Book of Hosea Chapter 12 Vs. 11

 The Lord's Indictment of Israel and Judah

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. Hos. 12:11

Is there iniquity... Question 11. Next, Hos. 13:10.

they are vanity... Many times, idols are referred to as vanity. Their altars were so many as to be compared in number to furrows in a plowed field.

heaps in the... As gathered and piled stones would dot a farmer’s field, so Israel multiplied her stone altars across the land. Gilgal means a heap of stones, so this is a play on words.

surely, they are... Yes, there was iniquity in Gilead. Gilead was the mountain region east of Jordan. They have caused the anger of God to come against them, because they have sacrificed to idols in Gilead.

they sacrificed bullocks... To strange false gods. They have made altars as memorials to false gods. Heaps have to do with establishing covenant and heaping rocks up as a memorial.

If Gilead be for idolatry, then shall it become vanity. If in Gilgal-Stone-Circle they sacrifice bullocks, stone heaps shall their altars become among the furrows of the field.

The wickedness and hypocrisy manifested in Gilead (cf. Hos. 6:8) and Gilgal (cf. Hos. 4:15; 9:15) epitomized that of the nation. In the coming invasion the altars located there would be reduced to piles of stones (gallı̂m; cf. Hos. 10:8, the high places… will be destroyed). The use of this Hebrew word, which is a play on the name Gilgal facilitated by the repetition of the “g” and “l” sounds, is another example of Hosea’s poetic techniques. Gilgal would become gallı̂m.