Section 9:10–17

The sins of the Israelites and the response of the LORD

This section describes the joyful beginning of the LORD’s relationship with the people of Israel and the shocking way that they responded by betraying him. Because of their sin and betrayal, it is necessary for the LORD to judge them.

Here are some other examples of section headings:

Israel’s Sin and Its Consequences (Good News Translation)
-or-
Sin’s Terrible Results (Contemporary English Version)

Paragraph 9:10–13 and 9:14

In the Berean Standard Bible and some other versions, 9:10–14 are one paragraph. TN will divide 9:10–14 into two paragraphs. In the first paragraph, the LORD is the speaker. He contrasts his love toward Israel with Israel’s betrayal of him in return. In the second paragraph, Hosea offers a prayer to the LORD in response to the LORD’s words.

9:10a–b

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

10a
I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness.

10b
I saw your fathers as the firstfruits of the fig tree in its first season.

The underlined parts refer to the time when Israel was a young nation. The parts in bold print are similes that compare the LORD’s delight with them to the delight of a person who finds delicious fruit that he was not expecting to find.

I found Israel…I saw your fathers: These parallel phrases refer to the time in the desert of Sinai when the LORD chose Israel to be his people. The second phrase clarifies that he chose their fathers, meaning their “ancestors.” Make sure that your translation does not imply that the people were lost or that the LORD did not know where they were and was looking for them.

Here are some other ways to translate these parallel phrases:

I came upon Israel…I looked on their forefathers with joy (Revised English Bible)
-or-
When I first found Israel…When I first saw your ancestors (Good News Translation)

like grapes in the wilderness…as the firstfruits of the fig tree in its first season: Both these similes describe uncommon situations that give pleasure to a traveler or to any person who discovers them. Grapes do not usually grow in a desert, and the figs that appear early in the season or in the tree’s first year (see interpretation below) are more delicious and less common than figs that ripen later.

Here are some other ways to translate these parallel similes:

it was like finding fresh grapes in the desert…it was like seeing the first ripe figs of the season (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
It was like finding grapes in the desert…like seeing early fruit on a fig tree (New Jerusalem Bible)

There are two main interpretations of the phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as firstfruits of the fig tree in its first season :

(1) This phrase means the first figs of the season that appear on the tree in late spring or early summer. That fruit ripens on sprouts of the previous year. These figs are especially delicious. The more common figs appear in late summer on new sprouts. For example:

it was like seeing the first ripe figs of the season (Good News Translation)

(2) This phrase means the very first year/season that the fig tree bears fruit. These words imply that the tree is five or six years old. For example:

Like the first fruit on the fig tree, in its first season (New Revised Standard Version)

Some versions are ambiguous and have not been listed above. TNN follows interpretation (1). However, either interpretation is acceptable and makes good sense in this context.

9:10c

But they went to Baal-peor, and consecrated themselves to Shame: The relationship between the LORD and Israel changed when the people came to Baal-peor, located at “Mount Peor” (Good News Translation). There the people turned away from the LORD to worship Baal. (See Numbers 25:1–11.)

This verse part contrasts strongly with 9:10a–b. In 9:10a–b, the LORD was delighted with the people of Israel. Here in 9:10c–d, he was disgusted with them. Many English versions indicate the contrast with the word But. Use a natural way in your language to indicate a contrast.

and consecrated themselves to Shame: The LORD used the negative term Shame as the name of the idol Baal. See also Jeremiah 11:13.

Here are some other ways to translate the name of the idol:

thing of shame (English Standard Version)
-or-
shameful idol (New International Version)

It is recommended that you add a footnote to explain that the LORD substituted the word Shame for the name “Baal.” For example:

Here the LORD used the word “Shame” as the name of the idol Baal.

9:10d

so they became as detestable as the thing they loved: This clause means that the people of Israel became as detestable as the Baal idol that they loved.

In some contexts, the term “Baal” can refer to more than one idol (see the note on 2:13a). That may be true here as well. English versions translate this term in two ways. Either way is acceptable:

• As singular. For example:

and became detestable like the thing they loved (New Revised Standard Version)

• As plural. For example:

and soon became as disgusting as the gods they loved (Good News Translation)

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