Discovery BoxHosea 1:11
Context1:11 Then the people 1 of Judah and the people of Israel will be gathered together. They will appoint for themselves one leader, 2 and will flourish in the land. 3 Certainly, 4 the day of Jezreel will be great!
Hosea 8:4
Context8:4 They enthroned kings without my consent! 5
They appointed princes without my approval! 6
They made idols out of their silver and gold,
but they will be destroyed! 7
Hosea 9:12
Context9:12 Even if they raise their children,
I will take away every last one of them. 8
Woe to them!
For I will turn away from them.
Hosea 11:4
Context11:4 I led them with leather 9 cords,
with leather 10 ropes;
I lifted the yoke 11 from their neck, 12
and gently fed them. 13
[1:11] 1 tn Heb “sons” (twice in this verse, so NASB); KJV, ASV “children”; NIV, NRSV, TEV “people.”
[1:11] 2 tn Heb “head” (so KJV, NAB, NRSV).
[1:11] 3 tn Alternatively, “gain possession of the land” (cf. NRSV) or “rise up from the land” (cf. NIV). This clause may be understood in two ways: (1) Israel will gain ascendancy over the land or conquer the land (e.g., Exod 1:10; cf. NAB “come up from other lands”) or (2) Israel will be “planted” in the land (Hos 2:24-25; cf. NLT “will…plant his people”).
[1:11] 4 tn Or “For” (so NASB); NCV “because”; TEV “Yes.”
[8:4] 5 tn Heb “but without me”; NCV “without asking my permission”; CEV “without consulting me.”
[8:4] 6 tn Heb “but I did not know”; NRSV “but without my knowledge.”
[8:4] 7 tn Heb “in order to be cut off.” The text gives the impression that they made the idols for this purpose, but the language is ironic and sarcastic, bringing out the futility of their efforts. One could paraphrase, “they made idols…but only so that they might be destroyed.” Though they had other plans for the idols, God’s judgment would bring their intentions to naught.
[9:12] 9 tn Heb “I will bereave them from a man”; NRSV “I will bereave them until no one is left.”
[11:4] 13 tn Or “humane cords” or “cords of human kindness.” The noun אָדָם (’adam) is traditionally related to I אָדָם (“man”) and translated either literally or figuratively (as a metonymy of association for humane compassion): “cords of a man” (KJV, RSV margin, NASB), “cords of human kindness” (NIV, NCV), “human ties” (NJPS), “cords of compassion” (RSV). It is better to relate it to II אָדָם (“leather”; HALOT 14 s.v. אָדָם), as the parallelism with II אַהֲבָה (’ahavah, “leather”) suggests (see below). This homonymic root is well attested in Arabic ’adam (“skin”) and ’adim (“tanned skin; leather”). This better fits the context of 11:4 which compares Israel to a heifer: the
[11:4] 14 tn Or “ropes of love.” The noun אַהֲבָה (’ahava) is traditionally related to I אַהֲבָה (“love”; BDB 13 s.v. אַהֲבָה 2). This approach is adopted by most English translations: “bands of love” (KJV, RSV), “bonds of love” (NASB), “ties of love” (NIV), “cords of love” (NJPS). However, it is probably better to derive אַהֲבָה from the homonymic root II אַהֲבָה (“leather”; HALOT 18 s.v. II אַהֲבָה). This root is attested in Arabic and Ugaritic. It probably occurs in the description of Solomon’s sedan chair: “upholstered with purple linen, and lined with leather” (Song 3:10). This fits the context of 11:4 which compares Israel to a young heifer: the
[11:4] 15 tn Heb “And I was to them like those who lift a yoke.”
[11:4] 16 tn Heb “their jaws” (so KJV, ASV, NASB).
[11:4] 17 tn Heb “him.” This is regarded as a collective singular by most English versions and thus translated as a plural pronoun.
