Section 2:2–13

The LORD promised to punish the people of Israel

In this section, the LORD described the crisis that resulted from Israel being unfaithful to him by following other gods. He warned Israel about the punishment that he would inflict on them if they continued their unfaithfulness. There is a sharp contrast between the negative tone in this section and the positive tone in the previous one.

The first words of this section seem to be a command by Hosea to his children. He commanded them to rebuke their mother (2:2a). However, the words “declares the LORD” in 2:13c indicate that the LORD is the speaker throughout this section. The reason for this double reference is that this section has both literal and figurative meanings. Literally, it applies to the relationship between Hosea, his wife Gomer, and their children. Figuratively, it expresses the relationship between the LORD and Israel. In a complex metaphor, the nation of Israel is compared to the LORD’s wife. At the same time, the entire nation of Israel is compared to a mother, and the individual Israelites that made up the nation are compared to her children.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

The LORD’s future punishment of Israel
-or-
Israel is the Lord ’s unfaithful wife (God’s Word)
-or-
Unfaithful Gomer—Unfaithful Israel (Good News Translation)

Paragraph 2:2–5

This paragraph contains the first examples in Hosea of Hebrew poetry, including the use of parallel lines. See The form in the Introduction for more information on formatting poetry and translating parallel lines.

2:2a

Rebuke your mother, rebuke her: In Hebrew, the word rebuke means “to fight with words,” as in a quarrel or a legal case. There are two ways to interpret the word here:

(1) It means to accuse. The children were told to accuse their mother of adultery. For example:

Accuse ! Accuse your mother! (Contemporary English Version)

(2) It means to plead. The children were told to plead with their mother to stop her adultery. For example:

Plead with your mother, plead (New Revised Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most lexicons and commentaries. The Hebrew verb used in this verse is not used elsewhere in the Old Testament to describe an appeal that someone change his ways.

Some English versions use an expression that refers to an actual trial. For example:

take your mother to court (New Jerusalem Bible)

But this verse may also refer to an informal accusation or rebuke, so if possible, use a more general expression, as in the New International Version or Contemporary English Version.

Rebuke…rebuke: In Hebrew and in some English versions, the word is repeated to emphasize the seriousness of this command. Another way to give emphasis is to add a word that intensifies the meaning. For example:

Sternly accuse your mother

Use a natural way in your language to emphasize this command.

your mother: This phrase refers literally to Gomer, the mother of Hosea’s children. At the same time, Gomer represented the entire nation of Israel. Her children represented the individual Israelites whom the LORD commanded to rebuke the nation.

If possible, translate this phrase in a general way that allows both meanings to be understood. If the figurative meaning is not clear from the context, you may want to explain it in a footnote. For example:

In this verse, Hosea told his children to accuse their mother Gomer of committing adultery. This was a symbol of the LORD telling individual Israelites to accuse their mother, the nation of Israel, of committing spiritual adultery by worshiping idols.

2:2b–c

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

2b for she is not My wife,

2c and I am not her husband.

for: This word introduces the reason that the children are told to rebuke their mother. They should rebuke her because she is no longer behaving like a wife.

not My wife…not her husband: Together these two statements emphasize that Israel had broken its covenant with the LORD, just as Gomer had broken her marriage covenant with Hosea. As a result, the LORD could no longer treat Israel as his people, and Hosea could no longer act as Gomer’s husband.

These statements probably indicate a broken relationship rather than divorce. This is because in the next verses the husband continues to urge his wife, through the children, to stop her adulterous behavior and to reconcile with him.

One way to avoid implying divorce is to make it clear that these statements refer to actions or attitudes, not to an actual legal status. For example:

2b She no longer acts like my wife. (God’s Word)

2c And I no longer act like I am her husband.

Be careful not to imply that the husband had been unfaithful to his wife and had broken their relationship.

2:2d–e

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

2d Let her remove the adultery from her face

2e and the unfaithfulness from between her breasts.

the adultery…the unfaithfulness: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as adultery is literally “her immoralities.” The word “immoralities” means sexual activity that is contrary to God’s law. It is the same word that was used in 1:2b.

The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as unfaithfulness is literally “her adulteries.” The word “adulteries” refers to sexual intercourse with someone other than her husband.

Both these plural terms describe the woman’s character. They indicate repeated or habitual behavior, as in the New Century Version and NET Bible quoted below.

from her face…from between her breasts: In Hebrew, it is common to refer to behavior by mentioning the parts of the body (face, breasts) that are associated with this behavior. These figurative expressions refer to the shameless attitude and behavior of a woman who is openly immoral and unfaithful to her husband.

Here are some other ways to translate these expressions:

to stop acting like a prostitute, to stop behaving like an unfaithful wife. (New Century Version)
-or-
put an end to her adulterous lifestyle, and turn away from her sexually immoral behavior (NET Bible)

2:2d

Let her remove: In Hebrew, this verb phrase is an indirect third-person wish or command that the woman stop committing adultery. Hosea is instructing his children to tell their mother to stop being unfaithful to him.

If it is not natural to use a third-person command in your language, here are some other ways to translate this command:

Tell her to stop… (God’s Word)
-or-
I want her to stop…
-or-
She must stop…

General Comment on 2:2d–e

These two statements emphasize one main point. If parallel statements imply two different points in your language, consider combining them into a single statement. For example:

She must stop her adultery and prostitution.

2:3a–b

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

3a I will strip her naked

3b and expose her like the day of her birth.

Both lines refer to the punishment of taking off the clothes of the adulteress so that she will be naked in public.

These statements also illustrate what the LORD threatens to do to the nation of Israel. To “strip her naked” may indicate that the LORD will remove everything he has given to her since the time he rescued her from Egypt. The “day of her birth” may refer to the time in the wilderness before Israel entered the Promised Land. In some translations, it may be appropriate to explain this symbolic meaning in a footnote.

© 2021 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.