HOS 9:6 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 9:1–9: The LORD will punish the Israelites

This section warns the people of Israel that the LORD will punish them because they have been unfaithful to him. When that happens, the people will no longer be able to celebrate at harvest time or enjoy the crops from their land. The section describes aspects of daily life that the people in Israel would clearly understand. Some examples are harvest festivals (9:1, 5), threshing grain and making wine (9:2), unclean food (9:3–4), offerings and sacrifices (9:4), briers and thorns (9:6), and prophets (9:7–8). There is also an indirect reference to Israel’s past (9:9).

Here are some other examples of section headings:

The Lord Will Punish Israel (ESV)

Hosea announces Israel’s Punishment (NLT)

Israel Will Be Punished (CEV)

The Sorrows of Exile (NJB)

Paragraph 9:1–6

This paragraph tells about joyful activities that the people will no longer experience when they are in exile in Assyria. In exile, they will no longer have joyful harvests or be able to offer acceptable sacrifices to God. Instead of rejoicing, they will mourn.

9:6a

For even if they flee destruction,

¶ Some of the people will not be killed/destroyed. But when they try to escape,
¶ For look! The people will flee from destruction. But even so,
¶ Because even if some are able to escape from their devastated/ruined country/land,

For even if they flee destruction: In Hebrew, this phrase is more literally “for look/behold they have gone from devastation.”The RSV follows a proposed Hebrew text that supposedly had “Assyria” here instead of the word meaning “from devastation.” This yields “they are going to Assyria.” However, this proposal has no support from ancient texts or versions. See Davies (page 218) and Andersen and Freedman (page 530). Hosea uses the past tense “have gone” here to indicate that fulfillment of this prophecy is absolutely certain. Some versions use past tense. For example:

What a scene of devastation they have left! (NJB)

For look, the people have fled from a scene of devastation (REB)

In most languages, it will be clearer to use non-past or future verbs as Hebrew does in 9:6b–e. The meaning lines in the Display will do the same.

This verse part means that when their enemy destroys their cities and land, the people of Israel who are still alive will try to escape. But if they do escape, the event(s) in 6:b-c will still happen.

Here are some other ways to translate this verse part:

Even if they escape without being destroyed (GW)

When the disaster comes and the people are scattered (GNT)

In Hebrew, the first two words of this clause are literally “For look,” as in the REB quoted above.

The word For introduces the reason the people will not be able to celebrate their feasts (see 9:5). It is because Israel will be destroyed, and the people who escape the destruction will never live there again. For example:

For even if they escape destruction (NRSV)

The word “look” draws attention to the statement that follows it.McComiskey (page 141) identifies the functions of both Hebrew words. Some versions translate the word literally here. For example:

Look! Even if they flee from the destruction (NET)

Some English versions leave the words For and “look” implied.

9:6b–c

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^6b Egypt will gather them

^6cand Memphis will bury them.

These lines indicate that the people of Israel will die in a land that is foreign to them. Egypt and Memphis probably refer indirectly here to Israel’s past, when the people died in the foreign land of Egypt.Keil (page 121), McComiskey (page 141), and Wood (page 204). Hosea compares their future exile and death in Assyria to their slavery and death in Egypt in the past. This is similar to 9:3b.Another possibility is that these lines refer to literal Egypt and Memphis. See Davies (page 218), Macintosh (page 350), Andersen and Freedman (page 530), Hubbard (page 158), and Stuart (page 144).

9:6b

Egypt will gather them

it is as though the land of Egypt will gather them to face punishment/exile,
the Egyptians will gather/capture them and lead them to their final destination in exile.

Egypt will gather them: There are two ways to interpret the word gather here:

It refers here to gathering people together to be punished. They will be captured and sent/guided to their destination in exile. The captives will later die in exile and be buried. For example:
Egypt will capture them (NCV)
Egypt will round them up (NJB) (CEV, GW, NAB, NCV, NET, NJB, NJPS, NLT, REB)The NLT has “Egypt will conquer you.” Although conquering an enemy does not necessarily imply rounding them up and sending them into exile, it has been listed here, because this rendering could not refer to gathering people for burial.
It refers here to gathering up dead bodies. The bodies will then be buried. For example:
Egypt will gather them up (NASB)
The Egyptians will gather them up—gather them for burial… (GNT) (BSB, ESV, GNT, KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV)The BSB, ESV, NIV, and NRSV all have “gather them.” They have been listed here because of the parallel phrase “bury them,” but these versions are technically ambiguous. In contrast to the KJV, NASB, and GNT, which unambiguously translate “gather up,” they could also refer to gathering the people for punishment.

