SIL Translator’s Notes on Hosea 2021 – Page 2

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hosea 7:3

Paragraph 7:3–4

7:3a–b

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

3a
They delight the king with their evil,

3b and the princes with their lies.

There is an ellipsis in 7:3b. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing verb from 7:3a. For example:

3b
⌊ they delight⌋the princes with their lies.

These lines both indicate that the wicked deeds of the people of Israel delighted their rulers.

king…princes: See how you translated “king or prince” in 3:4a.

their evil…their lies: The word evil refers to actions that are against God’s will, such as dishonest or immoral behavior. See how you translated “evil” in 7:2a.

The word lies refers here to lies or deceit. The words evil and lies are parallel here. This may indicate that deceit was the specific kind of wickedness that delighted the king and the other officials.

Here are some other ways to translate these parallel words:

sin…deceit (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
evil schemes…lies (NET Bible)
-or-
wickedness…treachery (Revised English Bible)

7:3a

They delight the king: The word delight is literally “make glad.” It means that the people’s wicked actions caused the king to be happy. Probably this ruler was glad because the evil deeds benefited hm.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

they make the king happy (New Century Version)
-or-
they make the king glad (New Revised Standard Version)

the king: In Hebrew, there is no article the here. It is possible that this lack of an article indicates any king, not a specific king. For example:

They make kings happy (God’s Word)
-or-
They make a king merry (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)

7:3b

the princes: The word princes probably refers here to the rulers and officials that serve under a king.

Here are some ways to translate this word:

the king and his officials (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
their rulers (New Century Version)
-or-

chief men (New Jerusalem Bible)

General Comment on 7:3a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to reorder and/or combine the parallel parts. For example:

The people’s deceit pleases their rulers.

© 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.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hosea 9:5

9:5

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

5a
What will you do on the appointed day,

5b
on the day of the LORD’s feast ?

In Hebrew, there is an ellipsis (deliberate omission) of the words “What will you do” in the second line. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing words to make the meaning clearer. For example:

5b
What will you do on days of feasting in the Lord ‘s presence ? (New Living Translation (1996))

These lines warn the people that in Assyria they will no longer be able to celebrate special feast days.

9:5a

What will you do on the appointed day: In this verse, Hosea speaks directly to the people, using the pronoun you. He uses a rhetorical question with the implied negative answer “Nothing.” It means that the people will definitely not be able to celebrate the feasts.

This rhetorical question can also be expressed as a statement. For example:

You will no longer be able to celebrate the festival of the Lord. (Contemporary English Version)

the appointed day: This phrase refers to the regular times when the people celebrated feasts. The word day is not necessarily literal here, since some feasts lasted longer than a day.

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

when the time comes for the appointed festivals (Good News Translation)

These appointed feast days included Passover, The Feast of Unleavened Bread, The Feast of Weeks and The Feast of Tabernacles/Booths. See Leviticus 23.

9:5b

on the day of the LORD’s feast?: Since this phrase is parallel to “appointed day,” it probably refers to those same feasts. However, it is possible that this phrase refers especially to the feast of Tabernacles/Shelters/Booths, which was held each autumn. Some versions give this information in a footnote. For example, here is a footnote from the Contemporary English Version:

festival of the Lord : Probably the Festival of Shelters. (Contemporary English Version)

Consider adding a similar footnote if you think it will be helpful to your readers.

General Comment on 9:5a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to reorder and/or combine these verse parts. For example:

5a–b And when the time comes for the appointed festivals in honor of the LORD, 5a what will you do then? (adapted from Good News Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hosea 11:5

Paragraph 11:5–7

In this paragraph, the LORD warns that Assyria will take the people of Israel into exile, because they continue to turn away from him.

11:5a–b

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

5a
Will they not return to the land Egypt

5b and be ruled by Assyria

In Hebrew, these lines are more literally “not he will return to the land of Egypt and Assyria it [will be] his king.” The interpretation of these lines depends on the function of the Hebrew word “not.” This word has two main functions here:

(1) The word “not” introduces either a rhetorical question that implies a “yes” answer or a positive statement. The Berean Standard Bible above translates it as a rhetorical question. An example of a positive statement is the NET Bible:

“They will return to Egypt! Assyria will rule over them because they refuse to repent! (NET Bible)

(2) The word “not” introduces a negative statement. For example:

“They will not return to Egypt. Instead, Assyria will rule them because they have refused to return to me. (God’s Word)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with a majority of versions. It is similar to statements about the people returning to Egypt in 8:13 and 9:3.

