{ "language": "en", "title": "Hosea", "versionSource": "https://jps.org/books/tanakh-the-holy-scriptures-blue/", "versionTitle": "Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures, published by JPS", "status": "locked", "priority": 2.0, "license": "CC-BY-NC", "shortVersionTitle": "JPS, 1985", "purchaseInformationImage": "https://storage.googleapis.com/sefaria-physical-editions/JPS_1985.png", "purchaseInformationURL": "https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/jps/9780827602526/", "actualLanguage": "en", "languageFamilyName": "english", "isBaseText": false, "isSource": false, "direction": "ltr", "heTitle": "הושע", "categories": [ "Tanakh", "Prophets" ], "text": [ [ "The word of the LORD that came to Hosea son of Beeri, in the reigns of Kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah, and in the reign of King Jeroboam son of Joash of Israel.
", "When the LORD first spoke to Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, “Go, get yourself aForce of Heb. uncertain.a wife of whoredom and children of whoredom; for the land will straybLit. “whore away.” from following the LORD.”-a", "So he went and married Gomer daughter of Diblaim. She conceived and bore him a son,", "and the LORD instructed him, “Name him Jezreel; for, I will soon punish the House of JehucEmendation yields “Israel”; cf. next note. for the dSee 1 Kings 21.1–24; 2 Kings 9.21–35. Emendation yields “the Baal days”; cf. 2.15.bloody deeds at Jezreel-d and put an end to the monarchy of the House of Israel.", "In that day, I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel.”", "She conceived again and bore a daughter; and He said to him, “Name her Lo-ruhamah;eI.e., “Not-accepted”; cf. 2.3, 6, and 25. for I will no longer accept the House of Israel fMeaning of Heb. uncertain; emendation yields “but will disown them”; cf. 9.15 and elsewhere.or pardon them.-f ", "(But I will accept the House of Judah. And I will give them victory through the LORD their God; I will not give them victory with bow and sword and battle, by horses and riders.)”", "After weaning Lo-ruhamah, she conceived and bore a son.", "Then He said, “Name him Lo-ammi;gI.e., “Not-My-People.” for youhI.e., you and your fellow countrymen. are not My people, and iCf. 2.25.I will not be your [God].”-i" ], [ "aVv. 1–3 anticipate the conclusion of the chapter.The number of the people of Israel shall be like that of the sands of the sea, which cannot be measured or counted; and instead of being told, “You are Not-My-People,”bSee 1.9. they shall be called Children-of-the-Living-God.", "The people of Judah and the people of Israel shall assemble together and appoint one head over them; and they shall rise from the groundcMeaning, perhaps, “from their wretched condition,” or “to ascendancy over the land.”—for marvelous shall be dI.e., the day when the name Jezreel will convey a promise (2.23–25) instead of a threat (1.4–5).the day of Jezreel!-d", "Oh, calleThe Lord addresses Hosea and his fellow North Israelites; see 1.9. The mother is the nation; her children the individual North Israelites. your brothers “My People,”
And your sisters “Lovingly Accepted!”
", "RebukeeThe Lord addresses Hosea and his fellow North Israelites; see 1.9. The mother is the nation; her children the individual North Israelites. your mother, rebuke her—
For she is not My wife
And I am not her husband—
And let her put away her harlotry from her face
And her adultery from between her breasts.", "Else will I strip her naked
And leave her as on the day she was born:
And I will make her like a wilderness,
Render her like desert land,
And let her die of thirst.", "I will also disown her children;
For they are now a harlot’s brood,", "In that their mother has played the harlot,
She that conceived them has acted shamelessly—
Because she thought,
“I will go after my lovers,
Who supply my bread and my water,
My wool and my linen,
My oil and my drink.”
", "Assuredly,
I will hedge up herfHeb. “your.” Vv. 8–9 would read well after v. 15. roads with thorns
And raise walls against her,
And she shall not find her paths.", "Pursue her lovers as she will,
She shall not overtake them;
And seek them as she may,
She shall never find them.