The Display will follow interpretation (1) along with most versions. It fits better with the preceding context in chapter 8 and with 9:6a. However, interpretation (2) fits better with the parallel phrase “will bury them.”According to Davies (page 219), “gather” refers here to gathering up bodies in order to bury them. Keil and Hubbard follow the same view. However, McComiskey (page 142) understands the verb to mean “gather for punishment,” as in 8:10. Wood (page 204) also supports the second interpretation. He says that “the people will be taken captive; they will be gathered by Egypt…and buried by Memphis.” According to footnote (c) in the NET, the verb has the implication “grab hold” in this context. It “pictures a personified Egypt taking the fugitives prisoner.” Whichever interpretation you follow, it is suggested that you put the other interpretation in a footnote.

9:6c

and Memphis will bury them.

and the city of Memphis will bury them.
They will be buried in the graveyards of Memphis!

and Memphis will bury them: Memphis was an important city in the country of Egypt. It was well known for its large burial grounds and pyramid tombs.Davies (page 219), Macintosh (page 349), Andersen and Freedman (page 530), Hubbard (page 158), Stuart (page 144), and Wood (204).

Hosea describes Memphis as if it is a person who buries dead bodies. This is a figure of speech (personification). In some languages, it may not be clear or natural to say that a country or a city buries people.

Here are some other ways to express the meaning:

Memphis will be their grave (REB)

they will be buried in the city/graveyards of Memphis

the people of Memphis will bury them

9:6d–e

(combined/reordered)

Their treasures of silver and the places where their homes once stood will be overgrown with weeds and thorn bushes. (GNT)

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^6d Their precious silver will be taken over by thistles,

^6eand thorns will overrun their tents.

These lines describe what will happen to the former possessions and property of the people of Israel after the Assyrians take the people into exile. It will be abandoned and weeds will grow there.McComiskey (page 142).

9:6d

Their precious silver will be taken over by thistles,

Nettles/Thistles will become like the new owners of the silver that they love/value so much.
The silver articles/objects that they treasure/value will be left behind to be overgrown with briers.

Their precious silver will be taken over by thistles: In Hebrew, this clause is more literally “nettles will take possession of their treasure of silver.” Normally it is people who take possession of things.Andersen and Freedman (page 531). Also see TWOT (#920) for information on “take possession of.” However, in this clause, it is thorny weeds that figuratively take possession of the treasures of the people.

Their precious silver: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as precious refers to something that is pleasant or desirable.TWOT (#673d). The Hebrew word for silver can refer to literal silver or money.TWOT (#1015a). Here the phrase precious silver may be a figure of speech that refers to wealth.Stuart (page 144) and McComiskey (page 141). Either way, it refers to treasures that are precious to the people.

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

the silver they treasure (NET)

thistles: In Hebrew, this word means “thistle” or “nettle.”TWOT (#2037). These are thorny weeds.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

Nettles shall possess their precious things of silver (ESV)

Weeds will grow over their silver treasures. (GW)

9:6e

and thorns will overrun their tents.

Thorn bushes will grow inside their tents.
Thorns will grow in the places where their homes were once located.

and thorns will overrun their tents: In Hebrew, this clause is more literally “thorn[s] [will be] in their tents.” The Hebrew word for tents can also mean “dwellings.”TWOT (#32a). It probably refers to the former homes of the people of Israel.McComiskey (page 141) and Davies (page 220). Thorns will grow where their homes were once located.

thorns: In Hebrew, this word means “brier” or “bramble.”TWOT (#620a). It is a thorny weed similar to “nettle” in the previous clause.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

Thorns will grow over their tents. (GW)

and thorn-bushes will invade their homesteads (NJB)

General Comment on 9:6d–e

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the parallel parts in these two lines. See 9:6d–e (combined/reordered) in the Display for an example.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / 123person

(Occurrence 0) if they escape

(Some words not found in UHB: that/for/because/then/when see/lo/see! flee from_[the],devastation Miʦrayim/(Egypt) it,will_gather_them Mof/(Memphis) it,will_bury_them precious_things_of of,silver_of,their nettles it,will_take_possession_of_them thorns [will,be]_of,in_their_tents )

Here “they” still refers to the people of Israel. You can continue stating this is second person. Alternate translation: “if you escape”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

(Occurrence 0) Egypt will gather them, and Memphis will bury them

Egypt and Memphis refer to the people who live there. Alternate translation: “the army of Egypt will capture you. You will die there, and the people in the city of Memphis will bury you”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

(Occurrence 0) As for their treasures of silver—sharp briers will possess them

Briers growing in the places where Israelites stored their silver is spoken of as if the briers were human enemies that would take the Israelite’s precious possessions for themselves. Alternate translation: “Sharp briers will grow where they store their treasures of silver”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

(Occurrence 0) sharp briers will possess them, and thorns will fill their tents

Here “sharp briers” and “thorns” mean the same thing. To have briers and thorns growing represents a land that has become desolate and like a wilderness. (See also: figs-metonymy)

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

(Occurrence 0) their tents

Here “tents” represents the Israelites’ homes.

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 9:6

Hebrew word order