11:5a

Will they not return to the land of Egypt: This clause is the first line of the rhetorical question. The expected answer to this question is “Yes, they will return to Egypt.” This line is a figure of speech in which Egypt represents slavery. It means that the people will return to slavery. This slavery will be similar to their slavery in Egypt in Israel’s past. Also see the note “They will return to Egypt” under 8:13e.

Most versions translate this rhetorical question as a statement. For example:

They shall return to the land of Egypt (New Revised Standard Version)

Translate this clause in a natural way in your language.

11:5b

and be ruled by Assyria: This clause is literally “and Assyria it [will be] his king.” It means that the people of Israel will become slaves in the nation of Assyria. They will no longer rule themselves.

In Hebrew, the word Assyria is emphasized here. For example:

and it is Assyria, no one else, that will be his king

If possible, indicate this emphasis in a natural way in your language.

A king is normally a person, not a nation. For that reason, it may not be natural in some languages to say that Assyria will be their king.

Here are some other ways to say this:

and will not those from Assyria be the ones to rule over them
-or-
and it will be the Assyrians whom they must serve

11:5c

because they refused to repent?: There are two interpretations of the relationship of this line to those that come before and after it:

(1) This line relates to the two lines that precede it. It gives the reason that the people will become slaves in Assyria. It is because they refuse to repent. For example:

The Israelites will become captives again, as they were in Egypt, and Assyria will become their king, because they refuse to turn back to God. (New Century Version)

(2) This line relates to the lines that follow it in 11:6. It gives the reason that the sword will flash in their cities and cause destruction. It is because they refuse to repent. For example:

They return to the land of Egypt, and Assyria is their king. Because they refuse to repent, 6 a sword shall descend upon their towns… (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with a majority of versions and commentaries. It is supported by both the Masoretic Text and the early versions.

repent: In Hebrew, this word is literally to “turn” or “return.” The same Hebrew word is used in 11:5a, where it refers to the people’s return to Egypt. Hosea probably used the same word here as a wordplay. The wordplay draws attention to the reason that the people will return to slavery. It is because they refuse to return to the LORD.

In some languages, it is possible to translate the wordplay directly by using the same word in 5a and 5c, as in Hebrew. For example:

They shall return to the land of Egypt, and Assyria shall be their king, because they have refused to return to me. (New Revised Standard Version)

In some languages, it may not be possible to use the same word in both places. Translate this line in a natural way in your language.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hosea 13:11

13:11a–b

Notice the parallel lines that are similar in meaning:

11a So in My anger I gave you a king,

11b and in My wrath I took him away.

So in My anger I gave you a king, and in My wrath I took him away: There are two main ways to interpret the identity of the king to which this clause refers:

(1) The clause refers to the series of kings of Israel starting in the past and continuing in the time of Hosea. For example:

I give you kings in my ire, and take them away in My wrath. (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)

(2) The clause refers to king Saul, the first king of Israel. See 1 Samuel 8. For example:

I gave you a king in my anger, and I took him away in my wrath. (New Revised Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most commentaries. It also follows a standard use of the imperfect verb form and better fits the context of 13:10.

king: The word, king, is singular. However, it may have a collective sense (“kings”). This is indicated by the immediate context of 13:10, which pertains to the situation in Hosea’s time.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hosea 1:2

Section 1:2–9

Hosea married an unfaithful wife and fathered three children

The LORD commanded Hosea to marry Gomer. She was an immoral woman who would be unfaithful to him. Her unfaithfulness illustrated Israel’s unfaithfulness to the LORD. The LORD also commanded Hosea to give their three children names that would serve as warnings of future judgments.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

Hosea’s wife and children (Good News Translation)
-or-
Hosea’s marriage symbolized the LORD’s relationship to Israel

Paragraph 1:2

1:2a

When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, He told him: These words introduce Hosea’s prophetic ministry. They refer to the first time that the LORD spoke to Israel through Hosea.

Here are some other ways to translate these two clauses:

When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
This is the beginning of the Lord ’s message given by Hosea. (Revised English Bible)

In some languages, it may be necessary to make explicit who the LORD spoke to when he spoke through Hosea. For example:

When the Lord first spoke to Israel through Hosea, he said to Hosea (Good News Translation)

1:2b

Go, take a prostitute as your wife: These two commands function as a single command to get married. The word Go serves primarily to introduce the second command. It may emphasize the need for Hosea to take action. It does not imply that Hosea should first go on a journey and then marry someone.

