If 8.2 is interpreted as ironic, it is helpful to start this verse with a contrastive conjunction, such as “But” (Contemporary English Version, New International Version, NET Bible, Revised English Bible).

Israel has spurned the good: The name Israel appears again, and in the Hebrew text this repetition emphasizes that the very people who claim to take pride in that name have spurned the good (Good News Translation “rejected what is good”). The good can refer to good behavior, but it also includes the good things that come from God, such as peace, prosperity, and health. By rejecting good conduct, they also reject good things. Some scholars propose a different interpretation of the good: “the Good One” (Andersen and Freedman, Stuart), referring to the LORD. Although no major translations follow this interpretation, it is certainly a viable option.

The enemy shall pursue him: Good News Translation introduces this logical result with the phrase “Because of this.” The singular word enemy and the singular pronoun him (referring to Israel) have a collective sense here, so Good News Translation says “their enemies will pursue them.” The enemy probably refers to the Assyrians, who defeated Israel in 722 B.C.

Translation models for this verse are:

• But Israel has rejected what is good,
so an enemy will pursue him.

• But the Israelites have cut ties with the Good One,
so their enemies will pursue 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 .