Then she will say,
“I will go and return
To my first husband,
For then I fared better than now.”", "And she did not consider this:
It was I who bestowed on her
The new grain and wine and oil;
I who lavished silver on her
And gold—which they used for Baal.", "Assuredly,
I will take back My new grain in its time
And My new wine in its season,
And I will snatch away My wool and My linen
That serve to cover her nakedness.", "Now will I uncover her shame
In the very sight of her lovers,
And none shall save her from Me.", "And I will end all her rejoicing:
Her festivals, new moons, and sabbaths—
All her festive seasons.", "I will lay waste her vines and her fig trees,
Which she thinks are a fee
She received from her lovers;
I will turn them into brushwood,
And beasts of the field shall devour them.", "Thus will I punish her
For the days of the Baalim,
On which she brought them offerings;
When, decked with earrings and jewels,
She would go after her lovers,
Forgetting Me
—declares the LORD.
", "Assuredly,
I will speak coaxingly to her
And lead her through the wildernessgI.e., her ravaged land (see vv. 5, 10–11, 14); so Ibn Ezra.
And speak to her tenderly.", "I will give her her vineyards from there,
And the Valley of AchorhA desolate region; cf. Isa. 65.10; see further Josh. 7.25–26. as a iConnecting pethaḥ with pittaḥ “to plow” (see Isa. 28.24). Meaning of Heb. uncertain; others “door of hope.”plowland of hope.-i
There she shall respond as in the days of her youth,
When she came up from the land of Egypt.", "And in that day
—declares the LORD—
You will call [Me] Ishi,jBoth Ishi and Baali mean “my husband,” but the latter also means “my Baal.”
And no more will you call Me Baali.jBoth Ishi and Baali mean “my husband,” but the latter also means “my Baal.”", "For I will remove the names of the Baalim from her mouth,
And they shall nevermore be mentioned by name.
", "In that day, I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the creeping things of the ground; I will also banishkLit. “break.” bow, sword, and war from the land. Thus I will let them lie down in safety.
", "And I will espouse you forever:
I will espouse you lAs the bride-price which the bridegroom will pay, He will confer these qualities on her, so that she will never offend again.with righteousness and justice,
And with goodness and mercy,", "And I will espouse you with faithfulness;-l
Then you shall be devoted to the LORD.", "In that day,
I will respond
—declares the LORD—
I will respond to the sky,
And it shall respond to the earth;", "And the earth shall respond
With new grain and wine and oil,
And they shall respond to Jezreel.mI.e., “God sows.” The names of Hosea’s children (1.3–8) are applied here to Israel.", "I will sow her in the land as My own;
And take Lo-ruhamah back in favor;
And I will say to Lo-ammi, “You are My people,”
And he will respond, “[You are] my God.”" ], [ "The LORD said to me further, “Go, aFor “befriend,” see Deut. 10.19. For God’s befriending Israel, see Hos. 2.10.befriend a woman who, while befriended by a companion, consorts with others, just as the LORD befriends the Israelites,-a but they turn bMeaning of Heb. uncertain; emendation yields “‘to other gods.’ And so I befriended a woman of lust.”to other gods and love the cups of the grape.”-b", "Then I hired her for fifteen [shekels of] silver, a ḥomer of barley, and cSeptuagint reads “a jar of wine.”a lethech of barley;-c", "and I stipulated with her, dLit. “for me.”“In return,-d you are to go a long time without either fornicating or marrying; even I [shall not cohabit] with you.”", "For the Israelites shall go a long time without king and without officials, without sacrificeeEmendation yields “altar.” and without cult pillars, and without ephod and teraphim.", "Afterward, the Israelites will turn back and will seek the LORD their God and David their king—and they will thrill over the LORD and over His bounty in the days to come." ], [ "Hear the word of the LORD,
O people of Israel!
For the LORD has a case
Against the inhabitants of this land,
Because there is no honesty and no goodness
And no obedience to God in the land.", "[False] swearing, dishonesty, and murder,
And theft and adultery are rife;
Crime follows upon crime!", "For that, the earth is withered:
Everything that dwells on it languishes—
Beasts of the field and birds of the sky—
Even the fish of the sea perish.
", "“Let no man rebuke, let no man protest!”
aFor failing to reprove; but meaning of Heb. uncertain.For this your people has a grievance against [you],
O priest!-a", "So you shall stumble by day,
And by night bEmendation yields “your children”; cf. v. 6 end.a prophet-b shall stumble as well,
And I will destroy your kindred.cLit. “mother.”", "My people is destroyed because of [your] disobedience!
Because you have rejected obedience,
I reject you as My priest;
Because you have spurned the teaching of your God,
I, in turn, will spurn your children.", "The more they increased, the more they sinned against Me:
I will change their dignity to dishonor.", "They feed on My people’s sin offerings,
And so they desire its iniquity.", "Therefore, the people shall fare like the priests:
I will punish it for its conduct,
I will requite it for its deeds.", "Truly, they shall eat, but not be sated;
They shall swill,dFor this meaning of hiznah cf. v. 18. but not be satisfied,
Because they have forsaken the LORD
To practiceeCf. 12.7.", "lechery.
