13:14a–d

Notice the parallel lines that are similar in meaning:Notice the poetic chiasmic structure: 14a grave, 14b death, 14c death, 14d grave.

^14aI will ransom them from the power of Sheol;

^14bI will redeem them from Death.

^14cWhere, O Death, are your plagues?

^14dWhere, O Sheol, is your sting?

There are two main interpretations of these four clauses:

1. The first two clauses are rhetorical questions. The implied answer is “No.” The LORD indicates by means of these rhetorical questions that he will punish Israel. For example:

   Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol? Shall I redeem them from Death? (NRSV) The second two clauses are also rhetorical questions. The LORD taunts death, implying, “Where is the destruction that you should bring to Israel?See Dearman (pages 328–329), Stuart (page 207), Davies (page 295), Macintosh (page 546), and Hubbard (page 221). For example:

   O Death, where are your plagues? O Sheol, where is your destruction? (NRSV) (CEV, GNT, NAB, NASB, NCV, NET, NJB, NLT, NRSV, REB).

2. The first two clauses are statements. The LORD promises to save the people of Israel. For example:

   I shall ransom them from the power of Sheol; I shall redeem them from Death. (ESV) The second two clauses are rhetorical questions. In light of the LORD’s preceding promise to save Israel, he here mocks death because it can no longer destroy.See Andersen and Freedman (pages 639–640), Keil (pages 104–105), McComiskey (pages 223–224), and Wood (page 221). For example:

   O Death, where are your plagues? O Sheol, where is your sting?In more literal versions, such as the NRSV and the ESV, the surface structure of the second set of rhetorical questions is the same in both interpretations. The meaning of 14a–b determines whether the message of the two questions here is bad/threatening or good/encouraging for the people of Israel. (ESV) (BSB, ESV, GW,The GW has statements for all four clauses. Unlike other versions that use statements, it uses the phrases “I want to…” It has been listed here, because it clearly supports the overall meaning of interpretation (2). KJV, NIV, NJPS)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with a majority of versions and commentaries. It best fits the context of judgment in the surrounding verses.Both the LXX and Syriac follow interpretation (2). However, many scholars hold that a promise of rescue here is out of place in the context of this whole paragraph that focuses on judgment. In addition, ch.12 and the first part of ch. 13 all deal with Israel’s terrible sins and the LORD’s determination to punish them. However, it should be noted that ch. 6:1–3 and ch. 14 both contain promises that the LORD will forgive the people and restore their nation. It is clear from 1 Corinthians 15:55 that the Apostle Paul either reads this verse in a positive light as do the early versions, or else in rabbinic fashion he reframes the original declaration of judgment into a proclamation of victory over death in light of Christ’s resurrection. See Dearman (pages 328–329). Calvin (pages 478–479) points out that the apostles sometimes focused on a single word or concept in a quoted passage rather than then conveying the entire thought. Here, Paul probably alluded indirectly to this Hosea text because of his desire to praise “the incredible power of God.”

Some versions translate in a way that makes the implied meanings more explicit. For example:

Will I deliver them from the power of Sheol? No, I will not! Will I redeem them from death? No, I will not! O Death, bring on your plagues! O Sheol, bring on your destruction! (NET)

Should I, the Lord, rescue you from death and the grave? No! I call death and the grave to strike you like a plague. (CEV)

The GNT translates the rhetorical questions in the first two clauses as statements:

I will not save this people from the world of the dead or rescue them from the power of death. (GNT)

This may be a good translation option if a rhetorical question is not natural or effective in your language.

13:14a–b

ransom…redeem: The Hebrew word for ransom means “transfer ownership of a person or object to another.”McComiskey (page 223). TWOT (#1734). The Hebrew word for redeem means here “reclaim [Israel] as one’s own.”HALOT (electronic edition, page 169). In this context of ransoming/redeeming from death, the words could be translated as “save/rescue.” For example:

Will I save them from the place of the dead? Will I rescue them from death? (NCV)

power of Sheol: The Hebrew phrase is more literally “hand of Sheol.” In Hebrew a common figurative meaning of “hand” is power or strength.TWOT (#844).

The word Sheol can refer to “place of the dead” or just “death.”McComiskey (pages 223–224).

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

the power of Sheol (RSV)

the place of the dead (NCV)

Some versions leave the word power implied. For example:

“Should I ransom them from the grave? (NLT)

13:14a

13:14b

13:14c

13:14d

13:14c–d

Where: Here the word Where does not ask about the literal location of plagues and destruction. It is used as part of a taunt. See interpretation (1) above. Some versions translate the taunt in a different way. For example, the NLT translates the rhetorical questions as commands:

O death, bring on your terrors! O grave, bring on your plagues! (NLT)

plagues: The Hebrew word means any kind of disease that causes death.BDB (#1698) and TWOT (#399b). The NASB has “thorns” here. “Thorns” is a second possible meaning of the word according to HALOT (electronic edition, page 212) sense II and NIDOTTE (#1823). However, only a small minority of versions follow it.

sting: There are two main interpretations of the meaning of the Hebrew word:

1. It means “destruction.” For example:

   O Sheol, where is your destruction? (NRSV) (GNT, GW, KJV, NET, NIV, NRSV)

2. It means sting. For example:

   O Sheol, where is your sting? (ESV) (BSB, ESV, NAB, NASB, REB)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). The most common meaning of the Hebrew word is “destruction.” It has good support from the majority of versions and scholars.BDB (#6986) and TWOT (#2007a) give “destruction” as the meaning of the Hebrew word. There is also some support for the meaning “sting.” The LXX and Syriac have “sting.” HALOT (electronic edition, page 1092) sense 3 and NIDOTTE (#7776) list “sting” as one sense of the word. However, both interpretations have good version support, so it is recommended that you give the other option in a footnote. For example:

This is what the Masoretic Text probably means. Some ancient and modern versions have “sting” here.

13:14e

Compassion is hidden from My eyes: The Hebrew word translated as Compassion is found only here in the Old Testament and the meaning is debated.For example, HALOT (electronic edition, page 689) gives the meaning as “compassion.” BDB (#5164) gives the meaning as “sorrow,” “repentance.” There are two main interpretations of this line:

1. The LORD will not show compassion.This interpretation is favored by Davies (page 296), Macintosh (pages 548–549), and Wood (page 221). See also the NET footnote on the first line of 13:14. For example:

   I will no longer have pity for this people. (GNT) (BSB, CEV, ESV, GNT, NASB, NCV, NET, NJB, NIV, NLT, REB)Most versions that follow this interpretation also follow interpretation (1) of 14a–d above, which says that the LORD will not rescue his people from death.

2. The LORD will not change his plan to save his people.This interpretation is favored by McComiskey (pages 223–224, Garrett (pages 264–265), and Keil (pages 104–105). For example:

   I won’t even think of changing my plans. (GW) (GW, KJV, NJPS)Versions that follow this interpretation also follow interpretation (2) of 14a–d above, that the LORD will rescue his people from death.

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most versions. It better fits the recommended interpretation in 14:a-d and the context of judgment in the surrounding verses.

Here are some other ways to translate this line:

I refuse to show mercy. (CEV)

For I will not take pity on them. (NLT)