The imagery of the young cow in 10.11 is replaced by the related imagery of farmers working the land in this verse. Working the land is a figure for the kind of life people should have before God.
Revised Standard Version, following the Hebrew, has the references to Yahweh in the third person (the LORD and he). Good News Translation changes these references to the first person to make it clear that Yahweh is still speaking. Good News Translation also begins this verse with the quote frame “I said” to indicate that Yahweh speaks directly to Israel here. Since this section begins at 10.11, it might be better to place the quote frame there with the LORD speaking directly to Israel, as in Bijbel in Gewone Taal. Both Contemporary English Version and Bijbel in Gewone Taal use first person for Yahweh and second person for Israel throughout this section. As in earlier cases like this, translators will need to decide if that will be useful or necessary.
Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of steadfast love; break up your fallow ground: Revised Standard Version, following the Hebrew, has the order sow, reap, break up (that is, “plow”). Good News Translation refers to the same actions in the natural order in which a farmer works his field: “Plow,” “plant,” “reap.” However, the order in which God is admonishing the people is that, in their lives before him, they should pursue righteousness so that they can reap steadfast love, and that in order to accomplish those goals they need to really plow their fallow ground. The Hebrew order may also be interpreted as sowing, reaping, and plowing new ground. In other words, there is a clear element of extending the mandate that the LORD gives into new areas that have not been affected yet.
Righteousness renders a Hebrew noun that some versions translate “justice” (Contemporary English Version, Revised English Bible). This noun implies agreement with some standard of behavior that is expected of people because they have a certain relationship. While it includes the idea of moral, ethical behavior, it also implies right behavior within a relationship (see comments on 2.19, where a Hebrew word from the same root occurs).
The Hebrew text for reap the fruit of steadfast love is literally “reap according to steadfast love.” Revised Standard Version thinks it is necessary to follow the Septuagint in order to arrive at the idea of fruit. But New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh thinks the Hebrew itself can mean “Reap the fruits….” Good News Translation is similar with “reap the blessings that … will produce.”
For the Hebrew word rendered steadfast love (chesed), see 2.19. This important term also occurred in 4.1; 6.4, 6. Good News Translation says “devotion to me.” Translators may find it useful to use the same or a similar expression here.
Fallow ground is uncultivated ground, corresponding to Good News Translation‘s “new ground.” There are ways in which the people’s lives have been untouched by any relationship with Yahweh. This is like breaking new ground.
For it is time to seek the LORD …: For renders the Hebrew waw conjunction. Here it introduces the grounds for the commands in the first three lines, but many versions leave it implied (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version). The Hebrew expression for to seek the LORD does not mean trying to find him, but to pray to him for help. This phrase may be rendered “to pray to the LORD.”
That he may come and rain salvation upon you: The Hebrew word for salvation comes from the same root as the one for righteousness, so it forms an inclusio for this verse (a frame with identical or similar words at the beginning and the end). Good News Translation‘s “blessings” may be better than salvation because it is more inclusive. However, Good News Translation loses the imagery of rain. A model that keeps it is “so that he will come and pour out blessings on you like rain.” Many versions keep the idea of “righteousness” here (see 2.19, where the same Hebrew word is rendered this way); for example, New International Version says “until he comes and showers righteousness on you,” and New Living Translation has “that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.” This imagery means God will make his people righteous just like rain nourishing the earth. This interpretation is also acceptable here.
A translation model for this verse is:
• Sow righteousness for yourselves,
reap the blessings of loyalty,
break new ground for yourselves.
It is time to plead with the LORD,
until he comes and rains righteousness on you.
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 .