WinefEmendation yields “New grain”; cf. 7.14; 9.1–2. and new wine destroy
The mind of", "My people:
It consults its stick,gI.e., its phallus, meaning “its lust.”
Its rodgI.e., its phallus, meaning “its lust.” directs it!
A lecherous impulse has made them go wrong,
And they have strayedhSee note b at 1.2. from submission to their God.", "They sacrifice on the mountaintops
And offer on the hills,
Under oaks, poplars, and terebinths
Whose shade is so pleasant.
That is why theiriHeb. “your,” here and through v. 14. daughters fornicate
And their daughters-in-law commit adultery!", "I will not punish their daughters for fornicating
Nor their daughters-in-law for committing adultery;
For they themselves jMeaning of Heb. uncertain.turn aside-j with whores
And sacrifice with prostitutes,
And a people that is without sensekCf. vv. 11–12. must stumble.", "If you are a lecher, Israel—
Let not Judah incur guilt—
Do not come to Gilgal,lOne who participates in the debaucheries of the open-air shrines is not fit to visit a temple building.
Do not make pilgrimages to Beth-aven,mLit. “House of Delusion,” substituted for Bethel (cf. Amos 4.4).
And do not swear by the LORD!nI.e., you are not fit to profess His religion; see Jer. 12.16.
", "Ah, Israel has balked
Like a stubborn cow;
Therefore,
The LORD will graze him
On the range, like a sheep.oInstead of giving them fodder in return for their work; cf. Isa. 30.23–24.", "pMeaning of vv. 17–19 uncertain in part.Ephraim is addicted to images—
Let him be.", "They drink to excess—
Their liquor turns against them.
They “love” beyond measure—
Disgrace is the “gift”", "Which the wind qLit. “has bound up in the corners of its garment”; see note at Mal. 3.20.is bringing;-q
They shall garner shame from their sacrifices." ], [ "Hear this, O priests,
Attend, O HouseaEmendation yields “prophets.” of Israel,
And give ear, O royal house;
For right conduct is your responsibility!
But you have been a snare to Mizpah
And a net spread out over Tabor;", "bMeaning of Heb. uncertain.For when trappers dug deep pitfalls,
I was the only reprover of them all.-b", "Yes, I have watched Ephraim,
Israel has not escaped my notice:
Behold, you have fornicated, O Ephraim;
Israel has defiled himself!", "Their habits do not let them
Turn back to their God;
Because of the lecherous impulse within them,
They pay no heed to the LORD.", "cThis passage would read well after 5.15; cf. 5.6 with 6.6.Israel’s pride shall be humbled before his very eyes,
As Israel and Ephraim fall because of their sin
(And Judah falls with them).", "Then they will go with their sheep and cattle
To seek the LORD, but they will not find Him.-c

bMeaning of Heb. uncertain.He has cast them off:-b", "[Because] they have broken faith with the LORD,
Because dEmendation yields “He has.”they have-d begotten
Alien children.
Therefore, bMeaning of Heb. uncertain.the new moon
Shall devour their portion.-b
", "Sound a ram’s horn in Gibeah,
A trumpet in Ramah;
Give the alarm in Beth-aven;eThe three towns named, in the territory of Benjamin, are now being wrested from Israel by Judah; see v. 10.
fEmendation yields “Stir up.”After you,-f Benjamin!", "Ephraim is stricken with horror
On a day of chastisement.

Against the tribesgI.e., the kingdoms of Judah and Israel (Ephraim). of Israel
I proclaim certainties:", "The officers of Judah have acted
Like shifters of field boundaries;
On them I will pour out
My wrath like water.", "Ephraim is defrauded,
Robbed of redress,
Because he has witlessly
Gone after futility.hCf. Targum and Septuagint; but meaning of Heb. uncertain.", "For it is I who am like rot to Ephraim,
Like decay to the House of Judah;iEmendation yields “Israel.”", "Yet when Ephraim became aware of his sickness,
JudahiEmendation yields “Israel.” of his sores,
Ephraim repaired to Assyria—
He sent envoys to a patronjCompare the verb ryb in the sense of “to champion, uphold the cause of,” in Isa. 1.17; 3.13; 19.20 end; 51.22. king!
