¹tn Heb “O house of Israel.”
²tn Heb “O house of the king.”
³tn Heb “for the judgment is to you”; or “For this accusation is against you.”
⁴sn The noun jP^ (pakh, “trap”) is used (1) literally of a bird-trap, used in similes and metaphors (Amos 3:5; Prov 7:23; Eccl 9:12), and (2) figuratively to refer to (a) calamities and plots (Job 18:9; 22:10; Pss 91:3; 119:110; 124:7; 140:6; 141:9; 142:4; Prov 22:5; Isa 24:17-18; Jer 18:22; 48:43-44; Hos 9:8) and (b) a source of calamity (Josh 23:13; Pss 11:6; 69:23; Isa 8:14; Hos 5:1; BDB 809 s.v. jP^).
⁵tn Heb “you were a trap to Mizpah.”
⁶sn The noun tv#r# (reshet, “net”) is used (1) literally of a net used to catch birds (Prov 1:17) and (2) in figurative descriptions of the wicked plotting to ensnare their victims (Prov 29:5; Pss 9:16; 10:9; 25:15; 31:5; 35:7; 57:7; 140:6; Job 18:8; BDB 440 s.v. tv#r#).
⁷tn Heb “and a net spread out over Tabor.”
⁸tc The MT reads Wqym!u=h# <yf!c@ hf*j&v^w+ (v^eshakhatah setim he’miqu): “and rebels have made deep the slaughter.” The BHS editors propose tj^v^w+ Wqym!u=h# <yF!V!h^ (v^eshakhat hashittim he’miqu): “they have made the pit of Shittim [place of idolatry] deep” (see BDB 1006 s.v. hF*j&v^). This involves: (1) phonological confusion between the similar sounding consonants t (tav) and f (tet), (2) redivision of words to take h (hey) as the article with <yF!V!h^ rather than feminine noun ending of hf*j&v^w+, and (3) revocalization of <yF!V!h^ with the two daghesh fortes.
tn Heb “and those who revolt have gone deep into slaughter.”
⁹tn Heb “but I am discipline to all of them.”
¹⁰tn The phrase “all too well” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity and stylistic reasons.
¹¹tn The phrase “the evil of” does not appear in the Hebrew text here, but is implied by the metonymical (cause-effect) use of the term “Israel.” It is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.
¹²tn Or “Israel has become corrupt.”
¹³tn Heb “a spirit of harlotries.”
¹⁴tn Heb “is in their heart.”
¹⁵tn Heb “will stumble.” The verb lv^K* (kashal, “to stumble; to stagger; to totter”) is used figuratively to describe distress (Isa 59:10; Ps 107:12), the debilitating effects of misfortune and calamity (Isa 5:27), and toil in exile (Lam 5:13). It is often used figuratively to describe the overthrow of a people or nation through divine judgment (Isa 8:15; Jer 6:21; 50:32; Hos 4:5; 5:5; 14:2). The Niphal stem used here is also frequently used in reference to divine judgment: “be overthrown,” of nations, armies (Jer 6:15; 8:12; Dan 11:19, 33, 34, 41; BDB 505 s.v. lv^K* 1.b). This figurative use of lv^K* is often used in collocation with lp^n` (nafal, “to fall”; Isa 3:8; 31:3; 8:15; Jer 6:15; Dan 11:19).
<sup>16</sup>tn Or “in.”
<sup>17</sup>tn Heb “will stumble.” The term lv^K* (kashal) appeared in the preceding line (Niphal “be overthrown”) and now appears here (Qal “will stumble”). The repetition of lv^K* emphasizes that a similar fate will befall Judah because it failed to learn its lesson from God’s judgment on Israel. The verb lv^K* (“to stumble”) does not describe the moral stumbling of Judah, but the effect of God’s judgment (Isa 8:15; Jer 6:21; 50:32; Hos 4:5; 5:5; 14:2), and the toil of exile (Lam 5:13).
<sup>18</sup>sn The terms flocks and herds are used figuratively for animal sacrifices (metonymy of association). Hosea describes the futility of seeking God’s favor with mere ritual sacrifice without the prerequisite moral obedience (e.g., 1 Sam 15:24; Ps 50:6-8; 51:17-18; Isa 1:12; Mic 6:6-8).
<sup>19</sup>tn Heb “they go out to seek the Lord.”
<sup>20</sup>tn Heb “the Lord”; the phrase “the favor of” does not appear in Hebrew here, but is supplied for the sake of clarity. It is implied by the metonymical (cause-effect) referent to the Lord, the source of favor and forgiveness.
<sup>21</sup>tn Heb “dealt treacherously against.”
<sup>22</sup>tn The particle hT*u^ (’attah) often refers to the imminent or the impending future: “very soon” (BDB 774 s.v. hT*u^ 1.b). In Hosea it normally introduces imminent judgment (Hos 2:12; 4:16; 5:7; 8:8, 13; 10:2).
<sup>23</sup>sn See the note on the place name Beth-Aven in 4:15.
