HOS 11:8 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) ⇔ How can I give you up, O Efrayim?
⇔ ≈ How can I hand you over, O Yisrael?
⇔ How can I make you like Adamah?
⇔ ≈ How can I make you like Tsevoim?
⇔ My heart is turned over within me—
⇔ ≈ all my compassions are aroused.[ref]

Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

BrLXX Τί σε διαθῶμαι Ἐφραίμ; ὑπερασπιῶ σου Ἰσραήλ; τί σε διαθῶ; ὡς Ἀδάμα θήσομαί σε, καὶ ὡς Σεβοείμ· μετεστράφη ἡ καρδία μου ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ, συνεταράχθη ἡ μεταμέλειά μου·
(Ti se diathōmai Efraim; huperaspiō sou Israaʸl; ti se diathō; hōs Adama thaʸsomai se, kai hōs Seboeim; metestrafaʸ haʸ kardia mou en tōi autōi, sunetaraⱪthaʸ haʸ metameleia mou; )

BrTr How shall I deal with thee, Ephraim? how shall I protect thee, Israel? what shall I do with thee? I will make thee as Adama, and as Seboim; my heart is turned at once, my repentance is powerfully excited.

ULT How can I give you up, O Ephraim?
⇔ How can I hand you over, O Israel?
⇔ How can I make you like Admah?
⇔ How can I make you like Zeboiim?
⇔ My heart is turned over within me;
⇔ all my compassions are aroused.

UST But you people of Israel—dear Israel—I cannot abandon you.
⇔ I cannot give you over to your enemies.
⇔ I do not want to act toward you as I acted toward Admah or make you like Zeboiim—
⇔ cities that I destroyed along with Sodom.
⇔ I have changed my mind about punishing you;
⇔ I earnestly long to have mercy on you.

OEB ⇔ How can I give you up, Ephraim!
⇔ Give you over, Israel!
⇔ How am I to give you up as Admah!
⇔ Make you like Zeboim!
⇔ My heart asserts itself,
⇔ my sympathies are all aglow.

WEBBE ⇔ “How can I give you up, Ephraim?
⇔ How can I hand you over, Israel?
⇔ How can I make you like Admah?
⇔ How can I make you like Zeboiim?
⇔ My heart is turned within me,
⇔ my compassion is aroused.

WMBB (Same as above)

MSG ^(1-9)“When Israel was only a child, I loved him.
  I called out, ‘My son!’—called him out of Egypt.
But when others called him,
  he ran off and left me.
He worshiped the popular sex gods,
  he played at religion with toy gods.
Still, I stuck with him. I led Ephraim.
  I rescued him from human bondage,
But he never acknowledged my help,
  never admitted that I was the one pulling his wagon,
That I lifted him, like a baby, to my cheek,
  that I bent down to feed him.
Now he wants to go back to Egypt or go over to Assyria—
  anything but return to me!
That’s why his cities are unsafe—the murder rate skyrockets
  and every plan to improve things falls to pieces.
My people are hell-bent on leaving me.
  They pray to god Baal for help.
  He doesn’t lift a finger to help them.
But how can I give up on you, Ephraim?
  How can I turn you loose, Israel?
How can I leave you to be ruined like Admah,
  devastated like luckless Zeboim?
I can’t bear to even think such thoughts.
  My insides churn in protest.
And so I’m not going to act on my anger.
  I’m not going to destroy Ephraim.
And why? Because I am God and not a human.
  I’m The Holy One and I’m here—in your very midst.

NET How can I give you up, O Ephraim?
⇔ How can I surrender you, O Israel?
⇔ How can I treat you like Admah?
⇔ How can I make you like Zeboiim?
⇔ I have had a change of heart!
⇔ All my tender compassions are aroused!

LSV How do I give you up, O Ephraim? Do I deliver you up, O Israel? How do I make you as Admah? Do I set you as Zeboim? My heart is turned in Me,
My sympathy has been kindled together.

FBV How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I let you go, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim?[fn] My heart is breaking; I am full of compassion.

11:8 Admah and Zeboiim were the twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (see Genesis 14:2).