He will never be able to cure you,
Will not heal you of your sores.", "No, I will be like a lion to Ephraim,
Like a great beast to the House of Judah;iEmendation yields “Israel.”
I, I will attack and stride away,
Carrying the prey that no one can rescue;", "And I will return to My abode—
Till they realize their guilt.
In their distress, they will seek Me
And beg for My favor." ], [ "aAs anticipated at the end of chapter 5, Israel seeks the Lord’s favor; His answer begins with v. 4.“Come, let us turn back to the LORD:
He attacked, and He can heal us;
He wounded, and He can bind us up.", "In two days He will make us whole again;
On the third day He will raise us up,
And we shall be whole by His favor.", "Let us pursue obedience to the LORD,
And we shall become obedient.
His appearance is as sure as daybreak,
And He will come to us like rain,
Like latter rain that refreshesbTaking yoreh as equivalent of yarweh. the earth.”
", "What can I do for you, Ephraim,
What can I do for you, Judah,cEmendation yields “Israel”; cf. “Ephraim…Israel” in v. 10.
When your goodness is like morning clouds,
Like dew so early gone?", "That is why I have hewn down dEmendation yields “your children”; cf. 9.13.the prophets,-d
Have slain them with the words of My mouth:
eCf. v. 3; but meaning of Heb. uncertain.And the day that dawned [brought on] your punishment.-e", "For I desire goodness, not sacrifice;
Obedience to God, rather than burnt offerings.", "fMeaning of vv. 7–11 unclear in part.But they, to a man, have transgressed the Covenant.
This is where they have been false to Me:", "Gilead is a city of evildoers,
Tracked up with blood.", "The gang of priests is
Like the ambuscade of bandits
Who murder on the road to Shechem,
For they have encouragedgHeb. “done”; cf. 5.1–3. depravity.", "In hEmendation yields “Beth-shean.”the House of Israel-h I have seen
A horrible thing;
Ephraim has fornicated there,
Israel has defiled himself.", "iCf. 5.9–10; but meaning of clause uncertain.(Even Judah has reaped a harvest of you!)-i
When I would restore My people’s fortunes," ], [ "When I would heal Israel,
The guilt of Ephraim reveals itself
And the wickedness of Samaria.
For they have acted treacherously,
With thieves breaking in
And bands raiding outside.", "And they do not consider
That I remembered all their wickedness.
Why, their misdeeds have been all around them,aEmendation yields “Me.”
They have been ever before Me.
", "bVv. 3–6 would read well in the order 4, 6, 3, 5.In malice they make a king merry,
And officials in treachery.", "They cEmendation yields “rage.”commit adultery,-c all of them,
Like an oven fired by a baker,
Who desists from stoking only
From the kneading of the dough to its leavening.", "The day they made our king sick
[And] officials with the poison of wine,
dI.e., he trusted traitors; but meaning of verse uncertain.He gave his hand to traitors.-d", "eMeaning of Heb. uncertain.For they approach their ambush
With their hearts like an oven:-e
Through the night
Their bakercEmendation yields “rage.” has slept;
In the morning, it flares up
Like a blazing fire.", "They all get heated like an oven
And devour their rulers—
None of them calls to Me.
All their kings have fallen [by their hand].
", "eMeaning of Heb. uncertain.Ephraim is among the peoples;
He is rotting away.
Ephraim is like a cake—
Incapable of turning.-e", "Strangers have consumed his strength,
But he has taken no notice;
Also, moldfLike Akkadian sh™†bu; others “gray hairs.” is scattered over him,
But he has taken no notice.", "Though Israel’s pride has been humbled
Before his very eyes,
They have not turned back
To their God the LORD;
They have not sought Him
In spite of everything.", "Instead, Ephraim has acted
Like a silly dove with no mind:
They have appealed to Egypt!
They have gone to Assyria!", "When they go, I will spread
My net over them,
I will bring them down
Like birds of the sky;
eMeaning of Heb. uncertain.I will chastise them
When I hear their bargaining.-e", "Woe to them
For straying from Me;
Destruction to them
For rebelling against Me!
For I was their Redeemer;
Yet they have plotted treason against Me.
", "gThis verse would read well after 8.2.But they did not cry out to Me sincerely
As they hI.e., in penitence; cf. Isa. 58.5.lay wailing.-h
They debauchiCf. Aramaic gar/yegur “to commit adultery”; for the thought, cf. 4.11. over new grain and new wine,
They are faithlessjTaking yasuru as equivalent to yasoru, from sarar; cf. 9.15 end. to Me.