Here are some other ways to translate this kind of double command:

• Use a word or phrase that directs attention to the main command to get married. For example:

Go marry… (NET Bible)
-or-
What I want you to do is to get married to…

• Translate the main command to get married. Leave a word or phrase such as Go implied. For example:

Marry… (God’s Word)

Translate these commands in a way that is clear and natural in your language.

a prostitute as your wife: The Hebrew phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as a prostitute as your wife is literally “a wife/woman of immoralities.” The Hebrew word “immoralities” refers to sexual activity that is contrary to God’s law. It includes both adultery and sexual relations between unmarried people. Some forms of this word refer to prostitution, that is, offering to have sexual intercourse for pay.

In this context, the plural form “immoralities” indicates repeated or habitual behavior. There are two main ways to interpret this phrase:

(1) The LORD told Hosea to marry a woman who had already engaged in sexual relations contrary to God’s law. She may have been a prostitute. People knew about her immoral character before her marriage to Hosea. For example:

Go and marry a prostitute (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Go marry a promiscuous woman (NIV2011)

(2) The LORD told Hosea to marry a woman who would be unfaithful to him after their marriage. Her promiscuous character would develop or become clear only after she became his wife. For example:

Go and get married; your wife will be unfaithful (Good News Translation)
-or-
Go marry a woman who will commit adultery.

Some English versions translate the Hebrew phrase “wife/woman of immoralities” quite literally. For example, the King James Version, English Standard Version, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures, and New Revised Standard Version have “wife of whoredom(s).” The New American Standard Bible has “wife of harlotry.” These expressions can refer to more than one interpretation, so the Notes have not listed them under either one.

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most English versions. However, both interpretations have good commentary support. So it is also recommended that you mention interpretation (2) in a footnote. You may also want to mention interpretation (2) for the next phrase (“children of unfaithfulness”) in the same footnote, because the two interpretations correspond to each other.

and have children of adultery: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “and children of immoralities.” There are three main interpretations of this phrase:

(1) The children born to Gomer and Hosea would be born to an immoral mother. Nothing is indicated about the behavior of the children. For example:

and have children with her (NIV2011)

(Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, NIV2011, New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible)

(2) The children born to Gomer and Hosea would be like their mother in their behavior and character. The immoral character of each would become evident in the future. For example:

and your children will be just like her (Good News Translation)

(Good News Translation, New Century Version)

(3) The children born to Gomer after her marriage would be a result of her adultery. Hosea would not be their father. For example:

a prostitute who will bear illegitimate children conceived through prostitution (NET Bible)

(NET Bible, New Living Translation (2004))

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most versions.

1:2c

because: In Hebrew, this word introduces the reason that the LORD commanded Hosea to marry “a woman of immoralities.” The reason is that his marriage to an unfaithful wife would illustrate the LORD’s relationship to his unfaithful people, the Israelites.

Some English versions translate this word as “for” or because. Other versions leave it implied. Use a natural way in your language to introduce the LORD’s reason for his command to Hosea. In some languages, it may be necessary to make more information explicit. For example:

This will illustrate how Israel… (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Do that, because it will show how the people in this land…

this land: Here the term this land is a figure of speech (metonymy). It represents the people who lived in the land, that is, the Israelites.

Here are some other ways to translate this figure of speech:

the people in this country (New Century Version)
-or-
my people (Good News Translation)

is flagrantly prostituting itself: In Hebrew, this expression refers here to committing sexual immorality or behaving as a prostitute. It is used here as a figure of speech (metaphor). In this metaphor, the people of Israel are compared to a wife who is repeatedly unfaithful to her husband, because they had stopped worshiping the LORD and begun to worship other gods. See the General Comment on 1:2c for other ways to translate this figure of speech.

The form of the Hebrew expression emphasizes the extent of their immorality. It may imply several things:

(a) They repeatedly or continually commit immoral acts.

(b) They are openly, brazenly, or flagrantly immoral.

