prostitute oneself / play the prostitute

The Hebrew that is translated as “prostitute oneself” or “play the prostitute” in English is translated in Vidunda as “(practice) sexual immorality.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

prostitute

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The Greek, Latin, and Hebrew that is typically translated as “prostitute” in English (in some, mostly earlier translation also as “harlot” or “whore”) is translated in the 2024 revision of the inter-confessional Latvian Jauna Pārstrādāta latviešu Bībele as netikle or “hussy.” This replaced the previous translation mauka or “whore.” Nikita Andrejevs, editor of the Bible explains the previous and current translations: “The translators at the time felt that this strong word best described the thought contained in the main text. Many had objections, as it seemed that this word would not be the most appropriate for public reading in church.” (Source: Updated Bible published in Latvia ).

Other translations include:

  • Bariai: “a woman of the road” (source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “a woman who sells her body” (source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Uma: “a woman whose behavior is not appropriate” or “a loose woman” (source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “a bad woman” (source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “a woman who make money through their reputation” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “a woman who makes money with her body” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “a woman whose womanhood is repeatedly-bought” (source: Kankanaey Back Translation)

See also Translation commentary on Genesis 34:31, Rahab, and prostitute oneself / play the prostitute.

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Prostitution in the Bible .

complete verse (Hosea 3:3)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Hosea 3:3:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then I said, ‘We should stay together for many days. Do no longer be a prostitute and do not again let another man sleep with you. I shall also honor you.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then I said to her, "You must stay with me for many days. You must not do prostitution, nor be intimate with any man, I will stay with you and I will behave the same way toward you."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “And I told her, ‘[You (sing.)] live with me for a long time. You (sing.) must not lie-down-beside/(have-sexual-relations-with) with another male. Even I will- not -lie-down-beside/(have-sexual-relations-with) you (sing.) yet.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “I said to her, ‘It-is-necessary that you (sing.) live-with me a-long-time and that you (sing.) stop committing-adultery. It-is-necessary that you (sing.) not sleep-with other men. Even I, I will not sleep-with you (sing.).’” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “Then I said to her, ‘You must wait for many days before we sleep together. During that time, you must not be a prostitute, and you must not have sex with any other man; but I will live with you.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Hosea 3:3

Several Hebrew idioms are used in this verse, whose precise meaning is not completely clear. However, it is clear that Hosea tells the woman that she must wait for him for a long time, and that for this period he also will wait. In other words, she will not be treated according to expectations. Money has been spent to either buy or hire her, but then the prophet acts contrary to what would have been natural under these circumstances. This symbolizes the way Yahweh acts toward his people.

And I said to her: This quote frame introduces what Hosea said to the woman. The quotation ends at the end of this verse. Good News Translation uses indirect discourse here, which makes for a less interesting style in most languages.

You must dwell as mine is literally “you must sit [or, dwell] for me.” Hosea tells the woman to sit at home and wait. If she were a new bride, she would be at her parents’ home, waiting for the bridegroom. Since she may have been a slave, she most likely remained in Hosea’s home, for she would no longer be in her former house. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch (1982) renders this phrase as “you will stay with me now,” and Bible en français courant has “you will stay at my home.” In any case, it is proper to make explicit the idea of waiting for Hosea “at home.”

The Hebrew phrase rendered for many days does not specify how long the time would be, but the context shows that it would be long enough to cause her some emotional discomfort. If a literal translation of many days in the receptor language gives the impression that it is only a matter of days, it is better to avoid it. Good News Translation, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch say “a long time,” and New English Bible has “Many a long day.” Other translations also indicate an unspecified length of time.

You shall not play the harlot renders a negative particle and a single verb in Hebrew, for which English has no acceptable equivalent verb (see comments on 2.5). Good News Translation has “without being a prostitute.”

Or belong to another man translates a Hebrew idiom with a wide range of possible meanings, including that of marriage or of improper relations with a man. Here it functions to cut off any possible relations with men other than Hosea. Good News Translation says “or committing adultery,” which is a valid rendering.