", "I braced, I strengthened their arms,
And they plot evil against Me!", "They come back;
They have been of no use,eMeaning of Heb. uncertain.
Like a slack bow.
Their officers shall fall by the sword,
Because of the stammeringkCf. Arabic zaghu†m and zughmu†m “a stammerer.” of their tongues.
Such shall be [the results of] their jabberinglI.e., the negotiations conducted in the Egyptian language.
In the land of Egypt." ], [ "[Put] a ram’s horn to your mouth—
aMeaning of Heb. uncertain.Like an eagle-a over the House of bEmendation yields “Israel.”the LORD;-b
Because they have transgressed My covenant
And been faithless to My teaching.", "Israel cries out to Me,
“O my God, we are devoted to You.”cSee note g at 7.14.
", "Israel rejects what is good;
dEmendation yields “They pursue delusion.”An enemy shall pursue him.-d", "They have made kings,
But not with My sanction;
They have made officers,
But not of My choice.
Of their silver and gold
They have made themselves images,
To their own undoing.", "eEmendation yields “I reject.”He rejects-e your calf, Samaria!
I am furious with them!
Will they never be capable of fEmendation yields “understanding, / That House of Israel?”purity?", "For it was Israel’s doing;-f
It was only made by a joiner,
It is not a god.
No, the calf of Samaria shall be
Reduced to splinters!
", "They sow wind,
And they shall reap whirlwind—
Standing stalks devoid of ears
And yielding no flour.
If they do yield any,
Strangers shall devour it.", "Israel is bewildered;gA play on words: The Heb. root bala‘, which means “bewildered” here (cf. Isa. 28.7), means “devour” in the preceding verse.
They have now become among the nations
Like an unwanted vessel,", "[Like] a lonely wild ass.
For they have gone up to Assyria,
hEmendation yields “In Egypt they have.”Ephraim has-h courted friendship.", "And while they are courting among the nations,
iCf. 9.6; but meaning of Heb. uncertain.There I will hold them fast;-i
aMeaning of Heb. uncertain.And they shall begin to diminish in number
From the burden of king [and] officers.-a
", "For Ephraim has multiplied altars—for guilt;
His altars have redounded to his guilt:", "The many teachings I wrote for him
Have been treated as something alien.", "aMeaning of Heb. uncertain.When they present sacrifices to Me,-a
It is but flesh for them to eat:
The LORD has not accepted them.
Behold, He remembers their iniquity,
He will punish their sins:
Back to Egypt with them!", "Israel has ignored his Maker
And built temples
(And Judah has fortified many cities).
So I will set fire to his cities,
And it shall consume their fortresses." ], [ "Rejoice not, O Israel,
As other peoples exult;
For you have strayed
Away from your God:
aEmendation and rearrangement yield: “You have loved fornication / By every threshing floor and press; / The new grain shall not join them, / And the new wine shall fail them.”You have loved a harlot’s fee
By every threshing floor of new grain.", "Threshing floor and winepress
Shall not join them,
And the new wine shall betray her.a", "They shall not be able to remain
In the land of the LORD.
But Ephraim shall return to Egypt
And shall eat unclean food in Assyria.bThe lands of the heathen and the food there are unclean; cf. Ezek. 4.13; Amos 7.17.", "It shall be for them like the food of mourners,
All who partake of which are defiled.
They will offer no libations of wine to the LORD,
And no sacrifices of theirs will be pleasing to Him;
But their food will be only for their hunger,
It shall not come into the House of the LORD.", "What will you do about feast days,
About the festivals of the LORD?", "Behold, they have gone cEmendation yields “to Assyria.”from destruction-c
[With] the silver they treasure.
Egypt shall dCf. 8.10.hold them fast,-d
MopheBelieved to be Memphis, elsewhere called Noph. shall receive them in burial.
Weeds are their heirs;
Prickly shrubs occupy their [old] homes.", "The days of punishment have come
For your heavy guilt;
The days of requital have come—
Let Israel know it!

The prophet was distraught,
The inspired man driven mad
By constant harassment.", "Ephraim watches for fEmendation yields “the prophet of my God.”my God.
As for the prophet,-f
Fowlers’ snares are on all his paths,
Harassment in the House of his God.", "They have been as grievously corrupt
As in the days of Gibeah;gSee Judg. 19–20.