Here are some ways to express this emphasis:

have been completely unfaithful (New Century Version)
-or-
continually commit adultery
-or-
openly committing adultery (New Living Translation (1996))

You should express this emphasis in a way that is appropriate in your language.

by departing from the LORD: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “from after the LORD.” By worshiping other gods, the people of Israel had abandoned the LORD. To make the meaning clear, English translations supply a verb such as departing (Berean Standard Bible), “forsaking” (New Revised Standard Version), “abandon” (God’s Word), “turning away” (NET Bible). You may also have to supply additional words to make the meaning clear in your language.

the LORD: The LORD referred to himself in the third person, the LORD, as if he were speaking about someone else. This was good style in Old Testament Hebrew. In some languages, it may be more natural to use the pronoun “me” to make it explicit that the LORD is referring to himself. For example:

the people in this land have abandoned me, the LORD.

Another way to avoid confusion is to use only the pronoun “me.” It may not be necessary to repeat the words the LORD. For example:

my people have left me and become unfaithful. (Good News Translation)

General Comment on 1:2c

The phrase “in departing from the LORD” explains the meaning of the figure of speech “vilest adultery” in nonfigurative language.

Here are some other ways to express these two phrases:

• Change the phrase “vilest adultery” into a simile. For example:

it is like the people of this land are being totally immoral, because they have turned their backs on me, the LORD.

• Place the nonfigurative phrase “in departing from the LORD” first. For example:

the people of this land have abandoned the LORD. They are like a woman who repeatedly commits adultery.

• Combine the two phrases into one phrase. For example:

the people in this country have been completely unfaithful to the Lord (New Century Version)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hosea 2:23

Paragraph 2:23

2:23a

And I will sow her as My own in the land: One meaning of the name Jezreel (2:22) is “God plants.” Here the LORD states that he will sow the people of Israel in the land of Israel. This figurative statement means that he will again establish the Israelites as a strong and prosperous nation.

If it is not possible to keep this metaphor in your language, here are some other ways to translate it:

• Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:

⌊ The people of Israel⌋⌊will be like crops ⌋ that I plant in the land. They will be my people ⌊and I will cause them to grow and become strong ⌋.

• Translate the meaning directly without using a figure of speech. For example:

I will establish my people in the land and make them prosper. (Good News Translation)

Try to keep the figurative idea of planting if possible. It will help your readers to understand the connection with the name “Jezreel” in the previous verse.

her: The New Revised Standard Version translates this pronoun as “him” since it refers to Jezreel, which is normally masculine in gender. However, in Hebrew, this pronoun is feminine, probably since Jezreel represents Israel, the LORD’s bride.

In many languages, there is no distinction between masculine and feminine pronouns. Translate this pronoun so that it refers clearly to the people of Israel. In some cases, it may be clearer to use a more specific phrase. For example:

At that time I will plant a crop of Israelites and raise them for myself! (New Living Translation (2004))

as My own: This phrase indicates that the LORD will once more accept the Israelites as his own people.

2:23b–c

Notice the parallelism:

23b
and I will have compassion on ‘No Compassion.’

23c
I will say to those called ‘Not My People,’ ‘You are My people,’

These parallel lines refer back to the names of Hosea’s second and third children given in 1:6–9. Each of these names had a negative meaning. In 1:10 and 2:1, the LORD said that he would give those names a positive meaning. In this verse, he spoke about the fulfillment of that promise. The LORD’s covenant with Israel will be restored and the Israelites will once more be his people.

Some versions, such as the New Jerusalem Bible, keep the names Lo-Ruhamah and Lo-ammi here. Others, such as the Good News Translation, replace these Hebrew names with their meanings “Not my loved one” and “Not my people.” The NET Bible includes both the meanings and the Hebrew names:

I will have pity on ‘No Pity’ (Lo-Ruhamah). (NET Bible)

I will say to ‘Not My People’ (Lo-Ammi), ‘You are my people!’

See the discussion in 1:6b and 1:9a on how to translate these names and their meanings. Depending on how you translated the names there, you may be able to translate them the same way here. But notice that the Berean Standard Bible transliterated the Hebrew names in 1:6b and 1:9, but it used the meanings of the names here in 2:23. That is because the names in chapter 1 referred to the literal children of Hosea and Gomer. Here in chapter 2, they refer to the people of Israel. You will need to decide whether it is appropriate to treat these names in the same way as you did in 1:6–9. You may want to add a footnote that cross-references these verses.

2:23d

and they will say: The Hebrew pronoun that the Berean Standard Bible translates as they is literally “he,” as in the New Revised Standard Version. This pronoun refers back to Lo-Ammi. Here Lo-Ammi clearly refers to the people of Israel, not to the literal son of Hosea. Use a pronoun or phrase that refers clearly to the people of Israel.

