HOS 12:6 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) But you must return to your god.
⇔ Keep loyal commitment and justice,
⇔ and wait continually for your god.

Key: khaki:verbs, blue:Elohim.
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 Ὁ δὲ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὁ παντοκράτωρ ἔσται μνημόσυνον αὐτοῦ.
(Ho de Kurios ho Theos ho pantokratōr estai mnaʸmosunon autou. )

ULT But you must return to your God.
⇔ Keep covenantal love and justice,
⇔ and wait continually for your God.

UST Turn to your God!
⇔ Obey his covenant and do what is right.
⇔ Never stop trusting in your God for him to help you.

BSB But you must return to your God;
⇔ maintain love and justice,
⇔ and always wait on your God.

OEB So now, by the help of your God, return.
⇔ Keep true love and justice.
⇔ Trust in your God without ceasing.

WEBBE Therefore turn to your God.
⇔ Keep kindness and justice,
⇔ and wait continually for your God.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET But you must return to your God,
⇔ by maintaining love and justice,
⇔ and by waiting for your God to return to you.

LSV And you, through your God, turn,
Keep kindness and judgment,
And wait on your God continually.

FBV You must return to your God. Act lovingly and do what is right, and always wait for your God.

T4T But you people of Israel must return to your God!
⇔ You must faithfully love him, and you must do what is fair/just
⇔ and always depend on him.

LEB • But you, you must return to your God; keep love and justice,
• and wait continually for your God.

BBE So then, come back to your God; keep mercy and right, and be waiting at all times on your God.

Moff ‘Dwell in your tents,
⇔ ever be kind and just,
⇔ and in your God put your unfailing trust.’ ”

JPS (12-7) Therefore turn thou to thy God; keep mercy and justice, and wait for thy God continually.

ASV Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep kindness and justice, and wait for thy God continually.

DRA Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and hope in thy God always.

YLT And thou, through thy God, dost turn, Kindness and judgment keep thou, And wait on thy God continually.

Drby And thou, return unto thy [fn]God: keep loving-kindness and judgment, and wait on thy [fn]God continually.

12.6 Elohim

RV Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.
(Therefore turn thou/you to thy/your God: keep mercy and judgement, and wait on thy/your God continually. )

SLT And thou, in thy God thou shalt turn back: watch mercy and judgment, and wait always for thy God.

Wbstr Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.

KJB-1769 Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.
(Therefore turn thou/you to thy/your God: keep mercy and judgement, and wait on thy/your God continually. )

KJB-1611 Therefore turne thou to thy God: keepe mercie and iudgement, and wait on thy God continually.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps Therfore turne to thy God, kepe mercie and iudgement, and hope styll in thy God.
(Therefore turn to thy/your God, keep mercy and judgement, and hope still in thy/your God.)

Gnva Therefore turne thou to thy God: keepe mercy and iudgement, and hope still in thy God.
(Therefore turn thou/you to thy/your God: keep mercy and judgement, and hope still in thy/your God. )

Cvdl Then turne to thy God, kepe mercy and equyte, and hope still in thy God.
(Then turn to thy/your God, keep mercy and equity, and hope still in thy/your God.)

Wycl And thou schalt turne to thi God. Kepe thou merci and doom, and hope thou euere in thi God.
(And thou/you shalt/shall turn to thy/your God. Keep thou/you mercy and judgement, and hope thou/you ever in thy/your God.)

Luth Aber der HErr ist der GOtt Zebaoth; HErr ist sein Name.
(But the/of_the LORD is the/of_the God Tsevaot_(of_armies); LORD is be Name.)

ClVg Et tu ad Deum tuum converteris; misericordiam et judicium custodi, et spera in Deo tuo semper.
(And you(sg) to God your(sg) you_are_converted; mercy and judgement keep, and hope in/into/on to_God your always. )

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 11:12–12:14: Israel is deceitful and refuses to return to the LORD

In this section, the LORD accuses both Israel and Judah of wrongdoing, but then focuses on the wicked behavior of Israel (11:12–12:1). Hosea continues to describe Israel, giving examples from the life of their ancestor Jacob to show that Israel followed his bad behavior (12:2–8). The LORD then reminded the people how they had responded wickedly when he led them in the past (12:9–11). Hosea concludes this section by comparing Jacob’s care of sheep in Aram with the LORD’s care of his people through a prophet or prophets.

Here are some other examples of section headings:

Israel’s Sin (NIV)

Israel and Judah Are Condemned (GNT)

Paragraph 12:2–6

In this paragraph and also in 12:12, Hosea gives examples from the life of Jacob. Scholars do not agree on the purpose of the examples. There are two main views:

These examples show the similarity between Jacob and his descendants. Jacob set a bad example and his descendants followed it.
These examples show the contrast between Jacob and his descendants. Jacob set a good example but his descendants did not follow it.

