HOS 13:15 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=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

13:15 OSHB note: We agree with both BHS 1997 and BHQ on an unexpected reading.

Key: khaki:verbs, green:YHWH.
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 Διότι οὗτος ἀναμέσον ἀδελφῶν διαστελεῖ, ἐπάξει καύσωνα ἄνεμον Κύριος ἐκ τῆς ἐρήμου ἐπʼ αὐτόν, καὶ ἀναξηρανεῖ τὰς φλέβας αὐτοῦ, ἐξερημώσει τὰς πηγὰς αὐτοῦ· αὐτὸς καταξηρανεῖ τὴν γῆν αὐτοῦ, καὶ πάντα τὰ σκεύη τὰ ἐπιθυμητὰ αὐτοῦ.
(Dioti houtos anameson adelfōn diastelei, epaxei kausōna anemon Kurios ek taʸs eraʸmou epʼ auton, kai anaxaʸranei tas flebas autou, exeraʸmōsei tas paʸgas autou; autos kataxaʸranei taʸn gaʸn autou, kai panta ta skeuaʸ ta epithumaʸta autou. )

BrTr Forasmuch as he will cause a division among his brethren, the Lord shall bring upon him an east wind from the desert, and shall dry up his veins and quite drain his fountains: he shall dry up his land, and spoil all his precious vessels.

ULT Though he flourishes among his brothers,
⇔ an east wind will come;
⇔ the wind of Yahweh will come up from the wilderness.
⇔ His fountain will dry up,
⇔ and his spring will be parched.
⇔ It will plunder his treasury of every precious object.

UST The prophet Hosea says: “Even though you people of Israel are wealthier than those of Judah,
⇔ the day is coming when Yahweh will destroy you.
⇔ You will meet disaster.
⇔ Your enemies will take everything valuable away from you.

OEB ⇔ Though he is flourishing among his brothers[fn],
⇔ there will come an east wind,
⇔ the Lord’s wind,
⇔ coming up from the wilderness.
⇔ His fountain will dry up,
⇔ his spring will be parched.
⇔ The wind will strip the treasury,
⇔ all the precious things.

13:15 Or: in the midst of the reeds

WEBBE Though he is fruitful amongst his brothers, an east wind will come,
⇔ the breath of the LORD coming up from the wilderness;
⇔ and his spring will become dry,
⇔ and his fountain will be dried up.
⇔ He will plunder the storehouse of treasure.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Even though he flourishes like a reed plant,
⇔ a scorching east wind will come,
⇔ a wind from the Lord rising up from the desert.
⇔ As a result, his spring will dry up;
⇔ his well will become dry.
⇔ That wind will spoil all his delightful foods
⇔ in the containers in his storehouse.

LSV Though he produces fruit among brothers,
An east wind comes in, a wind of YHWH,
From a wilderness it is coming up,
And it dries up his fountain,
And his spring becomes dry,
It—it spoils a treasure—every desirable vessel.

FBV Even though they flourish among the reeds,[fn] an east wind will come, a wind from the Lord that rises in the desert will dry up their springs and their wells will fail. It will rob from their treasury everything of value.

13:15 Or “brothers.”

T4T ⇔ Even if you people of Israel prosper more than the nearby nations do,
⇔ the army of Assyria will come like [MET] an east wind that blows from the desert;
⇔ the springs and wells in Israel will become dry;
⇔ and your enemies will take away all your valuable possessions.

LEB • Although he may flourish among reeds,[fn] the east wind will come, a wind of Yahweh
  • rising from the desert;
• his fountain will dry up,
  • his spring will be parched.
• It will plunder his treasury,[fn]
  • every object of desire.
• [fn] Samaria will be guilty,
  • because she has rebelled against her God;
• they will fall by the sword,
  • their children will be dashed to pieces,
  • and their pregnant women will be ripped open.

13:? Hebrew “brothers”

13:? Or “its treasury”

13:? Hosea 13:16–14:9 in the English Bible is 14:1–10 in the Hebrew Bible

BBE Though he gives fruit among his brothers, an east wind will come, the wind of the Lord coming up from the waste land, and his spring will become dry, his fountain will be without water: it will make waste the store of all the vessels of his desire.

