5. seek not Beth-el--that is, the calves at Beth-el.
Gilgal--(See on
Am 4:4).
Beer-sheba--in Judah on the southern frontier towards Edom. Once
"the well of the oath" by Jehovah, ratifying Abraham's covenant with
Abimelech, and the scene of his calling on "the Lord, the everlasting
God"
(Ge 21:31, 33),
now a stronghold of idolatry
(Am 8:14).
Gilgal shall surely go into captivity--a play on similar sounds in the
Hebrew, Gilgal, galoh, yigleh: "Gilgal (the place of rolling)
shall rolling be rolled away."
Beth-el shall come to naught--Beth-el (that is, the "house of God"),
called because of its vain idols Beth-aven (that is, "the house of
vanity," or "naught,"
Ho 4:15; 10:5, 8),
shall indeed "come to naught."
JFB.
Picture Study Bible