This verse contains some examples of Hebrew poetic style that are difficult to interpret and translate today. We can imagine that the prophet, as a poet, was intentionally putting words together that could be understood and applied in a variety of ways. Translators should not be surprised to find a wide variety of renderings here in major languages that are in use today. In addition to that, there is a textual problem in the last two lines of this verse, which is mentioned in the footnotes of Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and many other versions.

And now they sin more and more …: The Hebrew expression rendered And now is often used as a discourse marker that introduces a new topic or paragraph. In this case it shows that the prophet is no longer talking about the past and about one person or tribe, but about what all the people of Israel are doing now, despite what was stated in the preceding verse. It may be translated “Yet now” (Revised English Bible) or “Nevertheless.” The Hebrew text switches from third person singular pronouns in verse 1 to third person plural pronouns here (they, themselves, their, them). If in the preceding verse the translation refers to the leadership of Ephraim (as in the model translation), it would be helpful to identify the referents of they at this point, who are the people of Ephraim, that is, the northern kingdom of Israel.

They sin more and more is literally “they add to sin” or “they do more to sin.” New Living Translation says “they continue to sin,” and NET Bible has “they persist in sin.”

And make for themselves molten images means the Israelites make metal images to worship other gods. Good News Translation adds “to worship” to make clear the use for these images. Molten images renders one word in the Hebrew, derived from the root meaning “to pour.” Such a cast image was made by heating a metal until it became liquid and then could be poured into the shape that they wanted. The use of this term may imply that such an image could someday be melted away, thus proving that this kind of “god” was really not very solid or strong. Some scholars believe that the metal could also be beaten or hammered into shape. Good News Translation‘s “metal images” includes both possibilities. The golden calf made in the Sinai Desert (Exo 32) and the golden calves set up at Bethel and at Dan (1 Kgs 12.28-29; 2 Kgs 17.16) were such images, but other images of silver and bronze have been discovered in the land once occupied by the northern kingdom of Israel. Molten images may be made of any metal that can be melted. These were made of silver, which is not mentioned until the next line. Hebrew poetry often expresses a general statement in the first line, but follows with a more specific statement in the second line. The Hebrew word for molten images is actually singular (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible “a cast image”). This can best be understood as a collective singular, so Revised Standard Version and most other versions use the plural form.

Idols skilfully made of silver, all of them the work of craftsmen: The first two lines of this verse give a general statement. These next two lines are a further description with more detail. A literal translation of these two lines is as follows:

from their silver, according to their understanding [or, skill], [they make] idols,
the work of craftsmen, all of it [the idols]

For the Hebrew word rendered idols, see the comments on 4.17.

The Hebrew word for “understanding,” rendered skilfully in Revised Standard Version, clearly places the emphasis on human beings as the creators of these idols. Good News Translation has the same emphasis, but also makes clear that the Hebrew word can relate both to manual skills and mental capacity. Studies in the Hebrew dialect of northern Israel indicate that the word translated here as “according to their understanding” can be understood as “engraving.” Thus the first of these two lines can be “from their silver they engrave images.” In any case, the idea is that such “gods” are not strong enough to make themselves, but it is humans who do it.

All of them refers to the idols.

The work of craftsmen continues the idea of skilled workmen. The Hebrew for craftsmen can apply to artistic workers in wood, stone, or various kinds of metal.

Sacrifice to these, they say. Men kiss calves!: These two lines have a textual problem. Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation do not follow the Hebrew text. The Hebrew can be understood as referring to the sacrifice of human beings, which was a custom among some of the people living in Canaan. One way to translate the Hebrew literally is:

Of them they are saying,
“Those who sacrifice, humans, they kiss calf-idols.”

Does “humans” refer to people being sacrificed, or to the people offering the sacrifice? Revised English Bible follows the first interpretation, saying “It is said of Ephraim: ‘They offer human sacrifice and kiss calf-images’ ” (similarly New International Version, English Standard Version). However, Hebrew Old Testament Text Project prefers the second interpretation, giving a {B} rating to the Hebrew text. According to this interpretation, although humans sacrifice animals (including calves), they now turn around and kiss the images of calves as a sign of worship and devotion. Ritual kissing is not a common phenomenon in the Old Testament, but it is not unheard of (see 1 Kgs 19.18).

For idols of calves, see the comments on 8.5.

A translation model for this verse is:

• Yet the people of Ephraim keep on sinning.
They make idols out of silver, according to their skills.
All this is just the work of artisans.
It is said about them,
“They who sacrifice calves kiss idols of them.”

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 .