OET interlinear HOS 8:7

8:7

This verse uses terms from farming to describe the current agricultural weakness of Israel and its partial conquest by foreign troops.

8:7a–b

Notice the parallel parts that form a saying:

^7aFor they sow the wind,

^7band they shall reap the whirlwind.

The Bible has various sayings about sowing and reaping. This saying is a complex metaphor about the undesirable consequences of the people’s actions. This metaphor compares the people to farmers who habitually plant a small crop (“the wind”) and harvest a much larger and undesirable crop (“the whirlwind”).

they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: In this metaphor, the wind represents the people’s foolish, worthless behavior. the whirlwind represents the severe punishment that they will receive as a result.Stuart (page 134).

Here are some other ways to translate this complex metaphor:

• Keep the metaphor. For example:

  “The people of Israel plant the wind, but they harvest a storm. (GW)

• Change the metaphor of sowing and reaping to a simile. For example:

  “What they habitually plant is like a wind, and what they will harvest is like a whirlwind.

• Change the metaphor to a simile and make the meaning of the wind and/or the whirlwind explicit. For example:

  “Israel's foolish actions are like planting the wind, but their punishment will be like harvesting a terrible storm.

In Hebrew, this saying begins with a conjunction that can be understood in at least two different ways in this context. Any of the following options is acceptable:

• It introduces a statement that refers back to the people’s idol worship. For example:

  For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. (BSB, RSV)

  Indeed, they have planted wind and will harvest a storm!

• It introduces the reason they will reap a whirlwind. The reason is because they have sown the wind. For example:

  Since they sow the wind, they will reap the whirlwind (NJB)

In some languages, it may be more natural to leave the connection with the preceding verse(s) implied. Many versions, including the GW (quoted above) do this. Use a natural way in your language to indicate the relationship of 8:7a–b to the surrounding context.

whirlwind: In Hebrew, the word whirlwind in the metaphor refers to a wind storm that causes severe destruction.

If whirlwinds are not known in your language area, here are some ways to translate the word:

• Use a descriptive term. For example:

  violent wind storm

• Use a word in your language for a similar storm that occurs in your area. For example:

  typhoon

  hurricane

  sandstorm

  cyclone

8:7c–d

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:Andersen and Freedman (page 499) consider these two lines to be parts of a conditional (“if”) statement: “If standing grain has no growth, it will produce no flour.” See also Stuart (page 134). The CEV, GNT, and GW combine these lines with the first part of the verse in different ways that suggest a similar condition. However, most scholars and versions treat these lines as parallel statements with the first line expressing an existing fact rather than a hypothetical condition.

^7c There is no standing grain;

^7d what sprouts fails to yield flour.

These lines continue to use farming terms, as in 8:7a–b. They describe a particular crop that does not produce grain.

8:7c

There is no standing grain: This clause refers to a wheat or barley plant.According to HALOT (electronic edition, p. 1108), the plant described here is probably wheat, but may also be barley. This kind of plant has a head at the top of the stalk that produces kernels of grain. The grain plant that is described here has grown tall in a field. But it has no grain on it, so there is nothing to harvest.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

There are no heads on the standing grain (REB)

A field of grain that does not ripen (GW)

No grain/wheat has grown on the tall plants

8:7d

what sprouts fails to yield flour: This clause means that what sprouts will not produce any grain. As a result, there will be nothing to grind into flour.

flour: In Hebrew, this word can refer to either flour or grain/wheat that is ready to be ground into flour.HALOT (electronic edition, p. 1108), Keil (page 114), Macintosh (page 312), and McComiskey (page 128) understand the meaning to be grain ready to be ground into flour. TWOT (#2033a) and Andersen and Freedman (page 499) understand the meaning to be flour. You may translate it either way. If you translate it as flour (as in the BSB), make sure that the connection between the plant and flour is clearly understood. In some cases, it may be clear from your translation of 8:7c.

Here are some ways to translate this clause:

The result is that there is no flour.

so there is nothing to use for making flour

there is no wheat to grind into flour

You may also translate in a more general way. For example:

it produces nothing (NCV)

8:7e

Even if it should produce, the foreigners would swallow it up: In Hebrew, the first clause functions like a conditional (if) statement. It describes a hypothetical situation. Even if the plants did produce some grain, foreigners would eat it.

Here are some other ways to translate both clauses:

Even if it did produce grain, foreigners would eat it all. (GW)

And even if there is any grain, foreigners will eat it. (NLT)

Even if it should produce: In Hebrew, the object of produce is only implied. Some versions translate this clause in a general way. For example:

But even if it did (GNT)

Even if it produced something (NCV)

Other versions make what it produces explicit. For example:

it will produce no flour (NIV)

Even if you harvest grain (CEV)

the foreigners would swallow it up: The Hebrew word for foreigners is literally “strangers.” It refers here to people from enemy nations who have invaded the land of Israel.HALOT (electronic edition, p. 279) identifies the “strangers” as people who are not Israelites.

Here is another way to translate this line:

people from other countries would take it and eat it