You are my God: You should translate this clause in a way that clearly shows the contrast with the words “I am not your God” in 1:9b. Compare 1:9b and 2:23d in the Display for examples.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hosea 5:8

Section 5:8–15

The LORD will judge the people by war

In 5:8–11, the LORD warned Israel and Judah that he would soon destroy them by means of the enemy that had come to wage war against them. He also accused them of various kinds of sin. In 5:12–15, the LORD compared his judgment to destructive things like a moth, wood rot, and a lion. He assured the people that they would be destroyed in spite of their attempt to get help from Assyria. We do not know with certainty the date and the details of the war. However, some scholars believe that this is the war that is mentioned in 2 Kings 16:5–9 and 2 Chronicles 28:5–23.

Here are some other examples of section headings:

War between Judah and Israel (Good News Translation)
-or-
The Lord warns Israel and Judah (Contemporary English Version)

Paragraph 5:8–11

5:8a–c

The English Standard Version has been used as the source line in 5:8a–c, because it follows the interpretation that is recommended for 5:8c.

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

8a
Blow the horn in Gibeah, (English Standard Version)

8b
the trumpet in Ramah. (English Standard Version)

8c
Sound the alarm at Beth-aven (English Standard Version)

These actions signaled that an enemy army was approaching. When an enemy army was near a city, the watchmen or soldiers who guarded the city blew a horn or a trumpet or in some way sounded an alarm. These three parallel lines emphasize that it was a time of war.

(English Standard Version) Blow the horn…the trumpet…Sound the alarm: In this verse, the purpose of all three actions is the same. There are two main ways to interpret this purpose:

(1) Their purpose was to warn the people. They gave a signal to the people that they should move to the safety of their city along with their flocks and cattle. For example:

“Blow the horn in Gibeah and the trumpet in Ramah. Give the warning at Beth Aven (New Century Version)

(2) Their purpose was to summon their soldiers to fight against the enemy. For example:

“Sound the trumpet in Gibeah, the horn in Ramah. Raise the battle cry in Beth Aven. (New International Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most versions and commentaries. However, it is possible that the purpose was both to warn the people and also to summon their troops into battle.

horn: The horn or “shophar” was an instrument made from a ram’s horn.

trumpet: The trumpet was a long, slender instrument made of metal.

Sound the alarm: This command may refer to blowing into one of the instruments. It may also refer to shouting an alarm. In some languages, it may be necessary to indicate what the warning or alarm was about. If that is true in your language, try to use an expression that will allow for both interpretations (1) and (2). For example:

Warn ⌊the people ⌋…⌊that their enemies are coming ⌋.
-or-
Give a signal ⌊to the people ⌋…⌊that they need to prepare for war ⌋.

(English Standard Version) Gibeah…Ramah…Beth-aven: These three cities were located in the territory of the tribe of Benjamin. This territory was located between the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah.

Beth-aven: Here Beth-aven probably refers to Bethel. The name Beth-aven means “house of wickedness.” Some alternate ways that versions spell this name are Beth Aven and Bethaven. See also the note on Beth-aven in 4:15b.

General Comment on 5:8a–c

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder these parallel statements. For example:

Blow the horns and trumpets to warn your fellow residents that war is about to begin. Give/Shout the alarm in Gibeah, Ramah, and Beth-aven.
-or-
Signal everyone in Gibeah, Ramah, and Beth-aven to prepare for the arrival of their enemies.

5:8d

Lead on, O Benjamin: There is a textual issue here as well as an interpretation issue. First the Notes will discuss the textual issue:

(1) The Masoretic Text has a phrase that means “after/behind you, Benjamin!” For example:

We are behind you, Benjamin! (New Jerusalem Bible)

(2) The LXX has a phrase that means “Tremble, O Benjamin!” For example:

Tremble in fear, O Benjamin! (NET Bible)

(NET Bible, Revised Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow textual option (1) along with most English versions.

There are three ways to interpret the Hebrew phrase that is literally “after/behind you, Benjamin:”

(1) The Hebrew phrase “after/behind you, Benjamin!” is a promise. The people shouting this phrase are promising to follow the soldiers of Benjamin into battle. They will be allies with the tribe of Benjamin against a common enemy. For example:

we follow you, O Benjamin! (English Standard Version)

(2) The Hebrew phrase “after/behind you, Benjamin!” is a rallying cry. The people shouting this phrase are giving a signal to the army of Benjamin to begin fighting. For example:

Into battle, men of Benjamin! (Good News Translation)

(3) The Hebrew phrase “after/behind you, Benjamin!” is a warning. The people shouting this phrase are warning the people of Benjamin that the enemy army is located behind them. The enemy is at their border and is about to attack. For example:

look behind you, Benjamin! (New Revised Standard Version)

(Contemporary English Version, New American Bible, New American Standard Bible, New Revised Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). However, interpretation (2) is also acceptable. Both interpretations indicate that it was time to fight the enemy.