<sup>24</sup>tc The MT reads the anomalous /ym!y`n+B! ;yr\j&a^ (’akharekha binyamin, “behind you, O Benjamin”). The LXX reads ejxevsth (exesth) which might reflect an alternate textual tradition of /ym!y`n+B! Wdr]j&h^ (hakharidu binyamin, “Tremble in fear, O Benjamin”); the verb form would be a Hiphil imperative 2mpl from dr^j* (kharad, “to tremble, be terrified”; BDB 353 s.v. dr^j*). For discussion of this textual problem, see D. Barthélemy, ed., Preliminary and Interim Report on the Hebrew Old Testament Text Project, 5:236.
<sup>25</sup>tn Heb “day of rebuke.”
<sup>26</sup>tn The verb yT!u=d^oh (hoda’ti, Hiphil perfect 1cs from ud^y`, yada’; Qal “to know,” Hiphil “to make known, declare”) here functions as (1) an instantaneous perfect, representing an action being performed at the same instant that the speaker utters the statement (e.g., Gen 14:22; Deut 8:19; 26:3; 2 Sam 17:11; 19:30; Ps 143:6); or (2) an epistolary perfect, representing a situation in past time from the viewpoint of the recipient of the message but in present time from the viewpoint of the writer (e.g., 1 Kgs 15:19; 2 Chr 2:12). For functions of the perfect tense (suffix-conjugation), see IBHS 30.5.1.
²⁷tn The substantival use of the Niphal participle hn`m*a$n\ (ne’emanah, “that which is sure”) refers to an event that will occur in the future (BDB 52 s.v. /m^a* 2).
<sup>28</sup>tn Heb “like water.” The term <y]m^ (mayim, “water”) often refers to literal flood waters (Gen 7:7, 10; 8:3, 7-9; Isa 54:9) and figuratively describes the Lord’s judgment that totally destroys the wicked (BDB 566 s.v. [ym^], <y]m^ 4.k).
<sup>29</sup>tn The verb qv^u* (’ashaq, “to oppress”) may refer to (1) oppressing the poor and defenseless (BDB 798 s.v. qv^u* 1), or more likely to (2) oppression of one nation by another as the judgment of God (Deut 28:29, 33; 1 Chr 16:21; Pss 105:14; 119:121, 122; Isa 52:4; Jer 50:33; Hos 5:11; BDB 798 s.v. 2). The Qal passive participles qWvu* (’ashuq, “oppressed”) and JWxr+ (r<sup>e</sup>tsuts, “crushed”) might refer to a present situation (so KJV, RSV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); however, the context suggests that they refer to a future situation. When a participle is used in reference to the future, it often denotes an imminent future situation and may be rendered, “about to” (e.g., Gen 6:17; 15:14; 20:3; 37:30; 41:25; 49:29; Exod 9:17-18; Deut 28:31; 1 Sam 3:11; 1 Kgs 2:2; 20:22; 2 Kgs 7:2). For functions of the participle, see IBHS 37.6f.
<sup>30</sup>sn The term JWxr+ (r<sup>e</sup>tsuts, “crushed”) is a metaphor for weakness (e.g., 2 Kgs 18:21; Isa 36:6; 42:3) and oppression (e.g., Deut 28:33; 1 Sam 12:3, 4; Amos 4:1; Isa 58:6). Here it is used as a figure to describe the devastating effects of the Lord’s judgment.
<sup>31</sup>tn Heb “crushed of judgment” (fP*v=m! JWxr+, r<sup>e</sup>tsuts mishpat). The second term is a genitive of cause (crushed because of judgment or under judgment) rather than respect (crushed in judgment).
<sup>32</sup>tn The meaning of the Hebrew term translated “worthless idols” is uncertain.
<sup>33</sup>tn The noun bq*r* (raqav, “rottenness, decay”) refers to wood rot caused by the ravages of worms (BDB 955 s.v. bq*r*). The related noun /obQ*r] (riqqavon) refers to “rotten wood” (Job 41:27).
<sup>34</sup>tn Hosea employs three preterites (vayyiqtol forms) in verse 13ab to describe a past-time situation.
<sup>35</sup>tn Heb “went to.”
<sup>36</sup>tn Heb “sent to.”
<sup>37</sup>tc The MT reads br@y` El#m# (melekh yarev, “a contentious king”). The stative adjective br@y` (“contentious”) is a bit awkward. The words should be redivided as an archaic genitive-construct br* yK!l=m^ (malki rav, “great king”) which preserves the old genitive hireq yod ending. See the translation note on 10:6.
³⁸tn Heb “your wound will not depart from you.”
sn Hosea personifies Ephraim’s “wound” as if it could depart from the sickly Ephraim (see tn above). Ephraim’s sinful action in relying upon an Assyrian treaty for protection will not dispense with its problems.
³⁹tn The verb Wmv=a=y\ (ye’sh^emu, Qal imperfect 3mpl from <v^a*, ’asham, “to be guilty”) means “to bear their punishment” (Ps 34:22-23; Prov 30:10; Isa 24:6; Jer 2:3; Hos 5:15; 10:2; 14:1; Zech 11:5; Ezek 6:6; BDB 79 s.v. <v^a* 3). Most translate as “admit their guilt” (cf. KJV, RSV, NASB, NIV, CEV).
⁴⁰tn Heb “seek my face.”