2:22

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

22a but the wicked will be cut off from the land,

22b and the unfaithful will be uprooted.

2:22a–b

the wicked…the unfaithful: The phrases the wicked and the unfaithful both refer to the same group of people. In some languages, it may be clearer to combine and/or reorder the parallel parts in these lines to avoid the impression that two groups of people are being referred to. For example:

if you do wrong and can never be trusted, you will be rooted out (Contemporary English Version)

See 2:22a–b (combined/reordered) in the Display for other ways to combine and/or reorder the parallel parts.

In Hebrew, the term unfaithful describes someone who acts treacherously or breaks an agreement. It can apply to a marriage relationship, property rights, a treaty, or general conduct. Other ways to translate this term are:

the treacherous (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
can never be trusted (Contemporary English Version)

will be cut off from the land…will be uprooted: In this context, the phrase cut off probably implies that the wicked will be removed from their country either by death or by being forced to leave.

According to several lexicons, the parallel verb will be uprooted means “to pull, tear away.” In this context, it indicates that treacherous people will be forcibly removed from the land. The New Century Version expresses this as:

will be thrown out of it (New Century Version)

This Hebrew verb does not refer to uprooting plants in the OT. However, several English versions (Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Contemporary English Version) translate it as “uproot” or “root out.” For example:

will be rooted out (Contemporary English Version)

The Good News Translation makes the plant simile explicit. It has:

pull sinners out of it like plants from the ground

If this simile is an effective comparison in your language, you may use it. Otherwise, a more general expression may be preferable. For example:

will be forcibly removed from it

The verbs will be cut off and will be uprooted are passive. In some languages, it may be necessary to translate them as active and to indicate who will do these actions. If that is true in your language, you should indicate that the LORD will perform these actions. You should not specify how he will do this. For example:

22a But the LORD will force wicked people to leave the land.

22b He will remove those who are untrustworthy.

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