HOS 7:7 Interlinear View

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)

7:7a–d

This verse consists of two sets of parallel lines. In the first set, 7:7b gives the expected result of the people’s angry desire in 7:7a. In the second set, 7:7d gives the unexpected result of the deaths of their kings in 7:7c.

^7aAll of them are hot as an oven,

^7band they devour their rulers.

^7cAll their kings fall;

^7dnot one of them calls upon Me.

Notice that 7:7b and 7:7c are similar to each other in meaning. However, 7:7b describes the murders primarily from the standpoint of those who committed the murders. Verse 7:7c describes the murders from the standpoint of the kings who were murdered.

7:7a

All of them are hot as an oven,

Yes, their anger/emotion is like a hot oven/fire.
Due to their strong/hot feelings,

All of them are hot as an oven: This statement repeats the simile of the oven from 7:4 and 7:6. The word “hearts” is not made explicit here as it was in 7:6a, but the function of the simile is the same. It compares the people’s angry desire to do harm to the heat of an oven. Their intense emotions lead them to commit the specific acts of murder described in 7:7b–c.

Here are some other ways to translate this simile:

Their anger/emotion is like a hot oven.

In the heat of their anger (GNT)

All of them: This phrase may refer specifically to the people who are involved in the plot to murder the leaders of Israel. It may also refer more generally to the people of Israel. If possible, translate this phrase so that it can refer to either group.

All: This word refers here to the group as a whole, not necessarily to every individual in the group. Notice that the GNT (quoted above) does not make the word All explicit. You should use a natural way in your language to emphasize that the whole group was burning with anger.

7:7b

and they devour their rulers.

And like a fire that destroys what it burns, they destroy their rulers.
they murder their leaders.

they devour their rulers: In Hebrew, the word devour often refers literally to eating food. It also refers figuratively to a fire that “consumes” what it burns or a sword that “devours” those that it kills (see Leviticus 6:10, 10:2; Deuteronomy 32:42). In this context, it probably continues the figurative idea of the blazing flames and hot oven. A fire destroys what it burns or consumes. Similarly, the people referred to in 7:7a destroy or kill their rulers.BDB (#398, sense 1a4) and HALOT (#473, sense 3) give the word the figurative sense of “destroy” in this context. Andersen and Freedman (pages 460–461) understand a connection to the imagery of the oven. Stuart (page 120) says that 7:7 marks the climax of the oven simile.

Here are some ways to translate this figure of speech:

Use a figure of speech. For example:
They consume their judges [like a fire]. (GW)
Translate the meaning without using a figure of speech. For example:
they murdered their rulers (GNT)

their rulers: In Hebrew, the word rulers is literally judges. It can refer to any leader who governs or rules a group of people and is responsible for carrying out justice.BDB (#8199, sense 1a), TWOT (#2443). In this context, the phrase their rulers is a poetic parallel with their kings. It probably describes the same leaders.Andersen and Freedman (page 460), Keil (page 106), McComiskey (page 106), and Stuart (page 120) all identify the “judges” in 7:7b with the “kings” in 7:7c. Hubbard (pages 135–136) acknowledges that “judges (rulers) is an appropriate term to describe the kings whose responsibility was to enforce justice.” But he says that the word more likely refers here to the “princes” or “courtiers” who were responsible to carry out the king’s orders.

7:7c

All their kings fall;

The kings of Israel fall/die one after another.
Yes, they assassinate king after king.

All their kings fall: This expression is similar in meaning to the previous clause. It means that the kings of Israel are murdered.Keil (page 106) and McComiskey (page 106).

All: In this context the word All is a figure of speech (hyperbole). This figure of speech emphasizes that people kill many of the kings. It does not refer literally to every king of Israel.It probably refers to the kings of Israel who were assassinated following the death of Jeroboam II. Four of the six kings during that period were assassinated. McComiskey (page 106).

In some languages, a literal translation of this hyperbole may not be understood correctly.

Here are some other ways to translate it:

Their kings have been assassinated one after another (GNT)

They kill their kings one after another (NLT)

So many of their kings have died!

7:7d

not one of them calls upon Me.

And even in this terrible situation, no one calls to me for help.
Yet/But no one prays to me.

and: The phrase “none of them” contrasts with the phrases “all of them” in 7:7a and “All their kings” in 7:7c. Verse 7:7d also gives the unexpected result of the series of murders described in 7:7b–c.According to McComiskey, verse 7:7d expresses Hosea’s amazement that no one recognized the seriousness of their situation and asked God to deliver them (page 106). This line also expresses the LORD’s bitter disappointment that no one turned to him (Stuart, page 120). Hebrew the BSB and some other versions do not use a conjunction here. Some other versions use the word and or “but.” Use a natural way in your language to indicate that 7:7d is an unexpected result.

not one of them: This phrase may refer in a general way to none of the people of Israel. It may also refer specifically to none of the kings or government officials. If possible, translate this phrase so that it can refer to either group.

calls upon Me: This phrase means to pray to God.

Here are some other ways to translate 7:7d:

but no one prays to me for help (GNT)

and no one cries out to me for help (NLT)

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 7:7