14:7a

They will return and dwell in his shade: There are textual and interpretation issues in this clause. The first textual issue concerns the relationship of the subject and predicate. The issue of his/my shade will be discussed separately.

1. The LXX has “they will return and they will sit under his shelter.” With this option, the subject “they” will do two things: return and dwell. Some versions imply return by the phrase “dwell again.” The word dwell functions as a verb. For example:

   People will reside again in his shade (NET) (BSB, ESV, GNT, GW, NAB, NCV, NET, NIV, NJB, NLT, NRSV, REB)

2. The Masoretic Text has “they will return [those who] dwell in its/his shade.”This option regards the word “dwell” to be a participial noun. It is favored by Andersen and Freedman, Keil, Garrett, Macintosh, and Wood. With this option, those who return are identified as those who dwell in his shade. The word dwell functions as the participial noun “dwellers.” For example:

   They that dwell under his shadow shall return (KJV) (KJV, NJPSThe NJPS has “They who sit in his shade shall be revived.” It translates the Hebrew verb “return” as “be revived.” It is an unusual translation of “return” that lacks support from commentaries and other versions.)

It is recommended that you follow option (1) along with most versions.The vast majority of versions more closely resemble the LXX/Peshitta than the Masoretic Text for this clause.

There are two main interpretations of the word that the BSB translates as return:

1. The word means “again.”HALOT (electronic edition, page 1430) 5. followed by a second verb: “to do again, be again.” Here the word is interpreted to be an auxiliary verb followed by the main verb, “dwell.” This view is preferred by Carroll (page 303). Davies (page 307) also mentions the NIV (“dwell again”) as an alternate translation. For example:

   Again they shall dwell in his shade (NAB) (GNT, GW, NAB, NCV, NET, NIV, NLT, NRSV, REB)

2. The word means return.HALOT (electronic edition, page 1429) 1. “to turn back, return.” This may refer to the future return of the exiles to Israel. This view is preferred by Davies (page 307), McComiskey (page 233), Stuart (page 216), and Garrett (pages 275–278) (who cites rabbinic scholar ibn Ezra). For example:

   They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow (ESV) (BSB, ESV, NJB, RSV)

You may follow either interpretation. Interpretation (1) is supported by most versions. Interpretation (2) is supported by more commentaries. Each interpretation implies the other one. The Display will follow interpretation (1) but will include return in the 2nd ML as implied information.

dwell: This word means to inhabit or reside somewhere. Here are some other ways to translate this word:

live (GW)

reside (NET)

in his shade: There is a textual issue in this phrase regarding the referent of the pronoun his:

1. The pronoun refers to “Israel.”See Keil (page 108), Andersen and Freedman (page 647), Garrett (pages 275–278), Dearman (page 342), Davies (page 307), and Wood (page 224). For example:

   People will reside again in his shade. (NET) (BSB, NET, NIV, NLT96)

2. The pronoun refers to God.Some scholars suggest that the Hebrew text should be changed from “in his shade” to “in my shade.” Other explanations that do not require a change to the Hebrew text are possible. For example, the LORD may refer to himself in the third person, as “his.” Or if Hosea is now the speaker, then “his” could refer to God. This interpretation is followed by many modern versions. However, it has weak support. The MT, the LXX, and the Peshitta all have “his.” A main objection to this interpretation is that it goes against the context of the plant similes in 14:5–7 that describe the nation of Israel. Garrett (pages 275–278), Stuart (page 216), Macintosh (page 573) and Dearman (page 342) speak against this interpretation. For example:

   My people will again live under my shade. (NLT) (CEV, ESV, GNT, GW, NCV, NJB, NLT, NRSV, REB)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). It has good support from commentaries as well as the LXX and the Peshitta. Verses 5 and 6 describe the nation of Israel figuratively as a cedar tree. It is reasonable to assume that this verse continues this figurative description.

The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as shade means “shadow, shade, as protection from sun.”BDB (#6738). Here the meaning is figurative. It refers to the figurative shade/shadow of the tree, which is Israel in the future.

Here are some implications of this figure of speech:

1. The shade describes the protection offered by the restored state of Israel.Macintosh (page 574). The Hebrew word has a secondary meaning of “protection.”

