12:14
Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:
14a Ephraim has provoked bitter anger,
14b so his Lord will leave his bloodguilt upon him
14c and repay him for his contempt.
There is an ellipsis in the third line. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing words from the second line. For example:
14c and ⌊he/his Lord will ⌋ repay him for his contempt.
In these lines, Hosea tells the Israelites that the LORD will judge them. The first line is a general statement. The second and third lines give more detail.
This verse has some similarities to 12:2.
12:14a
The Berean Standard Bible and the Hebrew text leave implied the connection between this verse and the previous one. Some other versions do the same.
Some versions think that there is an implicit contrast to the previous verse and supply the word “But” to indicate it. Indicate the connection of this verse to 12:13 in a natural way in your language. For example:
But Ephraim has bitterly provoked him to anger… (New International Version)
Ephraim has provoked bitter anger: The phrase provoked…anger means “caused someone to become angry.” Hebrew and some English versions do not make explicit that the LORD is the one Ephraim has provoked. For example:
Ephraim gave bitter provocation (Revised English Bible)
Some versions make this information explicit for clarity. For example:
But the people of Israel have bitterly provoked the Lord (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
But Ephraim bitterly provoked him to anger (NET Bible)
Ephraim: As in many places in Hosea, the name Ephraim represents the people of Israel, as in the New Living Translation (2004) quoted above.
provoked…anger: In Hebrew, this verb phrase is one word. There is no separate word for anger. Some versions leave the idea of anger implied. For example:
Ephraim gave bitter provocation (New Jerusalem Bible)
Other versions make it make it explicit. For example:
Ephraim bitterly provoked him to anger (NET Bible)
In some languages, it may be more natural to focus on the LORD’s anger caused by Ephraim’s provocation. For example:
But Ephraim has aroused his bitter anger (NIV2011)
-or-
The people of Israel have made the Lord bitterly angry (Good News Translation)
bitter: The form of the Hebrew word here is literally “bitternesses (plur).” It indicates the bitter manner in which Ephraim provoked the LORD. They probably provoked him by persisting in the sins listed in 12:7–8, 11.
The plural form indicates intensity. It implies “very bitterly provoked to anger.” In Hebrew, the adjective form bitter means “bitter, strong.” Here it probably implies that Ephraim’s bitter provocation caused the LORD to experience a correspondingly bitter or strong anger. See the NIV2011 and Good News Translation quoted below.
12:14b
so his Lord will leave his bloodguilt upon him: This clause is more literally “and his bloods on him he will leave.”
This expression probably means that God holds Ephraim (the people of Israel) accountable for his crimes, particularly the murders he has committed. God will not forgive Ephraim by removing the guilt. Instead, he will leave the guilt on Ephraim. The implication is that Ephraim will be punished accordingly. Compare to 1 Kings 2:32–33. Here are some other examples:
so he will hold him accountable for the blood he has shed (NET Bible)
-or-
He will hold them guilty of murder (God’s Word)
his Lord: In the Hebrew text his Lord comes at the end of 14c. The Berean Standard Bible and many other versions place it here to conform to natural English. The pronoun his refers to Ephraim.
The Hebrew word for Lord here is ʾadon, “lord,” not Yahweh. Versions indicate this by translating this word as Lord, not as “Lord ” or “LORD.”
his bloodguilt: In Hebrew, this phrase is “his bloods.” The plural form of the word “blood” often refers to bloodshed/murders. The word can also indicate bloodguilt/accountability for a murder.
The word can imply crimes so severe that the person who commits them deserves capital punishment. Some versions make this meaning explicit. For example:
They deserve death for their crimes. (Good News Translation)
12:14c
and repay him for his contempt: The meaning of this clause is similar to 14b. It means to give back to Ephraim an appropriate payment for his contempt. In this context, the Hebrew word for repay means “to pay back” or “requite evil.” Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
Their Lord will punish them for the disgrace they have brought on him. (Good News Translation)
-or-
His Lord will repay him for his insult. (New Jerusalem Bible)
contempt: The Hebrew word means “reproach,” “reviling,” “taunt.” It often has a connotation of blaming or scorning someone. Here it may indicate contempt for the LORD and/or his law. Here are some other ways to translate it:
his mockery (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
-or-
his insults (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
his disgraceful deeds (English Standard Version)
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