Hosea 6:8
Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, and is polluted with blood.
Original Language Analysis
גִּלְעָ֕ד
Gilead
H1568
גִּלְעָ֕ד
Gilead
Strong's:
H1568
Word #:
1 of 6
gilad, a region east of the jordan; also the name of three israelites
פֹּ֣עֲלֵי
of them that work
H6466
פֹּ֣עֲלֵי
of them that work
Strong's:
H6466
Word #:
3 of 6
to do or make (systematically and habitually), especially to practise
אָ֑וֶן
iniquity
H205
אָ֑וֶן
iniquity
Strong's:
H205
Word #:
4 of 6
strictly nothingness; also trouble, vanity, wickedness; specifically an idol
Historical Context
Gilead's specific historical crimes aren't detailed, but the region had violent history: Jephthah's conflicts (Judges 11-12), civil war between Gilead and Ephraim, and border disputes. As a frontier territory, it faced frequent raids and political instability. The city of refuge system (Numbers 35, Deuteronomy 19) was designed to prevent blood feuds and ensure justice—that Gilead perverted this sacred function made the sin especially heinous. Hosea's contemporary Amos also denounced Gilead's violence (Amos 1:3, 13). This demonstrates how institutions meant to reflect God's character can be corrupted, requiring prophetic denunciation and ultimate divine judgment.
Questions for Reflection
- What institutions in my context, including churches, have been corrupted from their righteous purpose?
- How do I respond when religious leaders or systems designed for good perpetuate evil?
Analysis & Commentary
The cryptic statement 'Gilead is a city of workers of iniquity, polluted with blood' indicts a specific location for systemic evil. Gilead, east of the Jordan, was a Levitical city and city of refuge (Joshua 20:8), meant to protect the innocent. That it became 'tracked with blood' (aqqubah mi-dam) suggests the opposite: rather than sanctuary, it offered violence. The term 'workers of iniquity' (po'aley aven) describes deliberate, habitual evildoing—not accidental sin but institutional wickedness. This may reference priestly corruption (v. 9 mentions priests murdering), political intrigue, or perversion of justice. When institutions designed for righteousness become engines of oppression, society faces catastrophic moral inversion. This principle recurs: religious leaders corrupting their office provoke God's fiercest judgment (Matthew 23, James 3:1).