T4T ⇔ You people of Israel, I certainly do not want to [RHQ] abandon you
⇔ and allow your enemies to capture you.
⇔ I do not [RHQ] want to act toward you like I acted toward Admah and Zeboiim,
⇔ cities that I completely destroyed when I destroyed Sodom.
⇔ I [SYN] have changed my mind about punishing you;
⇔ my desire to pity you has increased.

LEB   • How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I hand you over, O Israel?
• How can I make you like Admah?
  • How can I treat you like Zeboiim?
• My heart is disturbed[fn] within me;
  • all[fn] my compassions are aroused.

11:? Or “My heart is overturned”

11:? Literally “together”

BBE How may I give you up, O Ephraim? how may I be your saviour, O Israel? how may I make you like Admah? how may I do to you as I did to Zeboim? My heart is turned in me, it is soft with pity.

Moff Ephraim, how can I give you up?
⇔ Israel, how can I let you go?
⇔ How can I treat you like Admah?
⇔ How can I handle you like Zeboim?
⇔ My heart recoils,
⇔ all my compassion kindles;

JPS How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? How shall I surrender thee, Israel? How shall I make thee as Admah? How shall I set thee as Zeboim? My heart is turned within Me, My compassions are kindled together.

ASV How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I cast thee off, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboiim? my heart is turned within me, my compassions are kindled together.

DRA How shall I deal with thee, O Ephraim, shall I protect thee, O Israel? how shall I make thee as Adama, shall I set thee as Seboim? my heart is turned within me, my repentance is stirred up.

YLT How do I give thee up, O Ephraim? Do I deliver thee up, O Israel? How do I make thee as Admah? Do I set thee as Zeboim? Turned in Me is My heart, kindled together have been My repentings.

Drby How shall I give thee over, Ephraim? [how] shall I deliver thee up, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? [how] shall I set thee as Zeboim? My heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.

RV How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my compassions are kindled together.
(How shall I give thee/you up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee/you, Israel? how shall I make thee/you as Admah? how shall I set thee/you as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my compassions are kindled together. )

SLT How shall I give thee up, O Ephraim? Shall I deliver thee over, O Israel? How shall I give thee as the earth? Shall I set thee as roes? My heart was turned upon me; my grievings were kindled together.

Wbstr How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? my heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.

KJB-1769 How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.
(How shall I give thee/you up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee/you, Israel? how shall I make thee/you as Admah? how shall I set thee/you as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. )

KJB-1611 How shall I giue thee vp, Ephraim? how shall I deliuer thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within mee, my repentings are kindled together.
(How shall I give thee/you up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee/you, Israel? how shall I make thee/you as Admah? how shall I set thee/you as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.)

Bshps Howe shall I geue thee vp Ephraim? howe shal I deliuer thee Israel? howe shall I make thee as Adama? howe shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentinges are kindled within me.
(How shall I give thee/you up Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee/you Israel? how shall I make thee/you as Adama? how shall I set thee/you as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentinges are kindled within me.)

Gnva Howe shall I giue thee vp, Ephraim? howe shall I deliuer thee, Israel? how shall I make thee, as Admah? howe shall I set thee, as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within mee: my repentings are rouled together.
(How shall I give thee/you up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee/you, Israel? how shall I make thee/you, as Admah? how shall I set thee/you, as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me: my repentings are rouled together. )

Cvdl What greate thinges haue I geuen the, o Ephraim? how faithfully haue I defended the, o Israel? haue I dealt with the as with Adama? or haue I intreated the like Seboim? No, my hert is otherwise mynded. Yee my mercy is to feruent:
(What great things have I given them, o Ephraim? how faithfully have I defended them, o Israel? have I dealt with thee/you as with Adama? or have I entreated the like Seboim? No, my heart is otherwise minded. Ye/You_all my mercy is to fervent:)

Wycl Hou schal Y yyue thee, Effraym? schal Y defende thee, Israel? hou schal Y yyue thee? As Adama Y schal sette thee; as Seboym. Myn herte is turned in me; my repentaunce is disturblid togidere.
(How shall I give thee/you, Ephraim? shall I defend thee/you, Israel? how shall I give thee/you? As Adama I shall set thee/you; as Seboym. Mine heart is turned in me; my repentance is disturbed together.)