Hosea wants the woman’s behavior to be in sharp contrast with her previous life of adultery and prostitution. It is not specified and apparently not relevant whether this sexual prohibition is to serve as a period of purification, or of punishment and discipline, or if it is to cause her to develop a yearning for the man who bought her.

So will I also be to you: The Hebrew here can be interpreted in two ways. It can mean the prophet will act in the same way to her, that is, he will not have sexual relationships with her. It can also mean that Hosea will likewise keep himself pure from involvement with other women as he also waits during this time. He is not laying a burden upon her that he does not lay upon himself as well. He is not only encouraging her to be faithful, but he is also promising his own dedication to no one but to her. This interpretation seems less likely. It would suggest that under normal circumstances Hosea would not restrict himself in this way and be involved with other women.

A translation model for this verse is:

• Then I said to her, “You have to stay in my house for a long time without being allowed to prostitute yourself or be with another man. And I will also not sleep with you.”

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 3:3

3:3

3a You are to live with me many days;

3b you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man,

3c and I will live with you.

The overall meaning of this verse is that Gomer is to remain in Hosea’s home and be loyal to him as his wife for a long time. During this time she must not sleep with other men, nor will Hosea sleep with her.

3:3a

You must live with me: In Hebrew, this clause is literally “you will remain for me.” It functions here as a command. This command implies three things in the context of the rest of the verse:

(a) Gomer must remain living with Hosea in his home.

(b) She must remain loyal to him.

(c) She must wait for him to resume sexual relations with her.

Most English versions make only some of this implied information explicit in this part of the verse. For example:

You will live in my house (Revised English Bible)
-or-
You must wait for me (God’s Word)
-or-
Now you are mine! You will have to remain faithful to me (Contemporary English Version)

Use a command that will imply as many of these meanings as possible.

for many days: This expression refers to a long period of time.

3:3b

belong to another: In Hebrew, this phrase means to have sexual relations with a man.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

have sexual relations with any other man (New Century Version)
-or-
belong to another man (English Standard Version)
-or-
committing adultery (Good News Translation)
-or-
giving yourself to any man (New Jerusalem Bible)

3:3c

and I will do the same for you: In Hebrew, this statement is literally “and also I to you.” The Hebrew words “and also I” indicate a similarity between what Hosea will do and what Gomer does. However, since there is no verb in the Hebrew, it is not clear what the similar action refers to. There are two ways to interpret this statement:

(1) It means that both of them will refrain from sexual activity. In 3:3b, Hosea told Gomer to refrain from sexual activity. Here Hosea said that he too will refrain from sexual activity with her. For example:

you shall not have intercourse with a man, nor I with you (New Revised Standard Version)

(Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation (2004), Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures, New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible)

(2) It means that both of them will live in the same home. In 3:3a Hosea told Gomer to “live with” him. One implication of that command is that she must continue to live with Hosea in his home. Here Hosea promised that he will also continue to live with her. For example:

I will live with you (New International Version)

(New International Version)

Some versions (Good News Translation, God’s Word, NET Bible, New Jerusalem Bible) use a phrase such as “wait for.” In the context of 3:3b, this probably implies that Hosea and Gomer will need to wait before having sexual relations with each other.

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most versions and commentaries. This interpretation better fits the two preceding commands in 3:3b. These commands refer clearly to refraining from sexual activity. The long period without sexual intimacy between Gomer and Hosea is probably symbolic of the long period in 3:4 without a close relationship between Israel and the LORD. It may also symbolize a time of purification.

General Comment on 3:3a–c

In some languages, it may be more natural to reorder and/or combine the parts of this verse in order to make the overall meaning clearer. For example:

Now you are mine! You will have to remain faithful to me, though it will be a long time before we sleep together. (Contemporary English Version)

In some languages, it may be more natural to express the direct quote in this verse as an indirect quote. For example:

I told her that for a long time she would have to wait for me without being a prostitute or committing adultery; and during this time I would wait for her. (Good News Translation)

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