HOS 6:10 Interlinear View

6:10 OSHB variant note: שעריריה: (x-qere) ’שַׁעֲרֽוּרִיָּ֑ה’: lemma_8186 b n_1 morph_HAafsa id_28g5b שַׁעֲרֽוּרִיָּ֑ה

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 6:4–7:16: The people persisted in their sins

In this section, the LORD again spoke to the people of Israel and Judah. In contrast to the people’s future repentance (6:1–3), he gave examples of their current disloyalty and corruption, including their reliance on other nations instead of him. They continued to commit sins, and they refused to seek him. He announced that he would judge them, and he illustrated his coming judgment in various ways.

In this section, the Hebrew text sometimes uses second person pronouns (“you”) and sometimes third person pronouns (“they” or “he”) to refer to the people of Israel. The BSB follows the Hebrew pronoun usage. It uses “they” in 6:5–10, “you” in 6:4 & 11, and “they” or “he” in 7:1–16. Throughout these verses the LORD is the speaker, and he either addresses the people directly or speaks about them.

English versions all use “you” in 6:11 and “they” in chapter 7, but they differ in the way they use the pronouns in 6:5–10. You should use the most natural and least confusing way in your language to handle the pronouns in 6:5–10. In 6:7–10, the Display will follow the BSB pronoun choice in the first meaning line and give another pronoun choice in the second meaning line. See the note on “you” in 2:16b–c, where the pronoun changes are similar.

Here are some other examples of section headings:

Transitory Faithfulness and Imminent Judgment (NET)

Impenitence of Israel and Judah (NRSV)

Paragraph 6:7–7:2

In this paragraph, the LORD gave examples of how the people of Israel had failed to know him and had failed to show love to him and others.

6:10a

In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing:

I have seen the horrible things that people are doing in Israel!
I have seen something disgusting in the nation of Israel.

In the house of Israel: The expression house of Israel is a figure of speech that probably refers to the land of the northern kingdom of Israel.The NJB and the REB have "At Bethel“ here. This translation is apparently based on the interpretation that the ”horrible thing“ is the golden calf at Bethel. However, this interpretation is not adequate evidence to support a textual change from ”house of Israel“ to ”house of God” (Bethel). Most commentaries do not even mention this option. See Macintosh (page 245) and Stuart (page 112), who both mention it but do not support the change.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

in Israel (GNT)

in the nation of Israel (GW)

See how you translated this phrase in 1:6c.

I have seen: These words indicate that the LORD personally witnessed the evil that the people did.

a horrible thing: This phrase refers to something disgusting that people react to with horror. In this context, it probably refers to all kinds of wickedness, including the shameful crimes in 6:9 and also the prostitution in 6:10b–c. Use a general term for something disgusting or horrible that can refer to all these sins. For example:

terrible thing (NASB)

disgusting thing (NET)

something horrible (NLT)

6:10b–c

(combined/reordered)

The people of Israel are unfaithful to me. They are like a woman who sleeps with different men.

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^10b Ephraim practices prostitution there,

^10cand Israel is defiled.

Ephraim…Israel: In this context, the parallel names Ephraim and Israel are used for poetic effect. They both refer to the people of Israel. Some versions make only the name Israel explicit here. For example:

Look at Israel’s prostitution; Israel has become unclean. (NCV)

6:10b

Ephraim practices prostitution there,

There the people of Ephraim behave like a prostitute.
You^(plur) are unfaithful, like a woman who sells her body to men.

practices prostitution: This phrase is similar to the phrase “be promiscuous” in 4:10b. (See that note for more discussion.) It refers literally to the people committing sexual sin. It also refers symbolically to their worship of false gods. If possible, translate this phrase in a way that can refer to both referents. For example:

Ephraim is acting like a prostitute (GW)

you are unfaithful (CEV)

there: This word refers back to the phrase “in the house of Israel” in 6:10a. Some versions leave this word implied. For example:

Ephraim is acting like a prostitute (GW)

6:10c

and Israel is defiled.

Yes, the people of Israel are impure/unclean.
You^(plur) are not fit to worship me.

is defiled: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as is defiled is literally “it has made itself unclean.” The BSB translated the it the same way in 5:3c–d. The word refers to the people’s moral impurity. It also refers to their becoming spiritually impure by breaking the commands of their covenant with the LORD. The people were guilty of both kinds of impurity.

Here are some other ways to translate this Hebrew word:

has become unclean (NCV)

have defiled themselves (NLT96)

General Comment on 6:10b–c

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine the parallel parts into one line. For example:

you are unfaithful and unfit to worship me (CEV)

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

6:10 OSHB variant note: שעריריה: (x-qere) ’שַׁעֲרֽוּרִיָּ֑ה’: lemma_8186 b n_1 morph_HAafsa id_28g5b שַׁעֲרֽוּרִיָּ֑ה

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.

OET interlinear HOS 6:10

Hebrew word order