At the beginning of this verse Good News Translation adds the quote frame “The LORD says” to make clear who is speaking. Although this was already stated at the end of the previous verse, it may be useful to repeat it here if a section heading is inserted before this verse. Following the Hebrew, Revised Standard Version switches from first person to third person references for God (me, God, the Holy One). For naturalness in English Good News Translation uses only first person references.

Ephraim has encompassed me with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: These two parallel lines speak about the deceitfulness of the northern kingdom of Israel. Ephraim and the house of Israel are synonymous (see comments on 4.17). Translators will have to make the decision whether to retain Ephraim as the leading tribe, or to refer simply to both as “The people of Israel” (Good News Translation).

Encompassed me with lies (Good News Translation “surrounded me with lies”) is an unusual way to speak about people telling lies and deceiving someone. The Hebrew verb for encompassed has connotations of encircling an object, for example, an army besieging a city. This verb is implied in the second line. The Hebrew noun for lies is singular, so it seems best to consider this lying as a general condition or situation. God is in the midst of people who lie and deceive. However, it is not clear from the Hebrew text whether the lies and deceit are a part of their way of life with one another, or whether these lies are spoken to God or about him. The NJPSV footnote on these two lines states that the Israelites lie to each other, and that this is further mentioned in 12.7-8. Jerusalem Bible seems to follow this understanding, saying “All round me are the lies of Ephraim and the deceit of the House of Israel.” In the context of 12.7-8 it is possible that the people deceive each other, and that Yahweh is angry because of it. However, this understanding does not exclude the possibility that the lies and deceit are also directed against God. The imagery of besieging someone implies an attack on that person, in this case God.

But Judah is still known by God …: There is a question whether this second half of the verse in Hebrew praises or condemns Judah. Revised Standard Version follows the Septuagint with its praise of Judah. In a detailed discussion of the problems of the Hebrew text of Hosea, the Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament preface concludes that the Septuagint was constructed “literarily distinct from that which the Hebrew text presents, one almost established as arranged for its time.” In other words, the opinion of Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament is that the Septuagint translators translated difficult texts in a way that spoke well of Judah. They and their fellow Jews, descended from Judah, possibly wished to encourage a more favorable view of the spiritual life of their ancestors.

There are arguments for choosing the less favorable interpretation for Judah. The immediate context of 12.2 talks about a lawsuit against Judah that leads to punishment (see also 5.10). It may also be true that sarcasm is in play here, but that is difficult to prove in a written text.

The form of the Hebrew verb in the third line of this verse is difficult to interpret, because it can be derived from different verbs with different meanings. King James Version renders it in a favorable sense for Judah, saying “but Judah yet ruleth with God,” but this interpretation is not one of the better ones. Revised Standard Version follows the Septuagint by changing the Hebrew verb, so that this line reads but Judah is still known by God, which is also favorable to Judah. New Revised Standard Version‘s rendering is favorable to Judah as well, following a positive understanding of the Hebrew verb: “but Judah still walks with God.” A problem with these favorable interpretations is that elsewhere the prophet condemns Judah together with Israel (5.5, 10, 13, 14). Good News Translation agrees with Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament and gives a negative meaning to the Hebrew verb, saying “and the people of Judah are still rebelling against me.” New American Bible is similar with “Judah is still rebellious against God.” These translations of Good News Translation and New American Bible fit the condemnation and the unhappy attitude toward Judah elsewhere in the book.

And is faithful to the Holy One: Revised Standard Version takes this line as a favorable description of Judah. Good News Translation takes it as a description of God, saying “the faithful and holy God” (similarly New American Bible), which fits the context better. However, the Hebrew word for the Holy One is plural in form, literally “holy ones.” This is sometimes a term for the sacred images and idols worshiped by the people. Therefore Revised English Bible renders the last two lines of this verse as “and Judah is still restive [that is, unruly] under God, still loyal to the idols he counts holy.” Tagalog common language version is similar with “Judah is still disobedient to the holy God, and continues to serve the false gods.”

For the last two lines of this verse translators are encouraged to follow the interpretation of either Good News Translation or Revised English Bible. Revised English Bible seems to follow the Hebrew better, but in such a difficult passage to interpret, Good News Translation is also appropriate.

A translation model for this verse is:

• The LORD says,
“Ephraim has besieged me with lies,
the people of Israel have entangled me with deceit.
And Judah is still rebelling against God,
faithful to sacred idols.

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 .