The Hebrew and Greek that is transliterated as “Ephraim” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign for “palm tree” referring to the palm of Deborah in the land of Ephraim (see Judges 4:5. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Hosea 7:8:
Kupsabiny: “Ephraim has joined itself with other communities. They have become like a chapati that is cooked on one side and not turned.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Ephraim mixes with many nations. Ephraim is like bread that has only been baked on one side. ” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “‘The people of Israel mix with other nations. They are not useful for they (are) like thin bread which is-being-baked that has- not -been-turned-over.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “‘The leaders of Israel join with leaders of godless nations; so the leaders of Israel are as worthless as a pancake that is cooked on only one side.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
This verse begins a series of negative statements about Israel, and no one is doing anything about it—in fact, it may be too late.
Good News Translation identifies the speaker explicitly with the quote frame “The LORD says.” However, as is the case with many of the prophets, it is often difficult to distinguish between whether the prophet is speaking or Yahweh is speaking, since the prophets were actually doing the speaking on behalf of Yahweh. Since there is no clear indication here whether Yahweh or the prophet is the speaker, it is also a viable option to leave the speaker unidentified (Revised Standard Version, Contemporary English Version, New International Version).
Good News Translation identifies Ephraim as “The people of Israel,” which is synonymous and clearer for most English readers. Ephraim was the leading tribe of the northern kingdom of Israel, and the original hearers would have thought of it as referring to all Israel (see comments on 4.17). Translators may wish to follow Good News Translation‘s model if the readers will not understand the intended meaning. This decision also depends on the type of translation one is working on.
Ephraim mixes himself with the peoples: Although the topic switches from assassination plots to Israel wrongfully being involved with other nations, the figure of baking bread in an oven is carried forward into this verse, but the interpretations among scholars differ. One approach observes that the Hebrew verb for mixes is used elsewhere in the Old Testament for mixing ingredients such as flour and oil. Once the mixing is done, it is too late to separate the ingredients. In this context the mixing involves culture, morals, religion, and politics, so that Ephraim was no longer a distinct nation dedicated to Yahweh. Bible en français courant follows this interpretation: “Ephraim is contaminated by the other peoples.”
Another approach believes this line refers to foreign treaties; for example, Good News Translation says “They rely on the nations around them,” and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “Ephraim turns to foreign peoples for help.” That interpretation certainly includes one important aspect of Israel’s problem. The context (especially 7.11 about switching alliances between Egypt and Assyria) seems to justify this choice. Moreover, the unusual Hebrew verbal form for mixes may suggest that Ephraim is in a state of confusion regarding its reliance on foreign powers. Both interpretations are valid.
Ephraim is a cake not turned: The Hebrew word for cake does not refer to a sweet dessert-like cake, but to a lump of dough that is baked as a flat loaf of bread. It is placed on the hot inner surface of a clay oven, and it needs to be turned when halfway through the baking process. If no one comes in time to turn it over, it will be burned on one side and raw dough on the other—a useless thing. It may be helpful to make this clear in the translation (see the model below). The meaning of this metaphor is that something is going wrong with Ephraim, and none of the allies is doing anything to help. Good News Translation‘s “like a half-baked loaf of bread” gives the wrong connotation in English, since “half-baked” refers to something immature, incomplete, such as an idea that is not carefully developed. That is not the meaning of this figure. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch makes the picture very clear: “Thus it happens to him as to a flat cake, which no one turns over and therefore is burned.”
In order to make a better transition to the next verse, Good News Translation reverses the order of the two lines of this verse. However, that reversal is closely related to Good News Translation‘s understanding of the verse, which is not necessarily the best interpretation. Translators should feel free to present these lines in a way that will make the clearest impression for the readers in their language. A translation model for this verse is:
• Ephraim confuses itself in its alliances with nations,
it is ruined like a half-baked bread,
burned on one side and raw on the other.
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 .
The previous verses spoke of the evil within the kingdom of Israel. This paragraph starts a new topic. It describes the relationships between the kingdom of Israel and other nations and the ungodliness that results from those relationships. Some versions use a heading here to indicate the change of topic. For example:
Israel and the Nations (Good News Translation) -or-
Israel Turns to Other Nations for Help (God’s Word)
If you decide to use a heading here, you may need to indicate that the LORD is still speaking. For example:
Then the LORD said, “…
7:8–11
In 7:8, 7:9, and 7:11, the Hebrew pronoun that refers to the nation or people of Israel is “he.” In 7:10, the Hebrew pronoun is “they.” Some versions use “he” throughout these verses. Other versions use “they.” Use whatever pronoun or pronoun referent is natural in your language to refer to a nation or the people of a nation.
7:8a–b
Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:
8a Ephraimmixes with the nations;
8b Ephraimis an unturned cake.
Both lines describe the ruined condition of Ephraim. The first line gives a literal description of behavior that resulted in ruin. The second line describes Ephraim’s ruin with a metaphor.
7:8a
Ephraim: The word Ephraim here is a figure of speech that represents the nation or people of Israel. In some languages, it may be clearer to translate the meaning without using a figure of speech. For example:
Israel mixes with other nations (New Century Version)
mixes: The word mixes is commonly used in the context of baking. Here, however, the word indicates that the nation of Israel has adopted the customs of nations around them. It implies that the people of Israel did not keep themselves holy. Some versions make this implied information explicit. For example:
My people of Israel mingle with godless foreigners, picking up their evil ways. (New Living Translation (1996))
nations: In Hebrew, this word is literally “peoples.” Here it refers to various people groups in that region with whom the Israelite people interacted. This included the Assyrians, Egyptians, and probably Canaanite groups.
7:8b
Ephraim is an unturned cake: This statement is a metaphor. In this metaphor, the nation of Israel is compared to an unturned cake of bread. An unturned cake is a flat, round loaf of bread that is hard and burned on one side and uncooked on the other side. The way in which Israel is like an unturned cake is that it is ruined and worthless.
Here are some ways to translate this metaphor:
• Keep the metaphor. For example:
Ephraim is a half-baked cake (New Jerusalem Bible) -or-
they are a thin piece of bread scorched on one side (Contemporary English Version)
• Change the metaphor into a simile. For example:
Now they have become as worthless as a half-baked cake! (New Living Translation (2004)) -or-
he is like a pancake cooked only on one side (New Century Version) -or-
Ephraim is like a ruined cake of bread that is scorched on one side. (NET Bible)
• Translate the meaning without using a figure of speech. For example:
Israel has become worthless.
• Use a similar figure of speech that conveys the right meaning in your language. For example:
Israel is as useless as burned food.
General Comment on 7:8a–b
In some languages, it may be more natural to reorder and/or combine the parallel parts. For example:
8b Then the LORD said, “The people of Israel are worthless. They are like a flat loaf of bread that is baked on only one side. 8a They mix with ungodly foreigners and learn their evil ways.”
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