We have here another example of Hebrew poetic structure, a so-called chiastic structure: Sheol … Death … Death … Sheol.

Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol? Shall I redeem them from Death?: In these two parallel lines, instead of speaking about Israel as a single person, the text now uses the plural pronoun them. In Good News Translation the shift to plural is made gradually by first identifying them as “this people.”

The Hebrew verb for ransom means to set someone free by paying a price of some kind, usually money (see comments on 7.13, where it is rendered “redeem”). The verb for redeem means almost the same thing, except that this word is often used when a relative, a next of kin, rescues someone, often by paying a price. And this word can refer to help from a relative when one is in any kind of difficult situation. Boaz was Ruth’s “redeemer.”

The Hebrew word for Sheol refers to the place of the dead which is located somewhere deep in the earth. So it is a place of darkness from which the dead will not return. Some cultures have their own way of referring to such a place. In other languages it may be clearer to say “the world of the dead” (Good News Translation) or “the grave” (New Living Translation).

The Hebrew text of these two lines has problems of interpretation, some of which are seen in the various modern translations. These lines may be translated literally as statements:

From the hand [or, power] of Sheol I will ransom them,
from death I will redeem them.

Because the previous verses and the next verses speak of God’s anger and judgment upon the people of Israel, most translations do as Revised Standard Version and render these lines as rhetorical questions (so New Revised Standard Version, Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation, English Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible). Typical of rhetorical questions is that no answer is expected. In fact, rhetorical questions are often used as a way to emphasize a point. In this case, the LORD will do the opposite: he will not ransom or redeem the people. Good News Translation translates the lines as negative statements. If rhetorical questions are familiar in the receptor language, translators should use them here. New International Version is one of the very few modern translations that render these lines literally as positive statements. However, in view of the context, especially the last line of this verse (Compassion is hid from my eyes), we do not recommend this option.

Some scholars suggest that we have here a picture of Yahweh in agony over whether he can really punish his people, whom he has loved: “Can I really rescue them, or must I punish them?” In any case, the context of this verse favors translating these two lines as questions:

Shall I ransom them from the hand of Sheol?
Shall I redeem them from death?

O Death, where are your plagues? O Sheol, where is your destruction?: In these two parallel lines scholars differ as to whether the first Hebrew word of each line should be one meaning “Where” or “I will be” (Revised Standard Version footnote). Are these lines questions or statements? The Hebrew text has “I will be,” which Hebrew Old Testament Text Project favors (a {B} decision). Revised Standard Version follows the Septuagint and the Peshitta with its reading. As in verse 10, the Hebrew for “I will be” is changed to read “Where.”

If the Hebrew text is followed here, the sense of the first four lines is as follows: Shall I save them from Sheol and from Death? No! In fact, Death, I will be your plagues! Sheol, I will be your destruction! That is, God is ready himself to carry out the work of Sheol and Death with no help from these two. The Hebrew of lines three and four may therefore be translated as follows:

I will be your plagues, Death!
I will be your destruction, Sheol!

If the emended text in Revised Standard Version is followed, then these two lines should be rendered as rhetorical questions that invite Death and Sheol to bring on deadly diseases (so New Revised Standard Version, New International Version, English Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Good News Translation renders these questions as strong statements, which some languages may find helpful.

Both Death and Sheol are personified here. If possible, translators should keep this personification. If this is not possible, a model of these two lines that removes it is “I will allow them to be killed by diseases; I will imprison them in the world of the dead.”

The Hebrew word for plagues refers to diseases, illnesses, or similar things that cause many people in a community to die. The word for destruction in this context can refer to “pestilence” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or to the result of it, that is, the death of many people.

In 1 Cor 15.55 these two lines are quoted as follows: “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (King James Version). However, this quotation was taken from the Septuagint, which was more widely used and understood in those days by Paul’s audience than was the original Hebrew. In the New Testament it is therefore turned into an important word of comfort by Paul. But it is clearly not a word of comfort in this context.

Compassion is hid from my eyes: This figurative line emphasizes the idea that, although the Israelites are Yahweh’s own people, he will not have mercy on them any longer. The decision is final. The Hebrew word for Compassion refers to the way someone, such as a mother, feels the pain or sorrow that her child is experiencing. The imagery here does not mean that Yahweh will not see the suffering of his people, but that he will not have pity for them even if he sees their suffering. Good News Translation uses nonfigurative language, saying “I will no longer have pity for this people.” New American Bible keeps the imagery by saying “My eyes are closed to compassion.” This line serves as both a summary of the previous lines and an introduction to the message of verse 15.

A translation model for this verse is:

• Should I ransom them from the power of the grave?
Should I rescue them from death?
Death, where are your plagues?
Grave, where is your pestilence?
I no longer feel compassion.

Quoted with permission from Dorn, Louis & van Steenbergen, Gerrit. A Handbook on Hosea. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2020. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .