In chiastic style the prophet has first spoken of the lion and leopard in verse 7, and now of the bear, then what the bear will do, and then in the rest of this verse, what the lion and the leopard (wild beast) will do.

I will fall upon them like a bear robbed of her cubs: Fall upon (Good News Translation “attack”) renders a Hebrew verb that can refer to simply meeting or encountering people in a neutral sense, but it often refers to a confrontation, such as an attack. In this context it clearly refers to a dangerous meeting, an encounter with an angry bear. So a neutral term for this verb is not recommended here.

Like a bear robbed of her cubs refers clearly to a female bear. Bears are known to be fiercely protective of their cubs, so this simile refers to a very fierce animal. If possible, a generic term for bear should be used instead of the name of a specific type, such as grizzly or brown bear. In any case, the reference should be to a fierce and dangerous animal. If bears are unknown in the receptor culture, a transliteration may be the best option, since there are no other animals that are similar to the bear. A footnote or glossary entry can be useful to provide a more elaborate description.

Robbed of her cubs renders a single Hebrew adjective (literally “bereaved”), which can refer to any loss of children. But in this context it is clear that the bear is fiercely angry because its cubs have been taken away or killed by someone. See also 2 Sam 17.8 and Pro 17.12, where this simile appears to be a common expression for fierce anger.

I will tear open their breast means Yahweh will do this like the bear, not the lion. This line is literally “and I will rip open the covering of their heart.” Languages will have their own natural expressions for “the covering of their heart.” De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling says “their breast case,” New Jerusalem Bible has “the membrane of their heart,” and NET Bible translates “their chests.”

And there I will devour them like a lion: Here the illustration returns to the kind of thing a lion will do. Devour renders the common Hebrew verb for “eat.” In English and in many other languages there are special words for eating done in a violent way by wild animals. The adverb there refers to the place where the attack took place. A lion will not drag its victim away but will eat it “on the spot” (Good News Translation).

As a wild beast would rend them is literally “an animal of the field will tear them apart.” The comparative word as does not appear in the Hebrew text, but it is implied. God will tear apart the Israelites like a wild animal. Here a wild beast probably returns to the illustration of a leopard. Both lions and leopards attack and eat their prey in a similar manner. Wild beast renders the same Hebrew expression translated “beasts of the field” in 2.12 (see comments there).

Rend (Good News Translation “tear … to pieces”) renders a Hebrew verb that can mean “break,” “split,” or “smash.” Here it refers to a wild animal ripping its victim apart in order to eat the victim.

A translation model for this verse is:

• I will attack you like a bear robbed of her cubs,
and I will tear open your rib cage.
I will gobble you up on the spot like a lion,
like a wild animal I will rip you apart.

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 .