10:11 Ephraim was a well-trained heifer who loved to thresh grain;
I myself put a fine yoke 1 on her neck.
I will harness Ephraim.
Let Judah plow! 2
Let Jacob break up 3 the unplowed ground for himself!
14:3 Assyria cannot save us;
we will not ride warhorses.
We will never again say, ‘Our gods’
to what our own hands have made.
For only you will show compassion to Orphan Israel!” 4
1 tc The MT is unintelligible: עַל־טוּב (’al-tuv, “upon a fine [thing]”?). Cf. KJV “I passed over upon her fair neck”; NRSV “I spared her fair neck.” The BHS editors suggest the revocalization עֹל־טוּב (’ol-tuv, “a fine yoke”), followed by many modern English versions (e.g., NAB, NASB, NIV, NCV, TEV, NLT). The noun עֹל (’ol, “yoke”) also appears in 11:4 in a metaphor which compares Israel to a young heifer as well.
2 tn Or “Judah will plow” (so NASB); NIV, NRSV, CEV “Judah must plow.”
3 tn Or “Jacob will break up.”
4 tn Heb “For the orphan is shown compassion by you.” The present translation takes “orphan” as a figurative reference to Israel, which is specified in the translation for clarity.