Luth Was soll ich aus dir machen, Ephraim? Soll ich dich schützen, Israel? Soll ich nicht billig ein Adama aus dir machen und dich wie Zeboim zurichten? Aber mein Herz ist anderes Sinnes, meine Barmherzigkeit ist zu brünstig,
(What should I out_of you/to_you(sg) make, Ephraim? Soll I you/yourself protect, Israel? Soll I not cheap a Adama out_of you/to_you(sg) make and you/yourself as/like Zeboim prepare? But my heart is other sense, my compassion is to/for fervent/on_heat,)

ClVg Quomodo dabo te, Ephraim? protegam te, Israël? Quomodo dabo te sicut Adama, ponam te ut Seboim? Conversum est in me cor meum, pariter conturbata est pœnitudo mea.
(How/In_what_manner I_will_give you(sg), Ephraim? I_will_protect you(sg), Israel? How/In_what_manner I_will_give you(sg) like Adama, I_will_put you(sg) as Seboim? Conversum it_is in/into/on me heart mine, as_well disturbsa it_is pœnitudo my. )

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 11:1–11 The LORD’s love for his people

This section refers back to Israel’s history, as do Section 9:10–17 and Section 10:1–8. In all three sections, the LORD describes the joyful beginning of his relationship with the people of Israel and their response of betrayal against him. The earlier sections focus more on the LORD’s punishment. The people will be taken into exile. This section focuses more on his love.

The LORD speaks of his love for Israel in the past (11:1–4), warns them of their future exile and destruction (11:5–7), and assures them that in the future he will turn from his anger and show them compassion. Because of his love for them, he promises that he will bring the people back to the land of Israel (11:8–11).

Here are some other examples of section headings:

The Lord’s Love for Israel (ESV)

Israel Is Like a Bad Son (GW)

Throughout this section, the LORD is the speaker. When he refers to himself, he uses first person pronouns (“I/me/my”) except for verse 10, which has “Yahweh” and “he.” When he refers to the people or nation of Israel, he uses “Ephraim,” “they/them,” or “he/it.” The only exceptions are in 11:8–9. There the LORD uses the pronoun “you(sg)” to speak directly to Ephraim and to Judah.

Paragraph 11:8–11

This paragraph contrasts with the previous one. The previous paragraph promises that the nation of Israel will be taken into exile in Assyria. This paragraph tells about the time after that exile. In these verses, the LORD promises that he will not completely destroy them. Rather, in the future he will bring them back to their land.McComiskey (page 191).

11:8a–d

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^8a How could I give you up, O Ephraim?

^8b How could I surrender you, O Israel?

^8c How could I make you like Admah?

^8d How could I treat you like Zeboiim?

These lines show the LORD’s emotional anguish due to the coming destruction and captivity of Israel.Garrett (page 227) compares the anguish to “a father at wit’s end over what to do with a wayward child.” They also indicate that the LORD is the one who decides the fate of Israel.

The lines are probably rhetorical questions with an implied answer of, “I cannot!”Some commentators do not classify these lines as rhetorical questions. Hubbard (page 192) refers to them as “self-cautioning questions.” Macintosh (page 191) calls them expressions of bewilderment and grief. Dearman (pages 287–289) calls them statements in interrogative form. He classifies the form of verse 8 as “soliloquy.” See the general comment for other ways to translate these lines.

11:8a

How could I give you up, O Ephraim?

¶ But I, Yahweh, say, “how can I give you^(sing/plur) up, Israel?
¶ O Ephraim! In spite of all this, I can not abandon you^(sing/plur).

11:8b

How could I surrender you, O Israel?

Can I endure handing you^(plur), my people, over to your enemies?
O Israel, I can not put you^(sing/plur) in the hands of your enemies.

11:8a–b

How: In rhetorical questions, this Hebrew question word can indicate emotions such as despair, amazement, or horror.TWOT (#75b) and BDB (#349) 2. Here it is an exclamation that indicates grief or anguish.Davies (page 261) and McComiskey (page 191) suggest that the question word “How” is an exclamation rather than an interrogative here. Hubbard (page 192) regards “How” to be a word of lamentation.

could I give you up…could I surrender you: In both these phrases, the LORD asks himself if he can give Israel to their enemy, Assyria, to destroy them.