He will remember their iniquity,
He will punish their sins.
", "I found Israel [as pleasing]
As grapes in the wilderness;
Your fathers seemed to Me
hEmendation yields “like a ripe fig in a waterless waste”; cf. 13.5.Like the first fig to ripen on a fig tree.-h
But when they came to Baal-peor,
They turned aside to shamefulness;iCf. Num. 25.1–3.
jMeaning of Heb. uncertain.Then they became as detested
As they had been loved.-j", "From birth, from the womb, from conception
Ephraim’s glory shall be
Like birds that fly away.kV. 16 would read well after v. 11.", "Even if they rear their infants,
I will bereave them of men.
lEmendation yields: “Even if they wean their babes, / They shall be dismayed because of them.”Woe to them indeed
When I turn away from them!-l", "jMeaning of Heb. uncertain.It shall go with Ephraim
As I have seen it go with Tyre,
Which was planted in a meadow;-j
Ephraim too must bring out
His children to slayers.", "Give them, O LORD—give them what?
Give them a womb that miscarries,
And shriveled breasts!", "All their misfortune [began] at Gilgal,
For there I disowned them.mThe specific allusion is uncertain.
For their evil deeds
I will drive them out of My House.
I will accept them no more;
nEmendation yields “They are all.”All their officials are-n disloyal.
", "kV. 16 would read well after v. 11.EphraimoTargum reads “Their crown,” i.e., of a tree. is stricken,
Their stock is withered;
They can produce no fruit.
Even if they do bear children,
I will slay their cherished offspring.
", "My God rejects them
Because they have not obeyed Him,
And they shall go wandering
Among the nations." ], [ "Israel is a ravaged vine
And its fruit is like it.
When his fruit was plentiful,
He made altars aplenty;
When his land was bountiful,
Cult pillars abounded.", "Now that his boughsaCf. 2 Sam. 18.14, where the word is rendered “thick growth.” are broken up,
He feels his guilt;
He himself pulls apart his altars,
Smashes his pillars.
", "Truly, now they say,
“We have no king;
For, since we do not fear the LORD,
What can a king do to us?”", "So they conclude agreements and make covenants
With false oaths,
And justice bCf. Amos 6.12; lit. “breaks out like poison weeds.”degenerates into poison weeds,
Breaking out-b on the furrows of the fields.
", "The inhabitants of Samaria fear
For the calf of Beth-aven;cSee note m at 4.15.
Indeed, its people and priestlings,
dMeaning of Heb. uncertain.Whose joy it once was,-d
Mourn over it for the glory
That is departed from it.", "It too shall be brought to Assyria
As tribute to a patroneSee note j at 5.13. king;
Ephraim shall be chagrined,
Israel shall be dismayed
Because of his plans.fEmendation yields “image,” referring to the calf.", "Samaria’s monarchygThe Heb. verb agrees with this word, not with “Samaria.” is vanishing
Like foam upon water,", "Ruined shall be the shrines of [Beth-]aven,cSee note m at 4.15.
That sin of Israel.
Thorns and thistles
Shall grow on their altars.
They shall call to the mountains, “Bury us!”
To the hills, “Fall on us!”
", "You have sinned more, O Israel,
Than in the days of Gibeah.hSee note at 9.9.
dMeaning of Heb. uncertain.There they stand [as] at Gibeah!
Shall they not be overtaken
By a war upon scoundrels", "As peoples gather against them?d

When I chose [them], I broke them in,
Harnessing them for two furrows.", "Ephraim became a trained heifer,
But preferred to thresh;
I iLit. “passed over the comeliness of its neck.”placed a yoke
Upon her sleek neck.-i
I will make Ephraim jTaking rkb in the sense of the Arabic krb.do advance plowing;-j
JudahkEmendation yields “Israel.” shall do [main] plowing!
Jacob shall do final plowing!", "“Sow righteousness for yourselves;
Reap lLit. “according to.”the fruits of-l goodness;
Break for yourselves betimes fresh ground
Of seeking the LORD,
So that you may obtain mMeaning of Heb. uncertain; Septuagint reads “the fruits.”a teacher-m of righteousness.”", "You have plowed wickedness,
You have reaped iniquity—
[And] you shall eat the fruits of treachery—
Because you relied on your way,nSeptuagint reads “chariots.”
