OET interlinear HOS 10:11

10:11a

Ephraim is a well-trained heifer that loves to thresh: This clause is a metaphor that compares Ephraim to a heifer. Ephraim in its early years was similar to a well-trained heifer. Both of them were willing to obey and both had easy lives with only light work to do.

Here are some ways to translate this figure of speech:

• Use a metaphor. Make one or more similarities explicit if it will be helpful. For example:

  Ephraim was a well-trained heifer that loved to thresh grain (NET)

  Israel was a young heifer that loved the easy work of threshing grain.

• Use a simile. Make one or more similarities explicit if it will be helpful. For example:

  Israel was like an obedient heifer. She was well-trained and enjoyed the easy work of treading out the grain.

In Hebrew, this clause is more literally “and Ephraim a trained heifer lover of to thresh.” The clause could refer to past, present or future.

Here are the two main interpretations:

1. It refers to a time in the past.Favored by Macintosh (page 420), Stuart (pages 169–170) , Hubbard (page 180), and Davies (page 245). For example:

   “Israel was once like a well-trained young cow, ready and willing to thresh grain. (GNT) (CEV, ESV, GNT, NET, NJPS, NRSV)

2. It refers to the present.McComiskey (page 176) suggests that the analogy is to depict Israel in the long period before the exile. For example:

   Ephraim is a well-trained heifer that loves to tread the grain. (NJB) (BSB, GW, KJV, NASB, NCV, NIV, NJB, NLT, REB)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). It matches the pattern of other metaphors in the chapters and verses surrounding this one. Those metaphors depict Israel in her early years, when the LORD chose her to be his people. The metaphors contrast this with Israel in her later years, when the people rebelled against the LORD.For example, see Hosea 9:10; 10:1; 11:1–5.

Ephraim: The tribe of Ephraim is probably a figure of speech (synecdoche) that represents all the people of the nation of Israel. Some versions make “Israel” explicit here. For example:

Israel was once like a well-trained young cow (GNT)

well-trained heifer: The word heifer refers to a young (female) cow that has not yet given birth. A well-trained heifer is gentle, follows commands, and is easy to control.See Hubbard (page 180), Macintosh (page 417), and Andersen and Freedman (page 567).

loves to thresh: Probably the heifer separated stalks from grain by walking on them.Some commentators suggest that the calf may have pulled a sledge or other device. For example, Kidner (page 98). This is not likely, however, since the next clause suggests that only later was the calf harnessed, probably for the first time. It enjoyed threshing, because the work was easy and it was able to eat while it threshed.See Macintosh (page 418), Keil (page 87), Hubbard (page 179), Wood (page 210), and Kidner (page 98).

10:11b

but I will place a yoke on her fair neck: This clause continues the metaphor of the heifer. There is a textual issue here:

1. Some scholars think that the original text was “and I put a yoke on its fair neck.”Halévy, Rudolph: ‘I passed a yoke over (her neck),’ cited in Macintosh (page 421). Also Stuart (page 165). This may be the basis for the Peshitta (Lamsa translation): “I bent her neck under the yoke.” For example:

   But I decided to put a yoke on her beautiful neck (GNT) (BSB, CEV,The CEV has: “harness” here instead of “yoke.” The word “harness” is apparently taken from the following clause. GNT, GW, NASB, NCV, NET,The NET has: “put a fine yoke on her neck” instead of “put a yoke on her fine neck.” NIV, NJB, NJPS, NLT)

2. The Masoretic Text has “and I passed over the fairness of its neck.” This clause refers to the time before a yoke was placed on the heifer’s neck.Favored by Hubbard (page 180) and Davies (page 245). For example:

   and I spared her fair neck (NRSV) (ESV, NRSV)

Some versions are ambiguous. For example, the KJV may or may not imply that a yoke was placed upon the heifer’s neck:Keil (page 87) suggests that the MT word means “to treat harshly” and that it refers to putting a heavy yoke upon the neck. This meaning would correspond to option (1) rather than (2). The ASV and KJV may reflect this meaning.

but I passed over upon her fair neck (KJV)

It is recommended that you follow option (1) along with the most versions.The main distinction between option (1) and option (2) is the time period in view. In option (1) the time reference is to the period when the yoke is placed on the calf. It marks the time when the calf’s life of ease has ended. In option (2) the time reference is to the period before the yoke is placed on the calf. It continues to describe the calf’s life of ease when it loved to thresh. There is no disagreement that the work of plowing depicted in the next clause requires that the calf will have a yoke or harness at that time. This clause indicates that the easy life of the heifer is finished. It introduces the time for heavy work to begin.

