7:14a

They do not cry out to Me from their hearts: In Hebrew, cry out means to call for help in a time of distress.TWOT (#570). Another way to translate cry out to Me is “pray to me.” For example:

They do not pray to me (NET)

from their hearts: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “in their heart.” For Hebrew speakers, the heart was the center of reason and emotion. To fail to cry out to God “in” or “from their heart” indicates that the people refused to sincerely request help from God.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

They don’t pray to me sincerely (GW)

They do not cry out to me with sincere hearts (NLT)

7:14a–b

7:14b

but: This word introduces a contrast with the previous statement.

Here is another way to introduce this contrast:

Instead, they sit on their couches and wail (NLT)

Use a natural way in your language to introduce a contrast with the previous statement.

when they wail upon their beds: This part of the sentence describes what the people do instead of sincerely crying out to God in prayer. They lie on their beds and wail because of their hopeless despair or sorrow. These words may also indicate that they cry out in pain from slashing themselves as part of idol worship.Keil (page 109) and McComiskey (page 115). See the note on “they slash themselves” in 7:14c.

beds: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as beds describes a place where people normally lie down and sleep. It can refer to a sleeping mat as well as a piece of furniture.NIDOTTE (#5435). Here in Hosea 7:14, beds may be associated with the ritual sexual activity that was part of idol worship.Stuart (page 123).

Here are some other ways to translate this verse part:

They just lie on their beds and cry (NCV)

They howl in distress on their beds (NET)

7:14c

They slash themselves for grain and wine: There is a textual issue here:

1. The LXX and some Hebrew manuscripts have “For grain and new wine they cut themselves.” For example:

   They slash themselves for grain and new wine (NET) (BSB, CEV, ESV, GNT, GW, NAB, NET, NIV2011, NJB, NLT, NRSV, REB)

2. The Masoretic Text has “For grain and new wine they assemble themselves.” For example:

   They come together to ask for grain and new wine. (NCV) (NASB, KJV, NCV, NIV)

It is recommended that you follow option (1). It makes good sense and fits the context well. It is also easy to explain how the Masoretic Text could be a variant form of the Hebrew word for “cut themselves.”In Hebrew, the letters r (ר) and d (ד) are very similar. A scribe might easily have written r instead of d, so that MT's ytgwrrw (“assemble themselves”) may have come from an original ytgwddw (“cut themselves”). See McComiskey (page 115), ICC (page 280), and Andersen and Freedman (page 475).

They slash themselves: The act of gashing or cutting oneself was a pagan Canaanite custom. The people hoped that Baal would respond to their self- mutilation by providing good crops.Davies (pages 190–191) and NET (footnote b on 7:14). Some versions make this pagan connection explicit. For example:

and slashed themselves, in the hope that Baal will bless their crops. (CEV)

for grain and new wine: This phrase gives the reason that the people cut themselves. They were motivated by a desire to obtain the food and drink they needed to live. For more information on this phrase, see the notes on “grain, new wine, and oil” in 2:8b.

7:14d

but turn away from Me: This verse part may function as a summary or a conclusion to the previous statement. It may also function as a transition to the next verse.Stuart (page 123) suggests that this statement is the first part of a chiasm that continues in verse 15.

but: In Hebrew and in some English versions, this verse part does not begin with a conjunction. The connection with 7:14c is implied. For example:

They have turned against me. (GW)

In other versions, a contrast is made explicit. For example:

^14cThey slash themselves for grain and new wine, ^14dbut turn away from me. (NET)

turn away from Me: There is a textual issue here:

1. The Masoretic Text has “they turn away from me.” For example:

   They turn away from Me (NASB) (BSB, NASB, NET, NCV, NIV, NLT, REB)

2. The Syriac and Targum have “they rebel against me.” For example:

   They are still rebelling against me (NJB) (ESV, GNT, KJV, NAB, NJB, NRSV)

It is recommended that you follow option (1). The Masoretic Text makes good sense and fits the context. It carries both the ideas of turning away from God and turning against God.An argument in favor of option (2) is that the preposition bǝ “against,” which occurs here, fits better with the verb “rebel” than with “turn.” See Davies (page 191). However, according to Hubbard (page 141), the preposition can indicate separation. Keil (page 110) also prefers the MT. According to him, the verb with this preposition implies “depart and turn against God.” “McComiskey (page 115) agrees that the preposition may add a sense of hostility to the people's departure from God.”