8:12

These two lines contrast the LORD’s provision of the law with the people’s refusal to follow it:

12a Though I wrote for them the great things of My law,

12b they regarded them as something strange.

8:12a–b

There are two main ways to interpret the relationship between 8:12a and 8:12b:

(1) Verse 8:12a describes an existing situation that led to the unexpected result in 8:12b. For example:

12a Though I write for him the multitude of my instructions, 12b they are regarded as a strange thing. (New Revised Standard Version)

(2) Verse 8:12a describes a hypothetical or imagined situation. If this situation happened, then it would lead to the unexpected result in 8:12b. For example:

12a Were I to write for him my laws by the ten thousands, 12b they would be regarded as a strange thing. (English Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most versions and commentaries.

Here are some other ways to indicate this relationship:

12a Though I give him many written laws, 12b they are treated as irrelevant; (Revised English Bible)
-or-

12a I have written many things for them in my teachings, 12b but they consider these things strange and foreign. (God’s Word)

Use a natural way in your language to indicate this relationship.

8:12a

Though I wrote for them the great things of My law: There is a textual issue here with the phrase (one word in Hebrew) that the Berean Standard Bible translates as great things. There are two options for this phrase in the Masoretic Text:

(1) The first option is the phrase “many things.” For example:

The many teachings I wrote for him (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)

(2) The second option is the phrase “ten thousand.” For example:

Though I wrote for him ten thousand precepts of My law (New American Standard Bible)

It is recommended that you follow option (1) along with most versions.

I wrote: The form of the Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as I wrote can indicate either a present or past action. For example:

I have written many teachings for them (New Century Version)
-or-
I write down countless teachings for the people (Good News Translation)

Here the word refers to the teachings or laws that were already written before the time of Hosea. Translate in a way that makes this historical situation clear.

The word does not imply here that the LORD personally wrote the words. It probably refers to the normal way in which he caused/inspired his people to write them.

Here are some ways to translate this line:

I gave them all my laws (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
I caused people to write my many teachings/laws

for them: This phrase indicates that God wrote his teachings for the benefit of his people. The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as for them is literally “for him.” The pronoun “him” refers back to Ephraim in the previous verse. Translate this word in a way that clearly refers to the people of Israel.

the great things of My law: In Hebrew, the word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as law is literally “torah ” (singular). It refers here to a set of laws rather than a single law. The phrase great things of My law refers to the many written teachings contained in the torah. These include instructions about how to conduct religious ceremonies such as offering sacrifices. They also include instructions about how to live in a moral way.

8:12b

they regarded them as something strange: The people responded to the laws that the LORD gave them as if they were something foreign or unknown. This clause implies that the people ignored or rejected God’s laws.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

they reject them as strange and foreign (Good News Translation)
-or-
they act as if those laws don’t apply to them (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
but you ignored them (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
they consider them to be irrelevant

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