1:11a

the people of Judah and of Israel: In Hebrew, these two phrases are literally “sons of Judah” and “sons of Israel.” See the note on “the Israelites” in 1:10a. These expressions refer here to the nations or people of Judah and Israel.

Here are some other ways to translate these expressions:

Israel and Judah (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Judeans and Israelites (New Jerusalem Bible)

will be gathered together: This phrase probably means that the previously divided kingdoms of Judah and Israel will become a single nation again.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

The people of Judah and Israel will join together again (New Century Version)
-or-
The nations of Judah and Israel will unite

1:11b

and they will appoint for themselves one leader: After the time of King Solomon, the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah each had their own leader. The future united kingdom will have a single leader.

Here is another way to translate this clause :

and will choose one leader for themselves (New Century Version)

1:11c

and will go up out of the land: In Hebrew, this clause is literally “they will go up from the land.” There are three main ways to interpret this clause:

(1) They will leave a foreign land to return to Israel. The people of Israel (and later Judah) will first be taken into exile, but in the future they will leave that land and return to their own country. Some versions focus on leaving a foreign land. Others focus on returning to their own country. For example:

they will return from exile together (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
they will return to their own land

(2) The people will increase in numbers and spread beyond the borders of their land. For example:

and will spread far beyond their country (New Jerusalem Bible)

(3) The people will prosper in their own land. This meaning is figurative. It fits with the metaphor of planting that is used in 2:23. For example:

they will grow and prosper in their land (Good News Translation)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with a majority of versions. It fits best with the rest of the verse.

1:11d

For great will be the day of Jezreel: There are two ways to interpret the Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For :

(1) It introduces a reason or explanation for the wonderful future result in 1:11a–c. In contrast to the negative connotations of Jezreel in 1:4–5, it explains that the LORD intends to give the name Jezreel the good connotations of planting. For example:

for great will be the day of Jezreel (Revised English Bible)

(2) It introduces an emphatic statement. In contrast to the negative connotations of Jezreel in 1:4–5, it emphasizes the LORD’s wonderful plans for Jezreel in the future. For example:

Certainly, the day of Jezreel will be great! (NET Bible)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Most versions and commentaries follow this interpretation.

However, some scholars think that 1:11d is not a logical reason or explanation for 1:11a–c. If that is true in your language, you may want to follow interpretation (2). With either interpretation, it is recommended that you give the other interpretation in a footnote.

great: Some other ways to translate the word great are “important” or “wonderful.”

the day of Jezreel: The word Jezreel referred to the name of a valley in Israel. It was also the name of Hosea’s son (see 1:4a). It literally means “God scatters.” In 1:4–5, it had the bad connotation that God would scatter Israel among the nations. Here it means “scatters/sows (seed).” The expression day of Jezreel probably refers to a time in the future when the LORD will figuratively “plant” the people of Israel in their own country after their exile.

Here are some other ways to translate this expression:

• Use the literal expression day of Jezreel in your translation.

• Use the literal expression day of Jezreel in your translation along with the meaning. For example:

the day of Jezreel, the day when God will again plant his people in his land

• Use the name Jezreel in your translation, but adjust the expression day of. For example:

the day called Jezreel

Whichever way you translate the expression day of Jezreel, it is recommended that you add a footnote to explain the meaning. Here is a possible footnote:

Jezreel means “God scatters.” In 1:4–5 it implied that God would punish his people by scattering them far from their own country. Here it implies that God will scatter his people like a sower scatters seed and will cause them to grow once again in their own country.

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