaddai; be fruitful and multiply," to Moshe He revealed an additional Name for your sake, the Ineffable Name (Havayah), which had not been known to the holy Patriarchs, as it is said, "And I appeared to Avraham, to Yitzchak, and to Yaakov as El Shaddai, but by My Name Hashem I was not known to them." And He is "the God of Hosts" - the God of the hosts on high: the God of the angels, the celestial spheres, the stars, and the entire host of heaven, the supreme Power Who rules over them all.
The uniqueness of the Name Havayah is that it is the essential Name (Shem HaEtzem), and it is never applied to anything else. "Tzva'ot" (hosts) can also be used to refer to mundane armies; it is a conventional term. "Elohim" can also refer to "other gods" (elohim acherim) or to human judges, as in "the matter of both shall come before the judges (ha'elohim)," and there are other examples where the term is used in a mundane context. But the Name Havayah is unique to Him, Blessed be He, and is never attached to anything mundane. If you do the will of Hashem, Hashem will be God to you: just as He is God over all the hosts, so will He be God over you and bestow only goodness upon you, as it is said, "This is My Name forever, and this is My memorial from generation to generation."
The Malbim explains that here the prophet is answering their claim: Israel does not receive its divine bounty through angels and celestial patrons, but directly from Hashem. We have no patron in heaven, only the Holy One, Blessed be He, directly. This is the meaning of "Hashem is His memorial" - how is He remembered among us? By the Name Havayah, not by the name Tzva'ot, not through an angel, and not through a celestial patron. If so, why do you place your trust in the celestial ministers of the constellations and in the angel who, according to your claim, remained at Beit-El?
What is the difference between "Shem" (name) and "Zecher" (memorial)? The Malbim explains: "Shem" is the essential Name, whereas "Zecher" is a title given based on actions. For example, the valley from which the spies took the cluster of grapes was called "Nachal Eshkol" - this was not its inherent name, but it was called this after the event that took place there; this is a "zecher," a name that commemorates something that occurred. So it is with the Holy One, Blessed be He: the Name Havayah is the essential Name, whereas the other names are "Zichri" - designations based on His actions. "God of Hosts" is based on His action; "Shaddai" reflects that He said to His world "Enough" (dai); "Elohim" denotes the Mighty One Who possesses all ability and all powers. All names that describe actions are termed "Zichri," for they remind us of actions. But the essential Name indicates direct providence without any intermediaries, not contingent upon anything else - it is His very Name.
וְאַתָּה בֵּאלֹהֶיךָ תָשׁוּב חֶסֶד וּמִשְׁפָּט שְׁמֹר וְקַוֵּה אֶל־אֱלֹהֶיךָ תָּמִיד - And you, return to your God; observe kindness and justice, and hope to your God continually.
Rashi explains that there is a promise here: you can return and rely upon Hashem. However, there is a condition - "observe kindness and justice" - and then you are assured that you genuinely have reason to hope for His salvation and to merit it.
And Radak explains: Since you are the descendants of Yaakov, if you desire - "return to your God." And "tashuv" can also be understood in the sense of serenity and tranquility (shuvah va'nachat): if you desire the providence of Hashem, you will merit a providence of peaceful rest. But this is on one condition - "observe kindness and justice." For the Holy One, Blessed be He, executes kindness, justice, and righteousness in the earth, "for in these I delight, says Hashem," and this is also what is required of you. Through this, you will be able to cleave to Him and be worthy of His providence.
The chapter opens with a contrast between Ephraim - who corrupted both through denial of faith and through deceit between man and his fellow - and Yehudah, who still "ruled with God" and remained faithful. Ephraim feeds on wind, making a treaty with Assyria while simultaneously sending gifts of oil to Egypt, actively bringing destruction upon itself. Radak explains "Hashem also has a grievance with Yehudah" as referring to a later period when the kings of Yehudah also degenerated, whereas the Malbim introduces a novel interpretation: that this grievance was Ephraim's dispute with Yehudah over the service of Hashem, which would cause Yehudah not to come to its brother's aid in its hour of distress. From here, the Malbim unpacks the root of their error: Ephraim saw themselves as the true successors of Yaakov; they rebuilt Shechem and Penuel and deliberately placed a golden calf at Beit-El, based on the ancient tradition that the angel had promised Yaakov to concede the blessings to him at Beit-El - and they believed that the angel was still present there, ready to channel divine influence to them. To this, the prophet replies, "Hashem is the God of Hosts, Hashem is His memorial": Israel has no celestial patron or angel, but the essential Name, receiving direct providence without intermediaries. From this flows the call, "And you, return to your God" - return to Hashem, observe kindness and justice, and hope to Him continually.