Good News Translation prints this verse as a separate paragraph, since it serves somewhat as a summary statement of what has gone before. This is a valid reason for doing so in English prose. However, it makes more sense to view the first three lines as the climax of this passage, followed by a separate statement that expresses a theme throughout the text of this book: not seeking the help of the LORD.

All of them are hot as an oven: This line continues the figurative language of the oven for the anger of the assailants. Good News Translation changes the figure in order to express the meaning clearly: “In the heat of their anger.”

And they devour their rulers is a figurative expression that means “they murdered their rulers” (Good News Translation). An appropriate expression should be used in the receptor language. If possible, it should fit in this context where fire, heat, and oven are the dominant images.

According to 2 Kgs 15, in the space of eleven years four of the kings of Israel were assassinated (see introductory comments on this section). Yet to say All their kings have fallen would be an exaggeration if translated literally, for some kings died peacefully. Good News Translation avoids this by translating “Their kings have been assassinated one after another” to produce the effect intended by the Hebrew. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch says “king after king falls victim to them.” Have fallen in this context means “have been assassinated” (Good News Translation).

And none of them calls upon me: None of them does not refer to the kings but to the people, which Good News Translation makes clear by saying “no one.” The assassinations of their kings should have impelled the people to turn to God in repentance, but God notes that none of them calls upon me, meaning “no one prays to me for help” (Good News Translation).

A translation model for this verse is:

• They all are hot as an oven,
they consume their leaders,
all their kings fall.
And not one of them turns to me.

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 .