Judah, Judea

The name that is transliterated as “Judah” or “Judea” in English (referring to the son of Jacob, the tribe, and the territory) is translated in Spanish Sign Language as “lion” (referring to Genesis 49:9 and Revelation 5:5). This sign for lion is reserved for regions and kingdoms. (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. and Steve Parkhurst)


“Judah” and “Judea” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

See also Judah, Judah (son of Jacob) , and Tribe of Judah .

complete verse (Hosea 1:11)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Hosea 1:11:

  • Kupsabiny: “The people of Judah and those of Israel shall again join together. They will choose one (person) as their leader, and then, they will prosper in their land so it becomes a big day of Jezreel.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The people of Judah and Israel will be united, they will choose one leader for themselves, and they will return together from where they were in exile. Indeed, that day will be a great day for Jezreel.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The people of Juda and Israel will-become-one again, and they will-choose one leader/[lit. head]. They will-prosper again in their land. How joyful that time for the town of Jezreel.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Later indeed (predictive formula) the people in Juda and Israel will-be-one and they will appoint one as their leader. And then they will again become-many and their lives will-improve in their country. That-aforementioned day will be valuable in Jezreel!’” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “At that time, the people of Judah and the people of Israel will unite. They will appoint one leader for all of them, and they will return from the countries to which they have been exiled/forced to go. That will be a great time; Jezreel also means ‘God plants’, and it will be as though God will plant them in this country again.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Hosea 1:11

And the people of Judah and the people of Israel shall be gathered together: The people of Judah and the people of Israel refers to the people of the southern and northern kingdoms. Both times people is literally “sons [or, children]” as in 1.10 (see comments there). Since they will choose a common leader, be gathered together means being politically united as a single nation. Good News Translation says “be reunited,” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “come together from out of the whole land,” and Bible en français courant translates “find their unity again.”

And they shall appoint for themselves one head: This clause reflects the manner in which the tribes formerly selected a leader (compare Jdg 11.8). Hosea seems to be avoiding the term “king” here, perhaps because he normally condemns kings (see 1.4-5). Therefore translators should avoid the word “king” also. A more generic term such as “leader” (New International Version, NET Bible, Revised English Bible [Revised English Bible]) is a good rendering for head. A local term that designates a generic type of leadership is also acceptable. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch renders this clause as “and select for themselves a common chief.”

And they shall go up from the land is a clause that is difficult to explain. Some translations interpret it as a promise of return from exile (so New American Bible, Segond). This is unlikely, since no exile has been mentioned. This clause most likely views God’s people to be like seeds and plants that go up from the earth, so Good News Translation understands it to refer to Israel inhabiting and filling the land that the Assyrians had taken: “and once again they will grow and prosper in their land.” This interpretation fits the meaning of Jezreel, which is “God sows [seed]” (see the GNT footnote). Wolff suggests “and take possession of the land.” New Revised Standard Version is similar with “and they shall take possession of the land,” and so is New English Bible with “and they shall become masters of the earth” (similarly Einheitsübersetzung, NJPSV footnote). Such translations move away from the basic meaning of the Hebrew words here (see the following comments on the day of Jezreel). Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch successfully combines both the figure here and its meaning: “They will cover the land like grass that sprouts out of the ground.”

For great shall be the day of Jezreel: Important things are going to happen some day (or, time) in Jezreel (see 1.4). In this verse and the next one, all three names of Hosea’s children are referred to symbolically. It is not his son Jezreel who will have a great day, but the place called Jezreel. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch provides the meaning of this name in the text: “That will be a great day, when what the name Jezreel means will happen: ‘God sows.’ ”

Some scholars relate the day of Jezreel to the similar phrase “the day of Midian” in Isa 9.4, which was a day of defeat for Midian in battle. On this basis they believe go up from the land refers to gaining control of the valley of Jezreel once more in the future. However, if 1.10-11 is seen as an address to the common people of Israel and Judah (see comments on previous verse), the day of Jezreel may well refer to the defeat of the kingship of Israel (1.4-5) in the past. The Hebrew Bible frequently talks about “the day of…” to refer to a military defeat, as in “the day of Midian” (Isa 9.3), “the day of Jerusalem” (Psa 137.7), and “the day of Egypt’s doom” (Ezek 30.9). So different interpretations are possible and acceptable here.