Ephraim…Israel: Both names refer to the people of Israel.

11:8c–d

(combined/reordered)

Can I utterly destroy you, like what happened at Admah and Zeboiim?
I could not make you cease to exist as I did to Admah and Zeboiim.

How could I make you like Admah? How could I treat you like Zeboiim?: In both questions, the LORD asks himself if he can destroy Israel as he destroyed these two cities. In some languages, it may be helpful to make explicit that these two clauses are about destruction. For example:

How can I destroy you like Admah or demolish you like Zeboiim? (NLT)

How: See comment above on How.

could I make you like…could I treat you like: In this context, the Hebrew words for make you and treat you have similar meanings. Here they both mean “do to you.”

Admah…Zeboiim: The LORD completely destroyed these two cities along with Sodom and Gomorrah because of their extreme wickedness.Andersen and Freedman (page 588) suggest that the cities represented the ultimate in wickedness and are a reminder of how devastating Yahweh’s wrath and anger can be. See Deuteronomy 29:23.

General Comment on 11:8a–d

In some languages, it may be more natural to use statements instead of rhetorical questions or use some of each. It also may be more natural to combine some of the parallel parts. For example, the CEV has statements for the first two parallel lines. It has kept the third and fourth lines as rhetorical questions but has combined them.

Israel, I can’t let you go. I can’t give you up. How could I possibly destroy you as I did the towns of Admah and Zeboiim?

11:8c

How could I make you like Admah?

How can I destroy you^(plur) like the town of Admah?
I can not utterly destroy/kill you, as I destroyed the people of Admah.

11:8d

How could I treat you like Zeboiim?

Can I truly bring you to an end like the people of Zeboiim?
I can not wipe you from the earth, like I did to Zeboiim.

11:8e–f

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^8e My heart is turned within Me;

^8f My compassion is stirred!

11:8e

My heart is turned within Me;

I have changed my mind. (GW)
My heart/thoughts have changed.

My heart: The Hebrews considered the heart to be the center of thought and knowledge. Some languages use a different body organ, such as the liver, to signify attitudes and thoughts. Use an expression that is natural in your language for this purpose.

is turned: In Hebrew, there are two main interpretations of this phrase:

The phrase means “to change one’s mind/plan.”HALOT (electronic edition, page 253) Niphal 3. This view is favored by Davies and Stuart (page 181). For example:
I have changed my mind (GW) (BSB, CEV, GNT, GW, KJV, NASB, NET, NIV, NJPS, REB)
The word means “to be in distress.”BDB (#2015) Niphal 1b. McComiskey (page 191) notes the similar use of hapak here to Lamentations 1:20. There the word “connotes the turmoil of deep, wrenching feelings.” This view is also favored by Hubbard. For example:
My heart is torn within me (NLT) (ESV, NCV, NLT, NJB, NRSV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). It fits better with following context of 11:9 in which the LORD describes what he no longer plans to do. It also allows the second interpretation. His change of heart is based on his strong compassion for his people.McComiskey (page 191) notes that the people would indeed go into captivity, but God would not invalidate the promise of the land.

Here are some other ways to translate this verse part:

My heart will not let me do it! (GNT)

A change of heart moves me (REB)

within Me: In this context, the Hebrew word indicates the location where the decisions/emotions take place.

11:8f

My compassion is stirred!

I am completely overwhelmed by feelings of pity.
I love you too much to destroy you like that.

There Hebrew is a word here which means “together.” Here it gives emphasis to the intensity of the emotion that the LORD feels. Some versions leave this word implicit. Some others indicate this intensity in a different way. The BSB indicates the intensity with the exclamation point at the end of the sentence. For example:

I am deeply moved. (GW)

Indicate the intensity of emotion in a natural way in your language.

compassion: The Hebrew word refers to an emotion of compassion and pity. It describes a desire to bring comfort.McComiskey (page 191), Dearman (pages 287–289) and Andersen and Freedman (page 589).

stirred!: In Hebrew, this word is literally “grow warm.” Hebrew uses the word “warm” or “hot” to describe strong feelings. For example:

my compassion grows warm and tender (NRSV)

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

My compassion overflows (NLT)

my love for you stirs up my pity (NCV)

Parallel HOS 11:8