HOS 2:4 Interlinear View

1. Hebrew word
2. Hebrew lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. Gloss
8. CAPS codes
9. OET tags
10. OET word #
2. 520623
3. -
4. -
6. -
8. S
9. -
10. 363832
1. וְ,אֶת
2. 520624,520625
3. and DOM
4. -
5. 853
6. SO-C,To
7. and=\untr DOM\untr*
8. -
9. Y-785; TProphecies_of_Hosea
10. 363833
2. 520626
3. -
4. -
6. -x-maqqef
8. -
9. -
10. 363834
1. בָּנֶי,הָ
2. 520627,520628
3. her/its sons/descendants
4. -
6. O-Ncmpc,Sp3fs
7. her/its=sons/descendants
8. -
9. Y-785; TProphecies_of_Hosea
10. 363835
1. לֹא
2. 520629
3. not
4. won't
5. 3808
6. S-Tn
7. not
8. -
9. Y-785; TProphecies_of_Hosea
10. 363836
1. אֲרַחֵם
2. 520630
3. I will have compassion on
4. I have mercy on
5. 7355
6. V-Vpi1cs
7. I_will_have_compassion_on
8. -
9. Y-785; TProphecies_of_Hosea
10. 363837
1. כִּי
2. 520631
3. if/because
4. →because
6. S-C
7. if/because
8. -
9. Y-785; TProphecies_of_Hosea
10. 363838
2. 520632
3. -
4. -
6. -x-maqqef
8. -
9. -
10. 363839
1. בְנֵי
2. 520633
3. +are children of
4. children
6. P-Ncmpc
7. [are]_children_of
8. -
9. Y-785; TProphecies_of_Hosea
10. 363840
1. זְנוּנִים
2. 520634
3. prostitution(s)
4. prostitution
5. 2183
6. P-Ncmpa
7. prostitution(s)
8. -
9. Y-785; TProphecies_of_Hosea
10. 363841
1. הֵמָּה
2. 520635
3. they
4. -
5. 1992
6. S-Pp3mp
7. they
8. -
9. Y-785; TProphecies_of_Hosea
10. 363842
2. 520636
3. -
4. -
6. -x-sof-pasuq
8. -
9. -
10. 363843

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 2:2–13: The LORD promised to punish the people of Israel

In this section, the LORD described the crisis that resulted from Israel being unfaithful to him by following other gods. He warned Israel about the punishment that he would inflict on them if they continued their unfaithfulness. There is a sharp contrast between the negative tone in this section and the positive tone in the previous one.

The first words of this section seem to be a command by Hosea to his children. He commanded them to rebuke their mother (2:2a). However, the words “declares the LORD” in 2:13c indicate that the LORD is the speaker throughout this section. The reason for this double reference is that this section has both literal and figurative meanings. Literally, it applies to the relationship between Hosea, his wife Gomer, and their children. Figuratively, it expresses the relationship between the LORD and Israel. In a complex metaphor, the nation of Israel is compared to the LORD’s wife. At the same time, the entire nation of Israel is compared to a mother, and the individual Israelites that made up the nation are compared to her children.Andersen and Freedman (pages 219–220) and Wood (page 175).

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

The LORD’s future punishment of Israel

Israel is the Lord’s unfaithful wife (GW)

Unfaithful Gomer—Unfaithful Israel (GNT)

Paragraph 2:2–5

This paragraph contains the first examples in Hosea of Hebrew poetry, including the use of parallel lines. See The form in the Introduction for more information on formatting poetry and translating parallel lines.

2:4a

I will have no compassion on her children,

I will also not show my love/pity to you^(plur), her children,

I will have no compassion on her children: Here the topic changes from the mother to her children. Some versions indicate this change by adding a word such as “also.” For example:

Upon her children also I will have no mercy (ESV)

You may want to do the same thing to help your readers notice the change of topic.

her children: This phrase refers literally to Gomer’s children. It also refers symbolically to the individual Israelites.