Translation models for this verse are:

• The children of Israel and the children of Judah will be united again. They will choose for themselves a chief, and they will shoot up everywhere in the land, for great was the day of the defeat at Jezreel.

• The people of Israel and the people of Judah will be reunited. They will appoint a leader and control the land. The day of Jezreel will be a great day.

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hosea 1:11

1:11a

the people of Judah and of Israel: In Hebrew, these two phrases are literally “sons of Judah” and “sons of Israel.” See the note on “the Israelites” in 1:10a. These expressions refer here to the nations or people of Judah and Israel.

Here are some other ways to translate these expressions:

Israel and Judah (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Judeans and Israelites (New Jerusalem Bible)

will be gathered together: This phrase probably means that the previously divided kingdoms of Judah and Israel will become a single nation again.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

The people of Judah and Israel will join together again (New Century Version)
-or-
The nations of Judah and Israel will unite

1:11b

and they will appoint for themselves one leader: After the time of King Solomon, the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah each had their own leader. The future united kingdom will have a single leader.

Here is another way to translate this clause :

and will choose one leader for themselves (New Century Version)

1:11c

and will go up out of the land: In Hebrew, this clause is literally “they will go up from the land.” There are three main ways to interpret this clause:

(1) They will leave a foreign land to return to Israel. The people of Israel (and later Judah) will first be taken into exile, but in the future they will leave that land and return to their own country. Some versions focus on leaving a foreign land. Others focus on returning to their own country. For example:

they will return from exile together (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
they will return to their own land

(2) The people will increase in numbers and spread beyond the borders of their land. For example:

and will spread far beyond their country (New Jerusalem Bible)

(3) The people will prosper in their own land. This meaning is figurative. It fits with the metaphor of planting that is used in 2:23. For example:

they will grow and prosper in their land (Good News Translation)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with a majority of versions. It fits best with the rest of the verse.

1:11d

For great will be the day of Jezreel: There are two ways to interpret the Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For :

(1) It introduces a reason or explanation for the wonderful future result in 1:11a–c. In contrast to the negative connotations of Jezreel in 1:4–5, it explains that the LORD intends to give the name Jezreel the good connotations of planting. For example:

for great will be the day of Jezreel (Revised English Bible)

(2) It introduces an emphatic statement. In contrast to the negative connotations of Jezreel in 1:4–5, it emphasizes the LORD’s wonderful plans for Jezreel in the future. For example:

Certainly, the day of Jezreel will be great! (NET Bible)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Most versions and commentaries follow this interpretation.

However, some scholars think that 1:11d is not a logical reason or explanation for 1:11a–c. If that is true in your language, you may want to follow interpretation (2). With either interpretation, it is recommended that you give the other interpretation in a footnote.

great: Some other ways to translate the word great are “important” or “wonderful.”

the day of Jezreel: The word Jezreel referred to the name of a valley in Israel. It was also the name of Hosea’s son (see 1:4a). It literally means “God scatters.” In 1:4–5, it had the bad connotation that God would scatter Israel among the nations. Here it means “scatters/sows (seed).” The expression day of Jezreel probably refers to a time in the future when the LORD will figuratively “plant” the people of Israel in their own country after their exile.

Here are some other ways to translate this expression:

• Use the literal expression day of Jezreel in your translation.

• Use the literal expression day of Jezreel in your translation along with the meaning. For example:

the day of Jezreel, the day when God will again plant his people in his land

• Use the name Jezreel in your translation, but adjust the expression day of. For example:

the day called Jezreel

Whichever way you translate the expression day of Jezreel, it is recommended that you add a footnote to explain the meaning. Here is a possible footnote:

Jezreel means “God scatters.” In 1:4–5 it implied that God would punish his people by scattering them far from their own country. Here it implies that God will scatter his people like a sower scatters seed and will cause them to grow once again in their own country.

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