9:7 OSHB note: We agree with both BHS 1997 and BHQ on an unexpected reading.

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 9:7–9

In this paragraph, Hosea warns the people that God’s judgment is certain because of their many sins. This judgment will involve the total destruction of their cities (See Paragraph 8:11–14). Because of this devastation, few if any people will be able to live in the land. Those who escape death will face future punishment as slaves/exiles in Assyria (See the notes on 8:10b and 8:10c).

9:7a–b

(combined/reordered)

It is almost the time when you^(plur) will be punished by Yahweh to pay for your sins.

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^7a The days of punishment have come;

^7b the days of retribution have arrived—

These lines are a warning. The underlined parts refer to the time when the LORD will begin to punish the people to pay for their sins. The parts in bold print indicate that this will happen very soon. See the first note on 9:6a.According to Keil (page 122), McComiskey (page 144), and Andersen and Freedman (page 532), this is probably another instance of “prophetic perfect.” Here it indicates certainty that the days of punishment will come.

The days of punishment…days of retribution: These parallel phrases both describe the same time and the same event(s). They refer to the suffering that the people of Israel will experience in exile. The first phrase indicates that this suffering is a punishment. The second phrase indicates that the LORD will require them to suffer as payment for the wrongs they have done.TWOT (#2401g). McComiskey (page 144), Hubbard (page 158), and Stuart (page 145).

days…days: In Hebrew and in many English versions, these words are identical. They refer here to an indefinite period of time.Stuart (page 145).

Here are some acceptable ways to translate these parallel terms:

Use the same term in both lines. For example:
The days…the days (NJB)
The time…the time (GNT)
Use different terms in each line. For example:
The time…the day (NLT)

Here are some other ways to translate the parallel lines:

^7aThe time for them to be punished will come. ^7bThe time for them to pay for their sins will come. (GW)

^7aThe time of punishment is about to arrive! ^7bThe time of retribution is imminent! (adapted from NET)

General Comment on 9:7a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder these two parallel lines. See 9:7a–b (combined/reordered) in the Display for an example.

9:7a

The days of punishment have come;

¶ The days of punishment are very near.
¶ Very soon it will be time for Yahweh to punish you^(plur).

9:7b

the days of retribution have arrived—

The days/time when Yahweh will require payment for your^(plur) sins have/has almost arrived.
At that time you will pay for the evil you have done.

9:7c

let Israel know it.

The people of Israel know this.
When that happens, you^(plur) Israelites will know/realize it.

let Israel know it: There is a textual issue here:

The Masoretic Text has let Israel know. For example:
Let Israel know this! (NASB) (BSB, CEV, ESV, GW, KJV, NAB, NASB, NCV, NET, NIV, NJB, NJPS, NLT, RSV)
The LXX has “Israel cries out.” For example: Israel cries (NRSV) (NRSV)

It is recommended that you follow option (1) along with most versions and scholars. With this option, the clause let Israel know it functions as a conclusion to the preceding lines (9:7a–b).

There are two main ways to interpret this conclusion:

Hosea informs the people of Israel that they will know when the time of punishment begins. For example:
The time for them to be punished will come…When this happens, Israel will know it. (GW) (CEV, ESV, GNT, GW, NJB, NLT, REB, RSV)
Hosea urges/admonishes the people of Israel that they need to know when the time of punishment will begin. For example:
…The time of retribution is imminent! Let Israel know! (NET) (BSB, NAB, NASB, NET, NIV, NJPS)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with a majority of versions and scholars.Scholars who support interpretation (1) include Davies, McComiskey, Keil, and Pusey. According to Davies (page 220), this rendering is more straightforward. Scholars who support interpretation (2) include Wood, Hubbard, and possibly Andersen and Freedman. However, interpretation (2) is also well supported. If you decide to follow interpretation (2), it is recommended that you give the other interpretation in a footnote. Here is a suggested footnote:

Another way to interpret this part of the verse is: “Israel will know it” or “Israel knows this!”

9:7d

The prophet is called a fool,

you^(plur) consider prophets to be fools,
that you say, “Prophets are stupid.

9:7e

and the inspired man insane,

and people who are filled with the spirit of Yahweh, you call madmen.
Men who speak what Yahweh causes them to say are insane.”

9:7d–e

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^7d The prophet is called a fool,

^7eand the inspired man insane.

