A wind has wrapped them in its wings: The Hebrew word for wind can also mean “spirit,” so this statement has a meaningful relationship with 4.12, where “a spirit of harlotry” can be translated metaphorically as “a wind of harlotry.” It is clear that the metaphor of wind is used here also. We recommend using consistent terminology, if possible. Wrapped renders a Hebrew verb that commonly denotes wrapping as in a garment, only here it is the wings of the wind that are wrapped around the Israelites. Instead of wrapped them, the Hebrew has “wrapped her,” but it is likely that one Hebrew consonant was changed, so this expression should be understood as in Revised Standard Version. The figurative language of this line points to a time when Israel will be carried away into captivity. They will be removed swiftly, completely, helplessly, as if swept away by a storm. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch says “A windstorm drives them away.” Good News Translation changes the metaphor to a simile and understands the Hebrew perfect tense to refer, not to completed past time, but to the prophetic perfect, indicating future events: “They will be carried away as by the wind.” Wings has been left implicit in Good News Translation, since this term is unusual in the English figure of a wind. However, Jerusalem Bible and Bible de Jérusalem retain it successfully with “The wind will carry them off on its wings.”

And they shall be ashamed because of their altars: Instead of because of their altars, which follows the Septuagint, the Hebrew text has “because of their sacrifices.” The Septuagint translators may have used a Hebrew text with the first Hebrew consonant doubled here. While Hebrew Old Testament Text Project favors the Hebrew text as we have it (a {C} decision), it does so with less certainty than in the case of the problems in 4.18. With either reading the basic information is the same: Israel will be ashamed because the people engaged in pagan worship. The event of pagan worship may be expressed as the metaphor altars, or as the nonfigurative expression “pagan sacrifices” (Good News Translation).

The idea of ashamed includes utter devastation and failure, with emphasis on humiliation as neighboring countries observe what happens. The reason they will be humiliated is their pagan worship. They may not be consciously ashamed of worshiping at pagan altars, but such worship will be the cause of their humiliation. Jerusalem Bible reflects this interpretation but in rather mild terms, saying “then all their altars will bring them is disappointment” (similarly Bible de Jérusalem). Tagalog common language version has “and they will be very humiliated because their idols will have no help for them.” Another possibility is “Their pagan sacrifices will be of no use.”

If second person plural pronouns were used for Israel in the preceding verses, it should also be done here (see the model below).

A translation model for this verse is:

• A wind will wrap you in its wings,
and you will be embarrassed by your idolatrous sacrifices.

Quoted with permission from Dorn, Louis & van Steenbergen, Gerrit. A Handbook on Hosea. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2020. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .