OET interlinear HOS 10:4

10:4a

They speak mere words; with false oaths they make covenants: There are two main ways to interpret the referent of the pronoun They:

1. They refers to the people of Israel. Versions that follow this interpretation describe the last phrase in terms of the “agreements” or covenants that they make mainly with each other. For example:

   They utter empty words, taking false oaths and making empty agreements. (NET) (BSB, CEV, ESV, GW, NASB, NCV, NET, NIV, NJPS, NLT, NRSV)

2. They refers to the king/kings of Israel. Versions that follow this interpretation describe the last phrase in terms of the “treaties” or “alliances” that they make with other nations. For example:

   They utter empty words and make false promises and useless treaties. (GNT) (GNT, NAB, REB)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most versions. However, a slight majority of commentaries favor interpretation (2).The plural word forms in 10:3–5 support the understanding that the pronoun “they” in v.4 refers to the people. Most English versions also end the quote of what the people say about the king at the end of 3b. But Hosea is the speaker throughout these verses, and Hosea could be referring to either people or kings in general. Commentaries that support interpretation (1) include McComiskey, Wood, and Hubbard. Commentaries that support (2) include Stuart, Macintosh, Keil, Lange, and possibly Dearman. See Dearman (pages 263–265) for discussion of both points of view and the ambiguities involved. Both the people of Israel and their kings break their promises and fail to keep their agreements, so if possible, translate in a way that will allow either interpretation. The meaning lines in the Display will follow this approach.

Hosea uses three phrases to describe the behavior of the people of Israel. These phrases are more literally “They speak words, swearing falsehood, making covenant[s].” The wording in some versions implies that there are three separate actions. It is not stated explicitly whether these actions are part of the same event. The wording in other versions implies one main action with further details in the next two phrases. These actions may or may not be part of the same event. For example:

They utter mere words; with empty oaths they make covenants (ESV)

You may arrange these phrases either way in your translation. There is no significant difference in meaning. The meaning lines in the Display will give an example of each.

They speak mere words: This is a Hebrew idiom. It means that the people do not intend to do what their words say.See McComiskey (page 164) and the NET footnote on “utter empty words.”

Here are some other ways to translate it:

They make many promises (NIV)

they utter empty words (NET)

with false oaths: In Hebrew, this phrase means that a person makes a very serious promise that he or she does not intend to keep.The oath in this context probably refers to any serious promise. Alternatively, some versions understand this phrase to refer specifically to an oath sworn as part of making a covenant. For example, the RSV has, “with empty oaths they make covenants.”

Here are some other ways to translate it:

make false promises (GNT)

they lie when they take oaths (GW)

they make covenants: In Hebrew, the word “covenant” refers to a formal agreement that has mutual obligations.Commentaries that favor limiting the referent to an international treaty are Stuart, Keil, Macintosh, and Andersen and Freedman. Commentaries that favor a wider application of the term that perhaps may include international treaties but also other kinds of agreements are: Dearman, Hubbard, Wood, McComiskey, and Davies.

Here are four things this word can refer to in different contexts:

1. Agreements that the people of Israel make with one another.

2. An agreement that a king makes with the people.

3. A treaty or alliance that Israel makes with another nation.

4. A covenant that God makes with a person or a nation.

In this context, it refers mainly to agreements that the people of Israel make with one another. This phrase implies that the people do not keep their agreements.

Here are some other ways to translate it:

making empty agreements (NET)

make covenants they don’t intend to keep (NLT)

10:4b

So judgment springs up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field: This clause is a simile. It compares the increasing injustice (see below) and other bitter disputes to poisonous weeds.

This clause gives the consequence of the people’s many promises that they do not keep, their false oaths, and broken covenants. The consequence is injustice.Andersen and Freedman (page 554), McComiskey (page 164) and Keil (page 84). Some versions express this relationship with a specific word such as so or “therefore.” Other versions leave it implied. Translate the connection between 10:4a and 10:4b in a natural way in your language.

judgment: The Hebrew word for judgment here is literally “justice.” It has a broad range of meanings related to what is right and just, including laws, lawsuits, legal decisions, and judgment.TWOT (#2443c). Wood (page 208) says the term refers to lawsuits that arise due to denial of people’s legal rights. Macintosh (page 395) concludes that Rashi’s interpretation of justice” as “litigation” is the most likely. The BART interlinear suggests that the appropriate sense in BDB (page 1048b, sense 1.c) is “litigation before judges.” It also mentions HALOT sense 2, “probably dispute, case, litigation.” NIDOTTE (#5477) says that mišpat refers most frequently “to a judicial decision or verdict…as well as the execution of the sentence in punishment.” It can involve the government, the courts, and any legal transactions between people in general.According to Hubbard (page 173), justice involves regulating the rights of the citizens. McComiskey (page 165) says there was a lack of fairness in the “legal transactions of Hosea’s day.” He further comments that in the Prophets, “justice is not limited only to kings or other judicial officials…The prophets most frequently apply it to the people.”

In the context of “justice” growing “like poisonous weeds,” it is clear that “justice” should be understood in the sense of injustice or justice that has degenerated into decisions or transactions that are unfair.Pusey (page 100) calls it “injustice.” Dearman (page 265) refers to it as a “lack of justice.”

There are three ways to interpret this word in this context:

1. It refers to any kind of injustice. For example:

   Justice has become injustice, growing like poisonous weeds in a plowed field. (GNT)

   and so-called justice spreads like a poisonous weed along the furrows of the fields (NJB) (CEV, GNT, NJB, NJPS, NLT)

2. It refers more specifically to legal disputes, lawsuits, and other legal transactions. It implies that these legal transactions are unjust or harmful. For example:

   and litigation spreads like a poisonous weed along the furrows of the fields (REB)

   Therefore legal disputes sprout up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a plowed field. (NET) (GW, NCV, NET, NIV, NRSV, REB)

3. It refers specifically to judgment, probably meaning a sentence of punishment.Hosea has many references to the LORD’s judgment of the nation of Israel. These references describe the many different ways he will punish the nation. For two examples of the identification of judgment with punishment, see the paragraph summary for 9:6–9 and the Section summary for 10:9–15. It implies that the judgment is unfair. For example:

   so judgment springs up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field (ESV) (BSB, ESV, KJV, NASB, RSV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretations (1) or (2). Both these interpretations have good commentary support. The first interpretation is more general, so it may apply to more situations. The second interpretation is supported by more lexicons. If possible, choose terms in your language that will fit either interpretation. The Display will give two examples of each.

poisonous weeds: This phrase refers to a poisonous plant that grows in place of a desirable plant.

in the furrows of a field: The furrows of a field are shallow trenches or hollows that farmers dig in the places where they plant their crops.

In areas that are not familiar with plowed fields, here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

in a farmer’s field (NLT)

where good plants/crops should grow

in their gardens