Hosea 2:4

2:4 I will have no pity on her children, ¹ 

because they are children conceived in adultery. ² 

Hosea 8:9

The Willful Donkey and the Wanton Harlot

8:9 They have gone up to Assyria,

like a wild donkey that wanders off.

Ephraim has hired prostitutes as lovers. ³ 

Hosea 2:12

2:12 I will destroy her vines and fig trees,

about which she said, “These are my wages for prostitution ⁴ 

that my lovers gave to me!”

I will turn her cultivated vines and fig trees ⁵  into an uncultivated thicket,

so that wild animals ⁶  will devour them.

Hosea 8:13

8:13 They offer up sacrificial gifts to me,

and eat the meat,

but the Lord does not accept their sacrifices. ⁷ 

Soon he will remember their wrongdoing,

he will punish their sins,

and they will return to Egypt.

Hosea 9:10

9:10 When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the wilderness.

I viewed your ancestors ⁸  like an early fig on a fig tree in its first season.

Then they came to Baal-Peor and they dedicated themselves to shame –

they became as detestable as what they loved.

[2:4]  ¹ tn Heb “her sons.” English versions have long translated this as “children,” however; cf. KJV, ASV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT.

[2:4]  ² tn Heb “sons of adulteries”; KJV “children of whoredoms.”

[8:9]  ³ tn Or “has hired herself out to lovers”; cf. NIV “has sold herself to lovers.”

[2:12]  ⁵ tn Heb “my wages.” The words “for prostitution” are not in the Hebrew text but are supplied for clarity; cf. CEV “gave…as payment for sex.”

[2:12]  ⁶ tn Heb “I will turn them”; the referents (vines and fig trees) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[2:12]  ⁷ tn Heb “the beasts of the field” (so KJV, NASB); the same expression also occurs in v. 18).

[8:13]  ⁷ tn Heb “does not accept them”; the referent (their sacrifices) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:10]  ⁹ tn Heb “fathers”; a number of more recent English versions use the more general “ancestors” here.