General Comment on 5:8a–d

In 5:8a–c the LORD is the speaker. He told the sentries to warn the people. In 5:8d there is a change of speaker. We do not know who promised to follow Benjamin, but clearly they were friends or allies. In some languages, it may be necessary to make the change of speaker explicit. For example:

8d
⌊ The friends/allies of the people of Benjamin said,⌋“Men of Benjamin, we will follow you.”

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hosea 7:14

7:14a

They do not cry out to Me from their hearts: In Hebrew, cry out means to call for help in a time of distress. Another way to translate cry out to Me is “pray to me.” For example:

They do not pray to me (NET Bible)

from their hearts: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “in their heart.” For Hebrew speakers, the heart was the center of reason and emotion. To fail to cry out to God “in” or “from their heart” indicates that the people refused to sincerely request help from God.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

They don’t pray to me sincerely (God’s Word)
-or-
They do not cry out to me with sincere hearts (New Living Translation (2004))

7:14b

but: This word introduces a contrast with the previous statement.

Here is another way to introduce this contrast:

Instead, they sit on their couches and wail (New Living Translation (2004))

Use a natural way in your language to introduce a contrast with the previous statement.

when they wail upon their beds: This part of the sentence describes what the people do instead of sincerely crying out to God in prayer. They lie on their beds and wail because of their hopeless despair or sorrow. These words may also indicate that they cry out in pain from slashing themselves as part of idol worship. See the note on “they slash themselves” in 7:14c.

beds: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as beds describes a place where people normally lie down and sleep. It can refer to a sleeping mat as well as a piece of furniture. Here in Hosea 7:14, beds may be associated with the ritual sexual activity that was part of idol worship.

Here are some other ways to translate this verse part:

They just lie on their beds and cry (New Century Version)
-or-
They howl in distress on their beds (NET Bible)

7:14c

They slash themselves for grain and wine: There is a textual issue here:

(1) The LXX and some Hebrew manuscripts have “For grain and new wine they cut themselves.” For example:

They slash themselves for grain and new wine (NET Bible)

(2) The Masoretic Text has “For grain and new wine they assemble themselves.” For example:

They come together to ask for grain and new wine. (New Century Version)

It is recommended that you follow option (1). It makes good sense and fits the context well. It is also easy to explain how the Masoretic Text could be a variant form of the Hebrew word for “cut themselves.”

They slash themselves: The act of gashing or cutting oneself was a pagan Canaanite custom. The people hoped that Baal would respond to their self- mutilation by providing good crops. Some versions make this pagan connection explicit. For example:

and slashed themselves, in the hope that Baal will bless their crops. (Contemporary English Version)

for grain and new wine: This phrase gives the reason that the people cut themselves. They were motivated by a desire to obtain the food and drink they needed to live. For more information on this phrase, see the notes on “grain, new wine, and oil” in 2:8b.

7:14d

but turn away from Me: This verse part may function as a summary or a conclusion to the previous statement. It may also function as a transition to the next verse.

but: In Hebrew and in some English versions, this verse part does not begin with a conjunction. The connection with 7:14c is implied. For example:

They have turned against me. (God’s Word)

In other versions, a contrast is made explicit. For example:

14c They slash themselves for grain and new wine, 14d but turn away from me. (NET Bible)

turn away from Me: There is a textual issue here:

(1) The Masoretic Text has “they turn away from me.” For example:

They turn away from Me (New American Standard Bible)

(2) The Syriac and Targum have “they rebel against me.” For example:

They are still rebelling against me (New Jerusalem Bible)

It is recommended that you follow option (1). The Masoretic Text makes good sense and fits the context. It carries both the ideas of turning away from God and turning against God.

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Hosea 2021

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hosea 7:3

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hosea 9:5

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hosea 11:5

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hosea 13:11

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hosea 1:2

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hosea 2:23

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hosea 5:8

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hosea 7:14

Step into the multitudes of languages of the Bible and join the worldwide conversation!

American Bible Society