13:15a–f
Although he flourishes among his brothers, an east wind will come—a wind from the LORD…: This verse describes the unexpected result of a condition. There are two possible interpretations:
(1) 15a is the condition. 15b–f is the unexpected result. For example:
15a Though he flourishes among his brothers, 15b an east wind will come (Revised English Bible)
(2) 14e is the unexpected result. 15a is the condition. For example:
14e “I will have no compassion, 15a even though he thrives among his brothers. (New International Version)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most versions and commentaries.
Here are some ways to show a condition and unexpected result:
• Introduce the condition in 15a. Leave the unexpected result implied. For example:
15a
Though Ephraim bears more fruit than his brothers, 15b the wind from the east wind will come (New Jerusalem Bible)
• Leave the condition implied. Introduce the unexpected result in 15b. For example:
15a Ephraim was the most fruitful of all his brothers, 15b but the east wind—a blast from the Lord —will arise in the desert. (New Living Translation (2004))
• Introduce both the condition in 15a and the unexpected result in 15b. For example:
15a
Even though he flourishes among his brothers, 15b nevertheless, an east wind will come….
Indicate the condition and unexpected result in a natural way in your language.
13:15a
Although: The Hebrew clause starts with a word that introduces a condition. See the examples above for other ways to indicate a condition and unexpected result.
he flourishes: The word he refers to Ephraim. Some versions make the pronoun referent explicit. For example:
Though Ephraim bears more fruit (New Jerusalem Bible)
The Hebrew word for “flourish” means to “show fruitfulness” or “flourish.”
The tense of the verb indicates that he continued to flourish up to the time that Hosea spoke these words.
Here are some other ways to translate this time span:
he thrives (New International Version)
-or-
he flourishes (Revised English Bible)
Translate this time span in a natural way in your language.
among his brothers: There are two main textual issues in this clause. The first concerns the word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as among :
(1) The LXX has “between/among.” For example:
Though he flourishes among his brothers (Revised English Bible)
(2) The Masoretic Text has the word “son.” For example:
Although he, a son of brothers, flourishes
(no English versions)
It is recommended that you follow option (1) along with all versions.
There is also a textual issue concerning the Hebrew word for brothers in this phrase. These are the two main options:
(1) The Masoretic Text has brothers. For example:
Though Ephraim may flourish among his brothers (New American Bible, Revised Edition)
(2) Some scholars think that the original word was “reeds.” For example:
For though he flourish among reeds (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
It is recommended that you follow option (1) along with most versions. It has good support from scholars and early versions.
Here the word brothers refers to the tribes of Israel. The phrase “Although he flourishes among his brothers” implies that the tribe of Ephraim has become great or very important among the tribes of Israel. Some versions make that implication explicit. For example:
No matter how much you prosper more than the other tribes (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
The people of Ephraim have become important among their relatives. (God’s Word)
13:15b–c
Notice the parallel lines that are similar in meaning.
15b an east wind, will come—a wind from the LORD
15c
rising up from the desert.
an east wind will come—a wind from the LORD rising up from the desert: This is the second part of the clause that begins with 15a. The phrase from the LORD indicates that these lines describe a judgment from the LORD against Ephraim. The flourishing of Ephraim will not prevent it.
The phrase east wind often refers to the sirocco. The sirocco is a devastating, drying wind that comes from the desert to the east of Israel.
Here, however, the phrase is figurative. It compares the armies of Assyria to the sirocco.
Some ways that they are similar are that:
(a) They both come from the east.
(b) They both cause destruction.
(c) The LORD sends them both.
Most versions translate the phrase here as the east wind or wind or something similar. They leave the comparison to the Assyrian armies implied. It is recommended that you translate in a similar way if possible.
However, it may be confusing or unnatural in some languages to use this figure of speech. If that is true in your language, here are some other ways to translate this figure of speech:
• Change the figure of speech to a simile. For example:
15b
⌊ the enemy is like⌋an east wind ⌊that ⌋ will come—a wind from the LORD
15c rising up from the desert.
• Change the figure of speech to a simile and make explicit the way that they are similar. For example:
15b
⌊ the enemy will destroy like⌋an east wind ⌊that ⌋ will come—a wind from the LORD
15c rising up from the desert.
• Translate the meaning without the figure of speech. For example:
15b The LORD will send the enemy. They will come from the east,
15c moving swiftly from the wilderness.
• Use a different figure of speech with the same meaning that is natural in your language.
The east wind figure of speech continues in 15d–f. If you make a change in 15b–c you may need to make changes to 15d–f to concord with it. For example, if in 15b–c you translate the meaning without the figure of speech, you may need to translate 15d–f without the figure of speech there as well.
desert: This word refers to dry and barren land where very few people live. Another way to translate desert is “wilderness” (English Standard Version).
13:15d–e
Notice the parallel lines that are similar in meaning.
15d
His fountain will fail,
15e and his spring will run dry.
These lines describe the effect of the drying wind on the water sources of Israel. They will dry up.
fountain…spring: The Hebrew words for fountain and spring are closely related. The word for fountain means a water source. The Hebrew word for spring also means “source” or “headwaters.”
Here are some other ways to translate these lines:
his spring will dry up; his well will become dry (NET Bible)
-or-
All their flowing springs will run dry, and all their wells will disappear. (New Living Translation (2004))
Another option is to combine these two lines 15d–e. For example:
dries up streams of water (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
and it will dry up their springs and wells (Good News Translation)
fail…run dry: The Hebrew words for fail and run dry both mean to “dry up.”
13:15f
The wind will plunder his treasury of every precious article: This clause probably refers to the plunder of Ephraim by Assyrian armies. The LORD used them to judge Ephraim.
Here are four acceptable ways to describe this event:
• Say that the east wind plunders. For example:
However, the Lord ’s scorching wind will come from the east…. The wind will destroy every precious thing in their storehouses. (God’s Word)
• Say that it is the LORD who plunders. For example:
the Lord will send a wind from the east…. He will destroy from their treasure houses everything of value. (New Century Version)
• Say that the enemy plunders. For example:
an east wind will come, a blast from the Lord rising over the desert….The enemy will plunder his wealth, all his costly treasures. (Revised English Bible)
• Leave the agent of plundering implied. For example:
Every precious thing they own will be plundered and carried away. (New Living Translation (2004))
treasury: There are two main interpretations of the Hebrew word for treasury in this context:
(1) The word means treasury. A treasury is a place where valuable things are stored. For example:
to strip his treasury of everything worth having (New Jerusalem Bible)
(2) The word means “treasure(s)” (valuable things). For example:
That [wind] shall plunder treasures, Every lovely object. (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
The display will follow interpretation (1). However, the Hebrew word can mean either treasures or the place treasures are stored. So either interpretation is acceptable.
every precious article: The Hebrew phrase for every precious article is more literally “every vessel of preciousness.” This phrase refers to objects of value, such as those made of silver or gold. It may refer in particular to treasures of the king and or temple, but it could include those of the general population as well.
Here are some other ways to translate the phrase:
all its treasures (New International Version)
-or-
your precious treasures (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
everything of value (New Century Version)
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