On your host of warriors.", "But the din of war shall arise in your own people,
And all your fortresses shall be ravaged
As Beth-arbel was ravaged by ShalmanoPerhaps identical with the Shallum of 2 Kings 15.10 ff.; cf. the atrocities of Shallum’s rival, ibid., v. 16.
On a day of battle,
When mothers and babes were dashed to death together.", "This pEmendation yields “will I do to you, O House of Israel.”is what Bethel has done to you-p
For your horrible wickedness:
qMeaning, perhaps, “swiftly as the dawn”; cf. v. 7 above, “like foam upon water.”At dawn-q shall Israel’s monarchy
Utterly perish." ], [ "I fell in love with Israel
When he was still a child;
And I have called [him] My son
Ever since Egypt.", "aMeaning of parts of vv. 2–7 uncertain.Thus were they called,
But they went their own way;
They sacrifice to BaalimbEmendation yields “calves”; cf. 8.4–6; 13.2.
And offer to carved images.", "I have pampered Ephraim,
Taking them in MycHeb. “his.” arms;
But they have ignored
My healing care.", "I drew them with human ties,
With cords of love;
But I seemed to them as one
Who imposed a yoke on their jaws,
Though I was offering them food.", "No!
They return to the land of Egypt,
And Assyria is their king.
Because they refuse to repent,", "A sword shall descend upon their townsdEmendation yields “bodies,” lit. “skins”; cf. Job. 18.13.
And consume their limbs
And devour eEmendation yields “their bones.”[them] because of their designs.-e", "fMeaning of Heb. uncertain.For My people persists
In its defection from Me;
When it is summoned upward,
It does not rise at all.-f
", "How can I give you up, O Ephraim?
How surrender you, O Israel?
How can I make you like Admah,
Render you like Zeboiim?gAdmah and Zeboiim were destroyed with neighboring Sodom and Gomorrah; cf. Gen. 10.19; 14.2, 8; Deut. 29.22.
I have had a change of heart,
All My tenderness is stirred.", "I will not act on My wrath,
Will not turn to destroy Ephraim.
For I am God, not man,
fMeaning of Heb. uncertain.The Holy One in your midst:
I will not come in fury.-f
", "The LORD will roar like a lion,
And they shall march behind Him;
When He roars, His children shall come
Fluttering out of the west.", "They shall flutter from Egypt like sparrows,
From the land of Assyria like doves;
And I will settle them in their homes
—declares the LORD." ], [ "Ephraim surrounds Me with deceit,
The House of Israel with guile.aI.e., the deceit and guile they practice on each other (below vv. 8–9) is constantly noted by the Lord.
bMeaning of Heb. uncertain.(But Judah stands firm with God
And is faithful to the Holy One.)-b", "Ephraim tends the wind
And pursues the gale;
He is forever adding
Illusion to calamity.cSeptuagint reads “futility.”
Now they make a covenant with Assyria,
Now oil is carried to Egypt.dI.e., they foolishly depend on alliances instead of on the Lord; cf. 5.13; 7.10–11.
", "The LORD once indicted Judah,ePresumably the patriarch Judah. Emendation would yield “Israel”; cf. next note.
And punished Jacob for his conduct,
Requited him for his deeds.", "In the womb he tried to supplant his brother;
Grown to manhood, he strove with a divine being,fCf. Gen. 25.26 and 32.29.", "He strove with an angel and prevailed—
The other had to weep and implore him.
At Bethel [Jacob] would meet him,
There to commune with him.gHeb. “us.”", "Yet the LORD, the God of Hosts,
Must be invoked as “LORD.”hI.e., one should not invoke any of the angelic hosts.", "You must return to your God!
Practice goodness and justice,
And constantly trust in your God.
", "A trader who uses false balances,
Who loves to overreach,", "Ephraim thinks,
“Ah, I have become rich;
I have gotten power!
bMeaning of Heb. uncertain.All my gains do not amount
To an offense which is real guilt.”-b", "I the LORD have been your God
Ever since the land of Egypt.
I will let you dwell in your tentsiI.e., securely; see 2 Kings 13.5. again
As in the days of old,jLit. “fixed season.”", "When I spoke to the prophets;
For I granted many visions,
bMeaning of Heb. uncertain.And spoke parables through the prophets.", "As for Gilead, it is worthless;
And to no purposeb have they
Been sacrificing oxen in Gilgal:
The altars of these are also
Like stone heaps upon a plowed field.kI.e., the cults of Gilead and Gilgal are as worthless as that of Bethel.