but I: In this context, there are two main ways to interpret the function of the word that begins this clause:

1. The word indicates contrast. For example:

   But I will put a heavy yoke on her tender neck. (NLT) (BSB, CEV, ESV, GNT, NASB, NJB, NLT, NRSV)The ESV and NRSV introduce this clause with “and.” They have been listed here as indicating contrast because they introduce the next clause with “but,” so the overall meaning is contrastive.

2. The word indicates result. For example:

   so I will put a yoke on her fair neck (NIV) (NIV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most versions. Several versions leave the connection implied. These versions have not been listed.

yoke: A yoke is a bar or frame that is attached to the necks of (normally) two work animals. In the context of 11c–e, the yoke is attached by a harness so that they can pull a plow or harrow.Webster’s New World Dictionary “yoke,” “harness.”

fair neck: This phrase is literally “goodness of its neck.” It refers to the neck of an animal that has not yet been yoked to do hard work, but is well suited for it. Versions translate “goodness” in a variety of ways:

• Most versions use a term that refers mainly to appearance. For example:

  fair (ESV)

  beautiful (GNT)

  sleek (NJPS)

• The NJB has “fine.” This term could refer to appearance or strength.

• The CEV has “powerful.”

Try to use a term or combination of terms that can refer to both appearance and strength.Commentaries define “goodness of neck” in a variety of ways. Stuart (page 169–170) focuses entirely on strength. Hubbard (page 180) says it is “strong, well-proportioned.” Macintosh (page 418) suggests “firmness of her neck” and specifies “not so much beautiful but well formed and apt for his purpose.” McComiskey (page 176) focuses more on appearance: “the sleek beauty of the animal’s neck.” Lange (page 81) also focuses on appearance: “beauty, alluding to her fatness.”

10:11c–e

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:Andersen and Freedman (page 568) suggest that these are three parallel lines of a tricolon.

^11c I will harness Ephraim,

^11d Judah will plow,

^11eand Jacob will break the hard ground.

I will harness Ephraim, Judah will plow, and Jacob will break the hard ground: This part of the metaphor compares Ephraim, Judah and Jacob implicitly to farm animals that do heavy work. The similarity is that their lives will soon become more difficult.

Here are some ways to translate this figure of speech:

• Use a metaphor. Make the implicit similarity explicit if it will be helpful. For example:

  I will harness her for harder work. I will make Judah pull the plow and Israel pull the harrow.

• Use a simile. Make one or more similarities explicit if it will be helpful. For example:

  Like hard-working farm animals I will make Ephraim break up the hard ground. Judah must plow, and Jacob must harrow.

Ephraim, Judah…Jacob: These three names represent all the people of Israel. Ephraim represents those in the northern kingdom. Judah represents those in the southern kingdom. Jacob may represent the entire kingdom, both north and south.Hubbard (pages 180–181).

10:11c

I will harness Ephraim: This clause is literally “I will cause to draw/harness Ephraim.” It means to attach the yoke and harness to the plow and then make the animal pull it. It implies that a farmer drives or directs the animal.See McComiskey (page 177), Davies (page 245), and BDB (page 939a, sense 2).

Here are some other ways to translate this line:

I will make Ephraim break the ground (NRSV)

I shall put Ephraim into harness (NJB)

…make her work hard in the field (NCV)

10:11d

Judah will plow: To plow is to drag a farm implement that digs into the hard soil and breaks it into bigger chunks that can then be harrowed.NIDOTTE (#3086), ISBE (plow).

10:11e

Jacob will break the hard ground: The Hebrew phrase is more literally, “Jacob will harrow for itself.” To harrow is to break up the clods after plowing and to level the soil to prepare it for planting.Kimchi cited in Macintosh (page 419).

In the Masoretic Text, this clause ends with the Hebrew phrase “for/by himself.” This phrase may mean for his own benefit or that he is alone.See McComiskey (page 177). You may translate it either way. You may follow versions that leave implicit the Hebrew phrase “for/by himself.” Or you may follow versions that translate it literally. For example:

Jacob must harrow for himself. (NRSV)