Yahweh continues as the speaker in this section.

Hear this, O priests! Give heed, O house of Israel! Hearken, O house of the king!: Three synonymous Hebrew verbs are used here for the command to listen, rendered Hear, Give heed, and Hearken. It is difficult to explain the difference in meaning between these verbs. Some commentators assume an increasing level of intensity and involvement of the listener. This kind of repetition is not uncommon in parallelisms. It may not be possible to retain this variety of synonyms in the receptor language. Whatever words are used, translators should use an expression for listening that is similar to the one in 4.1, so that the readers will recognize the relation between sections B-a (4.1-3) and B-a′ (5.1-4). In 4.1 only the first verb rendered Hear is used. Here and in 4.1, as well as in other prophetic books, this verb introduces accusations of breaking the covenant with God.

The priests and the house of the king are people in positions of religious and political leadership in Israel. For priests see 4.4. House of the king refers to both the king and those working with him in ruling the nation, usually members of his family. Contemporary English Version says “members of the royal family,” and Jerusalem Bible has “royal household.” House of Israel normally refers to all the citizens of Israel (see comments on 1.4), but in this context it may possibly refer to those in a leadership position among the people, that is, the elders. They played an important role in pronouncing judgment. So De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling says “elders of Israel,” Bible en français courant has “managers of Israel” (although that sounds too modern in the given context), Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “clan chiefs in Israel,” and New Living Translation uses “leaders of Israel.” If house of Israel does not refer just to the leaders, then the commands to listen involve both the leaders and those they led, so that all will know of God’s condemnation.

For the judgment pertains to you is literally “for to you [is] the judgment.” The Hebrew word for judgment can mean either the responsibility for justice which is in the hands of a judge (so Jerusalem Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling) or the judicial punishment that a criminal receives (so New International Version, NET Bible, New English Bible, New American Bible). So this whole clause may mean “For you are responsible for justice” (Wolff) or “because the judgment applies to you” (Mays). Either meaning is possible, but the emphasis on responsibility of leaders favors Wolff’s interpretation. De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling makes this interpretation quite explicit by saying “The administration of justice has been entrusted to you [plural].” Since prophetic poetry often uses double meanings, Good News Translation has made both meanings explicit with “You are supposed to judge with justice—so judgment will fall on you!”

For you have been a snare at Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor: Yahweh now makes an accusation against the leaders of Israel, using metaphors taken from hunting. The Hebrew word for snare refers to a trap for catching animals, especially birds, and the word for net refers to a mesh for catching birds and other animals. Translators should try to use words for the things that can capture the animals, birds and fish mentioned in 4.3, which will help to keep the relationship clear between sections B-a and B-a′. At the shrines of Mizpah and Tabor the leaders entrapped their people in the kind of worship seen among their pagan neighbors. Like animals in a trap, they had become entangled in idolatry. Some translators may wish to make the idolatry explicit by rendering these two lines as “Your idolatry at Mizpah and Mount Tabor is like a trap and a hunting net that entangle people in sin.” The location of Mizpah in Israel is uncertain. Tabor was a mountain located in the valley of Jezreel about 10 kilometers (6 miles) southeast of Nazareth.

A translation model for this verse is:

• Hear, you priests!
Pay attention, you elders of Israel!
Listen carefully, you royal family!
You were responsible to administer justice,
but you have led people in the worship of idols
by setting a trap at Mizpah,
and spreading a net on Mount Tabor.

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 .