Moff ⇔ Though he flourish like the reed-plant in the water,
⇔ a wind blows from the east, a wind of the Eternal,
⇔ driving up from the desert,
⇔ till his fountains are dry,
⇔ and his springs are parched;
⇔ he shall be stripped of his wealth,
⇔ of all his costly treasures.

JPS For though he be fruitful among the reed-plants, an east wind shall come, the wind of the LORD coming up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up; he shall spoil the treasure of all precious vessels.

ASV Though he be fruitful among his brethren, an east wind shall come, the breath of Jehovah coming up from the wilderness; and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall make spoil of the treasure of all goodly vessels.

DRA Because he shall make a separation between brothers: the Lord will bring a burning wind that shall rise from the desert, and it shall dry up his springs, and shall make his fountain desolate, and he shall carry off the treasure of every desirable vessel.

YLT Though he among brethren produceth fruit, Come in doth an east wind, a wind of Jehovah, From a wilderness it is coming up, And it drieth up his fountain, And become dry doth his spring, It — it spoileth a treasure — every desirable vessel.

Drby Though he be fruitful among [his] brethren, an east wind shall come, a wind of Jehovah [that] cometh up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels.

RV Though he be fruitful among his brethren, an east wind shall come, the breath of the LORD coming up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels.
(Though he be fruitful among his brethren/brothers, an east wind shall come, the breath of the LORD coming up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels. )

SLT If he shall bear fruit in the midst of his brethren, the east wind shall come, the wind of Jehovah came up from the desert, and his fountain shall be dried up, and he shall lay waste his place of fountains: he shall plunder the treasure of all vessels of desire.

Wbstr Though he is fruitful among his brethren, an east wind shall come, the wind of the LORD shall come up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall pillage the treasure of all pleasant vessels.

KJB-1769 ¶ Though he be fruitful among his brethren, an east wind shall come, the wind of the LORD shall come up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels.[fn]
(¶ Though he be fruitful among his brethren/brothers, an east wind shall come, the wind of the LORD shall come up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels. )

13.15 pleasant…: Heb. vessels of desire

KJB-1611 ¶ [fn]Though he be fruitfull among his brethren, an East winde shall come, the winde of the LORD shall come vp from the wildernesse, and his spring shall become drie, and his fountaine shalbe dried vp: he shall spoile the treasure of all pleasant vessels.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation and footnotes)

13:15 Hebr. vessels of desire.

Bshps Though he grewe among his brethren, the east wynde euen the wynde of the Lorde shall come vp from the wildernesse, and drye vp his veyne, and his fountaynes shalbe dryed vp: he shall spoyle the treasure of all pleasaunt vessels.
(Though he grew among his brethren/brothers, the east wind even the wind of the Lord shall come up from the wilderness, and dry up his vain, and his fountains shall be dried up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels.)

Gnva Though he grewe vp among his brethren, an East winde shall come, euen the winde of the Lord shall come vp from the wildernesse, and drie vp his veine, and his fountaine shalbe dryed vp: he shall spoyle the treasure of all pleasant vessels.
(Though he grew up among his brethren/brothers, an East wind shall come, even the wind of the Lord shall come up from the wilderness, and dry up his veine, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels. )

Cvdl Yet can I se no comforth, for when he is now the goodliest amonge the brethren, the east wynde (euen the wynde of the LORDE) shal come downe from the wildernesse, and drye vp his condytes, and drynke vp his welles: he shal spoyle the treasure of all pleasaunt vessels.
(Yet can I see no comfort, for when he is now the goodliest among the brethren/brothers, the east wind (even the wind of the LORD) shall come down from the wilderness, and dry up his condytes, and drink up his wells: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels.)

Wycl Coumfort is hid fro myn iyen, for he schal departe bitwixe britheren. The Lord schal brynge a brennynge wynd, stiynge fro desert; and it schal make drie the veynes therof, and it schal make desolat the welle therof; and he schal rauysche the tresour of ech desirable vessel.
(Comfort is hid from mine eyes, for he shall depart between brethren/brothers. The Lord shall bring a burning wind, stiing from desert; and it shall make dry the vains thereof, and it shall make desolate the well thereof; and he shall ravish/seize the treasure of each desirable vessel.)