2. The shade describes the means for the people to flourish.Keil (page 108).

3. The shade describes Israel’s security and fruitfulness.Dearman (page 342).

4. The shade describes Israel’s covenant with God.Those who dwell in his shade are those who live under the umbrella or “shade” of the national covenant. Stuart (page 216).

14:7b

they will grow grain: In Hebrew, this clause is literally “they will cause grain to live.” There are two main interpretations of this Hebrew clause:

1. It means that the people of Israel will grow grain.This interpretation is favored by Macintosh (page 573), McComiskey (page 233) and Keil (Page 108). It fits the standard meaning of the verb in Piel, “cause (something) to live” (although its use with grain is not typical). For example:

   they will plant and harvest grain in abundance (NET) (BSB, CEV, GNT, NAB, NASB, NET, NJB, NJPS)

2. It means that the people will flourish like grain.This interpretation is favored by Andersen and Freedman (page 647), Wood (page 224), Garrett (pages 275–278), and Davies (page 307). A difficulty is that the Hebrew text does not explicitly indicate comparison here. This interpretation requires significant changes to the syntax of the line. It changes the grammatical subject/agent from “they” (the people) to an unstated subject (presumably God). It also changes the grammatical object of the Hebrew verb “cause to live” from “grain” to “people.” These changes are not supported by the MT syntax. For example:

   They shall flourish like the grain. (ESV) (ESV, GW, KJV, NCV, NIV, NLT, REB)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). It makes good sense without any changes to the grammar of the Hebrew text.

grain: There is a textual issue concerning the Hebrew word for grain:

1. The word is grain.Note that some versions use “corn” or “wheat” as a generic equivalent of grain. For example:

   They shall bring to life new grain. (NJPS) (BSB, CEV, ESV, GNT, GW, NAB, NASB, NCV, NET, NJB, NJPS, NLT, REB)

2. Some scholars think that the original word was “garden.” For example:

   They shall flourish as a garden. (NRSV) (NRSV)

It is recommended that you follow option (1) along with most versions. It makes good sense without any changes to the Hebrew text.Garrett (pages 275–278) and Davies (page 307) state that the emendation to “garden” is unsupported and improbable.

14:7c

blossom like the vine: There are two main interpretations of this clause:

1. The clause is a simile that compares Israel to a vine. Israel will blossom in a way similar to a vine. For example:

   And they will blossom like the vine. (NASB) (BSB, CEV, ESV, GNT, GW, NAB, NASB, NCV, NET, NIV, REB)

2. The clause means that the people of Israel will make vines grow. For example:

   They will make the vine flourish (NJB) (NJB)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most versions.

The word blossom is the same as in 14:5b “he will blossom like the lily.” See the note there for more information on blossom.

The Hebrew word for vine indicates grape vines as a collective. Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

They will blossom like grapevines (GW)

and be fruitful like a vineyard (GNT)

14:7d

His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon: This clause is more literally “its memorial [will be] like the wine of Lebanon.” There are two main interpretations of the Hebrew word for “memorial” that the BSB translates here as renown:

1. The word means “memorial.” A memorial is something that people remember about a thing or a place.BDB (#2143) 2. “memorial, by which one is remembered b. renown (of Israel).” For example:

   They will be as famous as the wine of Lebanon. (GNT) (BSB, CEV, ESV, GNT, GW, NASB, NCV, NET, NIV, REB)

2. The word means “fragrance.”This meaning was originally suggested by rabbinic scholars ibn Janah, Kimchi and Ezra as parallel to the last line of verse 6, “his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon.” See Macintosh (page 574). However, Davies (page 307) regards this meaning to be a mistranslation. For example:

   their fragrance shall be like the wine of Lebanon (NRSV) (KJV, NASB, NLT, NRSV)

It is recommended that you follow option (1) along with a majority of versions. It fits the standard meaning of the Hebrew word. The word “fragrance” is not an actual meaning of the Hebrew word in this clause.

This clause is a simile that compares people’s memory of Israel to people’s memory of the wine of Lebanon. Many people knew about the wine of Lebanon and had a high opinion of it. Likewise, many people will know about Israel and have a high opinion of it.