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Hosea 10
Hosea 10:1
General Information:
Hosea is speaking about Israel.
Israel is a luxuriant vine that produces his fruit
Israel is spoken of as a vine that was very fruitful. For a while the people prospered and were strong. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
a luxuriant vine
This vine produces more fruit than normal.
As his fruit increased ... As his land produced more
Both of these mean as the people prospered and grew stronger and richer.
Hosea 10:2
Their heart is deceitful
The "heart" refers to the whole person, emphasizing their emotions and desires. Alternate translation: "They are deceitful" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-synecdoche)
now they must bear their guilt
Here "guilt" is a metonym for the punishment that is associated with it. This punishment is spoken of as if it was a heavy load for them to carry. Alternate translation: "now is the time that Yahweh will punish them for their sins" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Hosea 10:3
General Information:
Hosea is speaking about Israel.
and a king—what could he do for us?
The people wills say that their kings could not have helped them. Alternate translation: "Even if we had a king now, he could not help us." (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion)
Hosea 10:4
They speak empty words
Here "empty words" refers to lies. Alternate translation: "They speak lies" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-idiom)
So justice springs up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field
What they people called justice in their laws and legal decisions is spoken of as if it were a plant sprouting up. Alternate translation: "So their decisions are not just; instead, they are harmful" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field
Their lies and injustice spread throughout their nation and harm everyone like poisonous plants. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-simile)
Hosea 10:5
General Information:
Hosea is speaking about Israel.
Beth Aven
This was a city on the border between the northern kingdom of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin in the southern kingdom. See how you translated this in Hosea 4:15. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-names)
Hosea 10:6
They will be carried to Assyria
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "The Assyrians will carry them away" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
the great king
Some versions read, "King Jareb."
Ephraim will be disgraced, and Israel will be ashamed of its idol
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "And the people of Israel will be very ashamed because they had worshiped idols" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-doublet and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
its idol
Many versions interpret the Hebrew word in this passage as "advice," "plans," or "intentions."
Hosea 10:7
Samaria's king will be destroyed
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "The Assyrians will destroy the king of Samaria" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
like a chip of wood on the surface of the water
This means the king of Samaria will be as helpless as a small piece of wood that waves of the water toss back and forth. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-simile)
Hosea 10:8
The high places of wickedness will be destroyed
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "The Assyrians will destroy Israel's high places, where the people acted very wickedly" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
The people will say to the mountains, "Cover us!" and to the hills, "Fall on us!"
People do not normally speak to things that cannot think or hear them. Translators may choose to have a different format for this passage if their languages do not allow such speech. Alternate translation: "The people will say, 'We wish the mountains would cover us!' and 'We wish the hills would fall on us!'" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-apostrophe)
Hosea 10:9
General Information:
Yahweh is speaking.
days of Gibeah
This is probably a reference to the shocking actions of the tribe of Benjamin recounted in Judges 19-21. See how you translated this in Hosea 9:9.
there you have remained
This passage probably means that the people of the present time continue to act in the same ways that their ancestors did at Gibeah. Alternate translation: "and you think just as they did" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Will not war overtake the sons of wrong in Gibeah?
Yahweh uses a question to emphasize that those in Gibeah who do wrong will certainly have to endure war. And this speaks of the people having to endure war when their enemies come as if war were a person that would catch up with them. Alternate translation: "War will certainly come on those who do wrong in Gibeah." or "Enemies will certainly attack those who do wrong in Gibeah." (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
the sons of wrong
Here "son of" is an idiom that means "having the characteristic of." Alternate translation: "those who do wrong" or "the evildoers" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-idiom)
Hosea 10:10
General Information:
Yahweh is speaking.
double iniquity
This refers to the many sins of Israel.
Hosea 10:11
Ephraim is a trained heifer that loves to thresh
A heifer loves to thresh because they can walk around freely without a yoke. Yahweh means that he has allowed the people of Israel to be free and have a pleasant life. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
I will put a yoke on her fair neck. I will put a yoke on Ephraim
Here "yoke" refers to suffering and slavery. Yahweh has been kind to the people of Israel, but the people have been unfaithful to him. So he will punish them and send them away as slaves. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
her fair neck
The irony here is that the "heifer" views herself as "fair"—that is, as beautiful and delicate—but Yahweh views her as ugly and so will put a yoke on her, which will destroy her beauty. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-irony)
Judah will plow; Jacob will pull the harrow by himself
Here "Judah" refers to the people of the southern kingdom and "Jacob" is the people of the northern kingdom. This means God will cause difficult times for both kingdoms. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
harrow
a tool used to smooth the land and cover the seeds after plowing
Hosea 10:12
General Information:
Yahweh is speaking.
Sow righteousness for yourselves, and reap the fruit of covenant faithfulness
Righteousness and covenant faithfulness are spoken of as if they were crops that could be sown and harvested. The abstract nouns "righteousness" and "faithfulness" can be stated as "right" and "faithful." Alternate translation: "Plow, now, and do what is right, and you will reap the fruit of faithful love" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-abstractnouns)
Break up your unplowed ground
When the ground is "unplowed" it is not ready to be planted. Yahweh means he wants the people to repent so they can start doing what is right. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Hosea 10:13
You have plowed wickedness; you reaped injustice
Wickedness and injustice are spoken of as if they were crops that could be sown and harvested. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
You have eaten the fruit of deception
The result of deception are spoken of as if they were a food that could be eaten. Alternate translation: "You now suffer the consequences of having deceived each other" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Hosea 10:14
It will be as Shalman destroyed Beth Arbel on a day of battle
The coming war is being compared to a battle long ago.
Shalman
This is the name of a king who destroyed the city of Beth Arbel around 740 BC. His army murdered women and children in the attack. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-names)
Beth Arbel
This is likely the name of a city of the tribe of Naphtali. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-names)
Hosea 10:15
So it will happen to you, Bethel, because of your great wickedness
Here "Bethel" represents the people who live there. The prophet addresses the people of Bethel as if they were there listening to him. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-apostrophe)