Luth Denn er wird zwischen Brüdern Frucht bringen. Es wird ein Ostwind kommen; der HErr wird aus der Wüste herauffahren und ihren Brunn austrocknen und ihre Quelle versiegen und wird rauben den Schatz alles köstlichen Gerätes.
(Because he becomes between brothers fruit bring/get. It becomes a east_wind coming; the/of_the LORD becomes out_of the/of_the desert upfahren and your(pl) well(n) austrocknen and their/her source/spring(n) dry_up and becomes rob the treasure(n) all/everything delicious device.)

ClVg Quia ipse inter fratres dividet: adducet urentem ventum Dominus de deserto ascendentem, et siccabit venas ejus, et desolabit fontem ejus: et ipse diripiet thesaurum omnis vasis desiderabilis.]
(Because exactly_that/himself between brothers will_divide: will_bring urentem the_wind Master from/about in_the_desert ascending, and siccabit veins his, and desolabit fountain his: and exactly_that/himself will_plunder treasure everyone vessels desirable.] )

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 13:1–16: The LORD’s anger against Israel

In this section, the LORD gives reasons for his anger against Israel. It was necessary to judge them because they continued to rebel against him.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

Final Judgment on Israel (GNT)

The Lord’s Relentless Judgment on Israel (ESV)

Ephraim’s Idolatry (NASB)

Paragraph 13:12–16

In this paragraph, the LORD expresses his anger against Israel and describes his coming judgment. He compares Israel’s situation to a painful childbirth and to a child who resists being born (13:13). He describes his coming judgment figuratively as a taunt to the grave (Sheol) and death to come and destroy (13:14) and as a desert wind that dries up springs and fountains (13:15). He also describes it nonfiguratively by citing horrible acts of war (13:16).

13:15a–f

Although he flourishes among his brothers, an east wind will come—a wind from the LORD…: This verse describes the unexpected result of a condition. There are two possible interpretations:

15a is the condition. 15b–f is the unexpected result. For example:
^15aThough he flourishes among his brothers, ^15ban east wind will come (REB) (BSB, CEV, ESV, GNT, GW, KJV, NASB, NCV, NET, NJB, NJPS, NLT, NRSV, REB)
14e is the unexpected result. 15a is the condition. For example:
^14e“I will have no compassion, ^15aeven though he thrives among his brothers. (NIV) (NIV)

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

Here are some ways to show a condition and unexpected result:

Introduce the condition in 15a. Leave the unexpected result implied. For example:
^15a Though Ephraim bears more fruit than his brothers, ^15bthe wind from the east wind will come (NJB)
Leave the condition implied. Introduce the unexpected result in 15b. For example:
^15aEphraim was the most fruitful of all his brothers, ^15bbut the east wind—a blast from the Lord—will arise in the desert. (NLT)
Introduce both the condition in 15a and the unexpected result in 15b. For example:
^15a Even though he flourishes among his brothers, ^15bnevertheless, an east wind will come….

Indicate the condition and unexpected result in a natural way in your language.

13:15a

Although he flourishes among his brothers,

Although Ephraim flourishes more than his brothers,
The people of Ephraim have become important among their relatives. (GW)

Although: The Hebrew clause starts with a word that introduces a condition.The word ki is understood as concessive “although/even though.” See HALOT (electronic edition, page 471) sense 12. See the examples above for other ways to indicate a condition and unexpected result.

he flourishes: The word he refers to Ephraim. Some versions make the pronoun referent explicit. For example:

Though Ephraim bears more fruit (NJB)

The Hebrew word for “flourish” means to “show fruitfulness” or “flourish.”HALOT (electronic edition, page 961). Some of the letters in this word are also in the Hebrew word for “Ephraim.” Hosea may have chosen this word to create an intentional pun or word play that links “flourish” to “Ephraim.” See Hubbard (page 223), McComiskey (pages 226–227), Carroll (page 300), and Dearman (pages 331–332).

