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)

7:12a–b

As they go, I will spread My net over them;

But on their way there, I will trap them as a hunter traps birds in a net.
But I will stop the Israelites as they attempt to go to Assyria and Egypt.

7:12a

As they go: This clause probably implies “As they go to Assyria” or “As they go to Assyria and Egypt.” The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as As has various possible meanings, depending on the context.

Here are some other ways to translate the clause:

When they go (NIV)

while they are flying (NET)

Wherever they turn (NJB)

7:12c

I will bring them down like birds of the air.

I will catch/net them as they take off.
I will not let them go far.

7:12b–c

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^12b I will spread My net over them;

^12c I will bring them down like birds of the air.

These lines expand the simile that compares Ephraim to a dove. Here the people of Israel are compared to a flock of birds that the LORD will capture in a net. The nonfigurative meaning is that the LORD will stop the Israelites as they attempt to go to Assyria and Egypt to negotiate alliances.

I will spread My net over them; I will bring them down like birds of the air: These lines figuratively describe the LORD as a bird trapper. A trapper throws a net over the birds just as they are beginning to take off. The net prevents them from flying away so that he can capture them.

birds of the air: In Hebrew, this phrase is a common way to refer to birds. In many languages, it is not natural to make the phrase of the air explicit. For example:

birds (REB)

7:12d

I will chastise them when I hear them flocking together.

Yes, when I hear them gathering like a flock of birds, I will capture them.
When the news spreads that they have gathered to negotiate an alliance, I will discipline them.

I will chastise them when I hear them flocking together: In Hebrew, this verse part is literally “I will chasten them at/when (or: “according to”) a report about/to their assembly.” There is a textual issue here:

The Masoretic Text has the words “report” and “assembly.” For example:
I shall take them captive when I hear them gathering.The REB expresses the Hebrew nouns “report” and “assembly” as verbs: “hear” (a report) and “gathering” (in an assembly). (REB) (BSB, ESV, KJV, NASB, NET, NIV, NJPS, NRSV, REB)
Some versions delete the word “report” and change the word “assembly” to “wicked.” For example:
I will chastise them for their wicked deeds. (RSV) (GW, GNT, NCV, NJB, NLT, RSV)

It is recommended that you follow option (1) along with all the commentaries used in preparing these Notes. The LXX and Vulgate both support the use of these words.See Macintosh (pages 275–279) for more details.

There are two main ways to interpret the Hebrew word that precedes “report”:

The word means “at” or when.McComiskey (page 112), Macintosh (page 276), and HALOT (#4305, sense 7b temporal). With this meaning, verse 7:12d refers to the time when the LORD will hear about the Israelites gathering together like a flock of birds. At that time, he will discipline them. For example:
I will discipline them when I hear them flocking together. (NET) (BSB, NET, NIV, NJPS, REB)
The word means “according to.” With this meaning, verse 7:12d indicates that the LORD will discipline the Israelites. He will do this in a way that accords with a report that is made to an assembly of people. For example:
I will discipline them according to the report made to their congregation. (ESV) (ESV, KJV, NASB, NRSV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). This interpretation continues the figurative description of the LORD as a trapper who catches birds in a net.

I will chastise them: In Hebrew, the word chastise is literally “chasten.” This word can refer to moral instruction, rebuke, or punishment. The purpose is to correct wrong behavior. In this context, it indicates that the LORD will discipline or punish the people of Israel.NIDOTTE (#3579) and Davies (page 140). He will probably do this by allowing Assyria to capture them and take them into exile.McComiskey (page 112) and Keil (page 109).

Here are some ways to translate 7:12d:

Use one or more metaphors that continue the figurative language of 7:12b–c. See the NIV, REB, and NET (quoted above).
Change one or more of the metaphors to a simile. For example:
When I hear them gathering together like a flock of birds, I will punish them.
Translate the meaning without using a figure of speech. For example:
I will chastise them when I hear their bargaining. (NJPS)

when I hear them flocking together: This clause translates the Hebrew words in a figurative way. It describes the time when a trapper hears the noise of birds that have gathered together in a flock.

This clause refers to the time when the LORD hears news about a group of people who have gathered together. This gathering may refer to Israel’s leaders who meet with representatives of Egypt and/or Assyria to seek aid from them.See Wood (page 199) and Macintosh (page 276).

uW Translation Notes:

General Information:

Yahweh is speaking.

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

(Occurrence 0) I will spread my net over them

(Some words not found in UHB: just=as go spread over,them net_of,my like,the_bird[s]_of the=heavens I,will_bring_them_down I,will_chasten_them according,to_a_report to,assembly_of,their )

This is a way to catch birds. Yahweh continues to compare the people of Israel to doves. When they go to Egypt or Assyria for help, Yahweh will punish them.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

(Occurrence 0) I will bring them down like the birds of the sky

(Some words not found in UHB: just=as go spread over,them net_of,my like,the_bird[s]_of the=heavens I,will_bring_them_down I,will_chasten_them according,to_a_report to,assembly_of,their )

Yahweh speaks of the way he will judge Israel as if they were birds that he would catch in a net. Alternate translation: “I will hunt them like birds” or “I will catch them like a hunter catches birds”

(Occurrence 0) in their flocking together

(Some words not found in UHB: just=as go spread over,them net_of,my like,the_bird[s]_of the=heavens I,will_bring_them_down I,will_chasten_them according,to_a_report to,assembly_of,their )

This expression extends the metaphor of the birds.

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

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 7:12

Hebrew word order

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

7:12a–b

7:12a

7:12c

7:12b–c

7:12d

General Information:

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