I will have no compassion: In Hebrew, the verb have…compassion is the same verb that was used in 1:6c. See how you translated it in that verse.

on her children: In 2:2a, the LORD says, “your mother” when he speaks to the children. Here in 2:4a, he speaks to the same group of people, but he refers to them as her children instead of “you children.” In some languages, it may be clearer to use the pronoun “you” here. For example:

You children…, I’ll show you no pity. (CEV)

2:4b

because they are the children of adultery.

because your^(plur) mother is a prostitute.
because you are the children of a woman who sleeps with other men.

because: This conjunction introduces the reason that the LORD will not show his love to her children. Some English versions translate it as “for” or because. Other versions leave this conjunction implied. Use a natural way in your language to introduce a reason.

they are the children of adultery: This is the reason that the LORD will not show his love to her children. The children were born to an immoral mother and shared the disgrace of their association with her.

In Hebrew, this expression is almost identical to the phrase “children of adultery” in 1:2b. The only difference is that a different Hebrew word for children is used. You should translate it in a way that is consistent with your translation there.

Here is another way to translate this clause here:

they are the children of a prostitute (NCV)

General Comment on 2:4a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to change the order of these verse parts. Notice that if the order is changed, it may be necessary to use a different conjunction between 2:4a and 2:4b. For example:

^4bAs for you children, your mother is a prostitute, ^4aso I will show you no pity.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

לֹ֣א אֲרַחֵ֑ם

not have_~_compassionon

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of compassion, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [I will not feel sorry for]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

בְנֵ֥י זְנוּנִ֖ים

sons_of whoredom

There is a double meaning here, because children of prostitutions means “children that result from prostitution” (as Gomer’s children were) as well as being a common expression of the culture to indicate that a person has a certain characteristic. In this case, the children (representing Israel) have the characteristic of being unfaithful to Yahweh. If this phrase does not have that meaning for your readers, use a comparable expression from your language that does have that meaning or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [children who are unfaithful]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

1. OET-LV words
2. OET-RV words
3. Strongs
4. Hebrew word
5. Hebrew lemma
6. Role/Morphology
7. Gloss
8. CAPS codes
9. OET tags
10. OET word #
1. and DOM
2. -
3. 1987,347
4. וְ,אֶת
5. 520624,520625
6. SO-C,To
7. and=\untr DOM\untr*
8. -
9. Y-785; TProphecies_of_Hosea
10. 363833
1. her/its sons/descendants
2. -
3. 1043,1978
4. בָּנֶ֖י,הָ
5. 520627,520628
6. O-Ncmpc,Sp3fs
7. her/its=sons/descendants
8. -
9. Y-785; TProphecies_of_Hosea
10. 363835
1. not
2. won't
3. 3835
4. לֹ֣א
5. 520629
6. S-Tn
7. not
8. -
9. Y-785; TProphecies_of_Hosea
10. 363836
1. I will have compassion on
2. I have mercy on
3. 7278
4. אֲרַחֵ֑ם
5. 520630
6. V-Vpi1cs
7. I_will_have_compassion_on
8. -
9. Y-785; TProphecies_of_Hosea
10. 363837
1. if/because
2. →because
3. 3482
4. כִּֽי
5. 520631
6. S-C
7. if/because
8. -
9. Y-785; TProphecies_of_Hosea
10. 363838
1. +are children of
2. children
3. 1043
4. בְנֵ֥י
5. 520633
6. P-Ncmpc
7. [are]_children_of
8. -
9. Y-785; TProphecies_of_Hosea
10. 363840
1. prostitution(s)
2. prostitution
3. 2018
4. זְנוּנִ֖ים
5. 520634
6. P-Ncmpa
7. prostitution(s)
8. -
9. Y-785; TProphecies_of_Hosea
10. 363841
1. they
2. -
3. 1877
4. הֵֽמָּה
5. 520635
6. S-Pp3mp
7. they
8. -
9. Y-785; TProphecies_of_Hosea
10. 363842

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The Hebrew text, lemmas, and morphology are all thanks to the OSHB and some of the glosses are from Macula Hebrew.