The prophet is called a fool, and the inspired man insane: In Hebrew, these clauses are more literally “the prophet a fool the person of the spirit mad.” In many languages, one or more verbs must be supplied to make the meaning clear. For example, the BSB supplies the verb phrase is called. In addition, some versions make the speaker explicit. For example:

You think the prophet is a fool, and you say the spiritual person is crazy (NCV)

“The prophets are crazy!” the people shout. “The inspired men are mad!” So they taunt (NLT 96)

Most commentaries think that the words in 7d–e were spoken by Hosea’s hearers.Davies (page 220), Hubbard (page 159), Wood (page 204), McComiskey (page 144), Andersen and Freedman 532, Macintosh (page 353), and Stuart (page 146). These words indicate that they did not believe Hosea’s warning that the LORD would soon begin to punish them.Dearman (pages 242–244) and Keil (page 122) suggest an alternative view, that these words were spoken by Hosea and refer to false prophets. However, few if any versions follow that view. Their response to Hosea was to discredit him (and perhaps all true prophets) by comparing him to a crazy person.

fool…insane: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as fool means “stupid.” It describes someone whose words are not worth listening to.Stuart (page 145) and Davies (page 220). The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as insane is literally “mad/crazy.”TWOT (#2328). Here the people probably used the word to mock Hosea because of what he said.

The prophet…the inspired man: In these parallel phrases, the second phrase further describes a prophet in terms of the source of the prophet’s message.

the inspired man: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “the man of the spirit.” This phrase occurs only here in the Old Testament. It indicates that the person’s words are inspired by the spirit of the LORD.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

the man whose words come from the LORD

a person whom the spirit of the LORD causes to speak

9:7f

because of the greatness of your iniquity

Because of your^(plur) many sins
It is because you are filled with sin

9:7g

and hostility.

and your^(plur) intense hatred/hostility,
and great anger

9:7f–g

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^7fbecause of the greatness of your iniquity

^7gand hostility.

because of the greatness of your iniquity and hostility: In Hebrew, the words are literally “on the multitude of your iniquity and great animosity.” There are two main interpretations of the function of the Hebrew preposition “on” that the BSB translates here as because:

The preposition introduces reasons why the people call the prophet a fool and a madman. They call him that because they are filled with sin and hatred.Stuart (page 146), Andersen and Freedman (page 532), McComiskey (pages 144–145), Hubbard (page 159), and Wood (page 204). For example:
The prophet is a fool; the man of the spirit is mad, because of your great iniquity and great hatred. (ESV) (BSB, ESV, NASB, NET, NIV, NLT, REB, RSV)
The preposition introduces the reason for their great hostility. They have great hostility because they have many sins.Macintosh (page 352). For example:
Because of your great iniquity, your hostility is great. (NRSV) (GNT, NJB, NRSV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most versions and scholars.

your…hostility: In Hebrew, this word probably means “to have animosity” or “to hold a grudge.” It refers here to the hostility that the people of Israel have against Hosea, or perhaps against both Hosea and Yahweh.Stuart (page 146), Macintosh (page 352), Andersen and Freedman (page 532), McComiskey (page 145), Davies (page 220), and Hubbard (page 159).

uW Translation Notes:

General Information:

Hosea the prophet is speaking.

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

(Occurrence 0) The days for punishment are coming; the days for retribution are coming

(Some words not found in UHB: they_went days_of of_(the),punishment they_went days_of of_(the),retribution know Yisrael fool the,prophet mad (a)_man of,the_spirit on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in great_of your_iniquity_of,your and,great hostility )

Hosea says these two similar phrases to emphasize that Yahweh will soon judge the people of Israel for their evil deeds.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

(Occurrence 0) The prophet is a fool, and the inspired man is insane

These phrases mean basically the same thing. This could mean: (1) that the people regarded the prophets as madmen or (2) that the prophets had become crazy because of the sins that the people had committed.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

(Occurrence 0) The prophet is a fool, and the inspired man is insane

Here “prophet” and “inspired man” both mean a person who claims to receive messages from God.

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

(Occurrence 0) because of your great iniquity and great hostility

The phrases “great iniquity” and “great hostility” share similar meanings. The iniquity of the people manifested itself in hostility towards Yahweh and his prophets.

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

9:7 OSHB note: We agree with both BHS 1997 and BHQ on an unexpected reading.

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 9:7

Hebrew word order

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

Paragraph 9:7–9

9:7a–b

General Comment on 9:7a–b

9:7a

9:7b

9:7c

9:7d

9:7e

9:7d–e

9:7f

9:7g

9:7f–g

General Information:

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