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Hosea 12:2 says that the LORD will punish Jacob according to his ways. Examples from Jacob’s life immediately follow in 12:3. It is reasonable to assume that these are examples of behavior or character traits that deserve punishment. Most versions and commentaries support this interpretation.A number of versions make interpretation (1) explicit, especially in 12:3. See the comments on that verse for examples. No versions make interpretation (2) explicit. Commentaries that favor interpretation (1) include Davies, Hubbard, Dearman, Garrett, Macintosh, and McComiskey. Some who favor interpretation (2) are Stuart, Keil, and Wood. For more details, see the following notes on these verses.

12:6a–c

Notice the parallel parts that are related in meaning:

^6a But you must return to your God,

^6b maintaining love and justice,

^6cand always waiting on your God.

In these lines, Hosea urges the descendants of Jacob to return to the LORD. In the first line, he gives a general command. In the second and third lines he explains the actions that their return to God should include.An alternative view is that God was telling Jacob to return to him. However, this view is not supported in the Genesis passages concerning Jacob. Also, if God was speaking, then first person “me” would be expected instead of the phrase “your God.” See Andersen and Freedman (page 615), McComiskey (page 202), and Macintosh (page 491).

12:6a

But you must return to your God,

So/But now, you^(plur) descendants of Jacob, return to your God.
Turn back to your God!

But: The Hebrew clause has a word that connects this verse to the previous verses. Here are some acceptable ways to understand how this verse connects to the previous ones:

As a response. The logical response of the people to the actions of their ancestor Jacob and to the greatness of God is to turn to God. For example:
Therefore, return to your God (NASB)
So return to your God (CEV)
As a contrast. Hosea urged the people to turn to God. This contrasts with Jacob, who struggled with God.Some may see a different contrast. Jacob sought the blessing of the angel, but the people of Israel refused to seek God. For example:
But you must return to your God (NET)

Some versions do not explicitly connect this verse to the previous ones. They leave the logical connection implied. For example:

You must return to your God! (NJPS)

Translate the connection to the previous verse in a natural way in your language.

you…your: In Hebrew, the pronouns you and your are singular. Most versions and commentaries regard them as collective singular pronouns that refer to the people of Israel in Hosea’s time. The Display will use “you/your” plural, referring to the people.

you must return to your God: In Hebrew, this command is more literally “in your God you will return.” There are two main interpretations of this command:In Hebrew, the verb “return” has imperfect form here. Most versions translate it as a command or a plea. For the use of imperfect as a command, see IBHS: 31.5 Volitional Uses of the Non-Perfective.

God is the goal or destination to which they must return.BDB (#1119) 4 states that the prefix b- is often used with verbs of motion, when the movement to a place results in rest in it. BDB cites this verse as meaning “to return (and rest) in thy God.” Similarly, Keil (page 97) suggests the meaning: “turn as to enter into vital fellowship with God.” For example:
You must return to your God (GW) (BSB, CEV, GNT, GW, KJV, NASB, NCV, NET, NIV, NJPS, NLT, NRSV)
God will help them return.HALOT (electronic edition, page 105) 16b describes this use as: “introduces the means or the instrument.” It does not mention Hosea 12:6 specifically. But see Macintosh (page 491), Hubbard (page 206), and Davies (page 276). This interpretation does not assume that the people are to return to God. It may refer to a return to love and justice as described in 6b. For example:
Turn back with God’s help (NJB) (ESV, NJB, REB, RSV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most versions. In some languages, the subject you can be left implied. For example:

So now, come back to your God (NLT)

12:6b

maintaining love and justice,

Be loyal and just.
Show^(plur) love to everyone and do what is right.

maintaining love and justice: The Hebrew word for maintaining in this context means to “keep” or obey God’s commands to show love and justice.DCH (Vol. 8, p. 478) I 6. See also McComiskey (page 202).

love: This is the same Hebrew word Hosea uses elsewhere. See the comment on “loving devotion” under 4:1c. It is a primary attitude and behavior required by God’s covenant with Israel.McComiskey (page 202).

justice: The Hebrew word for justice is also found elsewhere in Hosea. Here the meaning is the same as in 10:4b, where the BSB translates it as “judgment.” It refers to legal transactions and conduct that are fair and just.

In some languages, it may be more natural to translate “love” and justice using different forms of the words. For example:

Be loyal and just (GNT)

12:6c

and always waiting on your God.

Always trust in your^(plur) God patiently.
Depend on your God at all times.

and always waiting on your God: This clause urges the people to wait for God to save and protect them. It implies an attitude of faith and trust in God instead of other sources of security.Garrett (page 241), Davies (page 276), McComiskey (page 203) and Stuart (page 192). The Hebrew word for always means “lasting” or “continually.”HALOT (electronic edition, page 1748) 1.

waiting: In Hebrew, this word refers to patient, trustful endurance. The same Hebrew word is often translated in other places as “hope.”HALOT (electronic edition, page 1082) Piel 2—b to hope, await. Hubbard (page 206) and Macintosh (page 491). Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

and always trust in him as your God (NCV)

Patiently trust him (CEV)