", "Then Jacob had to fleelThis is the punishment mentioned in 12.3. to the land of Aram;
There Israel served for a wife,
For a wife he had to guard [sheep].", "But when the LORD
Brought Israel up from Egypt,
It was through a prophet;mI.e., not through an angel.
Through a prophetmI.e., not through an angel. they were guarded.", "nMeaning of 12.15–13.1 uncertain.Ephraim gave bitter offense,
And his Lord cast his crimes upon him
And requited him for his mockery." ], [ "When Ephraim spoke piety,
He was exalted in Israel;
But he incurred guilt through Baal,aI.e., Baal-peor; cf. 9.10.
And so he died.", "And now they go on sinning;
They have made them molten images,
Idols, by their skill, from their silver,
Wholly the work of craftsmen.
bMeaning of Heb. uncertain.Yet for these they appoint men to sacrifice;-b
They are wont to kiss calves!", "Assuredly,
They shall be like morning clouds,
Like dew so early gone;
Like chaff whirled away from the threshing floor.
And like smoke from a lattice.", "Only I the LORD have been your God
Ever since the land of Egypt;
You have never known a [true] God but Me,
You have never had a helper other than Me.", "I looked after you in the desert,
In a thirsty land.", "When they grazed, they were sated;
When they were sated, they grew haughty;
And so they forgot Me.", "So I am become like a lion to them,
Like a leopard I lurk on the way;", "Like a bear robbed of her young I attack them
And rip open the casing of their hearts;
cEmendation yields “There dogs shall devour them”; cf. Septuagint.I will devour them there like a lion,-c
The beasts of the field shall mangle them.
", "bMeaning of Heb. uncertain.You are undone, O Israel!
You had no help but Me.-b", "Where now is your king?
Let him save you!
Where are the chieftains in all your towns
From whom you demanded:
“Give me a king and officers”?", "I give you kings in my ire,
And take them away in My wrath.
", "Ephraim’s guilt is bound up,
His sin is stored away.dI.e., for future retribution.", "Pangs of childbirth assail him,
bMeaning of Heb. uncertain.And the babe is not wise—
For this is no time to survive
At the birthstool of babes.-b
", "eThis verse would read well before 14.5.From Sheol itself I will save them,
Redeem them from very Death.
Where, O Death, are your plagues?
Your pestilence where, O Sheol?
fLit. “Satisfaction (for this meaning of nḥm see Deut. 32.36; Isa. 1.24) shall be hidden from My eyes.”Revenge shall be far from My thoughts.-f", "For though he flourish among reeds,
A blast, a wind of the LORD,
Shall come blowing up from the wilderness;
His fountain shall be parched,
His spring dried up.
That [wind] shall plunder treasures,
Every lovely object." ], [ "Samaria must bear her guilt,
For she has defied her God.
They shall fall by the sword,
Their infants shall be dashed to death,
And their women with child ripped open.
", "Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God,
For you have fallen because of your sin.", "Take words with you
And return to the LORD.
Say to Him:
aMeaning of Heb. uncertain.“Forgive all guilt
And accept what is good;
Instead of bulls we will pay
[The offering of] our lips.-a", "Assyria shall not save us,
No more will we ride on steeds;bI.e., we will no longer depend on an alliance with Egypt; cf. 2 Kings 18.24 (Isa. 36.9); Isa. 30.16.
Nor ever again will we call
Our handiwork our god,
Since in You alone orphans find pity!”", "I will heal their affliction,cFor this meaning of meshubah see Jer. 2.19; 3.22.
Generously will I take them back in love;
For My anger has turned away from them.dHeb. “him.”", "I will be to Israel like dew;
He shall blossom like the lily,
He shall strike root like a eEmendation yields “poplar.”Lebanon tree.-e", "His boughs shall spread out far,
His beauty shall be like the olive tree’s,
His fragrance like that of Lebanon.", "They who sit in his shade shall be revived:
They shall bring to life new grain,
They shall blossom like the vine;
His scent shall be like the wine of Lebanon.fEmendation yields “Helbon”; cf. Ezek. 27.18.", "Ephraim [shall say]:
“What more have I to do with idols?
When I respond and look to Him,
I become like a verdant cypress.”
aMeaning of Heb. uncertain.Your fruit is provided by Me.-a
", "He who is wise will consider these words,
He who is prudent will take note of them.
For the paths of the LORD are smooth;
The righteous can walk on them,
While sinners stumble on them." ] ], "sectionNames": [ "Chapter", "Verse" ] }