The tense of the verb indicates that he continued to flourish up to the time that Hosea spoke these words.

Here are some other ways to translate this time span:

he thrives (NIV)

he flourishes (REB)

Translate this time span in a natural way in your language.

among his brothers: There are two main textual issues in this clause. The first concerns the word that the BSB translates as among:

The LXX has “between/among.”The word bên between/among” closely resembles the word bēn “son.” Some scholars suggest that bēn is a northern spelling of bên. See Andersen and Freedman (pages 640–641). For example:
Though he flourishes among his brothers (REB) (BSB, CEV, ESV, GW, KJV, NABRE, NASB, NCV, NIV, NJB, NJPS, NLT, NRSV, REB)
The Masoretic Text has the word “son.” For example:
Although he, a son of brothers, flourishesAdapted from the BART interlinear gloss. (no English versions)

It is recommended that you follow option (1) along with all versions.

There is also a textual issue concerning the Hebrew word for brothers in this phrase. These are the two main options:

The Masoretic Text has brothers. For example:
Though Ephraim may flourish among his brothers (NABRE) (BSB, CEV, ESV, GW, KJV, NABRE, NCV, NIV, NJB, NLT, REB)
Some scholars think that the original word was “reeds.”Scholars suggest that the MT substituted the word ʾaḥ “brother” for the word ʾaḥu “marsh plant, reed plant.” BDB (#269). See Garrett (pages 266–268) and the NET footnote on “reed plant.” For example:
For though he flourish among reeds (NJPS) (GNT, NASB, NET, NJPS, NRSV)

It is recommended that you follow option (1) along with most versions. It has good support from scholars and early versions.The LXX, Peshitta and Vulgate all translate the Hebrew word as “brothers” here.

Here the word brothers refers to the tribes of Israel. The phrase “Although he flourishes among his brothers” implies that the tribe of Ephraim has become great or very important among the tribes of Israel.Dearman (pages 331–332) and Hubbard (page 223). See also Hosea 12:8; 13:1. Some versions make that implication explicit. For example:

No matter how much you prosper more than the other tribes (CEV)

The people of Ephraim have become important among their relatives. (GW)

13:15b

an east wind will come—a wind from the LORD

nevertheless a devastating east wind will come. It is a wind from Yahweh
Yet, I, Yahweh, will cause a hot, dry wind to blow
Yahweh will send the enemy to come/destroy like the hot wind

13:15c

rising up from the desert.

that blows from the desert.
from the eastern desert.
that blows from the desert/wilderness in the east.

13:15b–c

Notice the parallel lines that are similar in meaning.

^15ban east wind, will come—a wind from the LORD

^15c rising up from the desert.

an east wind will come—a wind from the LORD rising up from the desert: This is the second part of the clause that begins with 15a. The phrase from the LORD indicates that these lines describe a judgment from the LORD against Ephraim. The flourishing of Ephraim will not prevent it.

The phrase east wind often refers to the sirocco. The sirocco is a devastating, drying wind that comes from the desert to the east of Israel.Andersen and Freedman (pages 640–641) and Keil (pages 105–106).

Here, however, the phrase is figurative. It compares the armies of Assyria to the sirocco.Patterson and Hill (page 81), Dearman (pages 331–332), Stuart (page 208), Keil (pages 105–106), and Wood (page 222).

Some ways that they are similar are that:

They both come from the east.
They both cause destruction.
The LORD sends them both.

Most versions translate the phrase here as the east wind or wind or something similar. They leave the comparison to the Assyrian armies implied. It is recommended that you translate in a similar way if possible.

However, it may be confusing or unnatural in some languages to use this figure of speech. If that is true in your language, here are some other ways to translate this figure of speech:

Change the figure of speech to a simile. For example:
^15b the enemy is like an east wind that will come—a wind from the LORD
^15crising up from the desert.
Change the figure of speech to a simile and make explicit the way that they are similar. For example:
^15b the enemy will destroy like an east wind that will come—a wind from the LORD
^15crising up from the desert.
Translate the meaning without the figure of speech. For example:
^15bThe LORD will send the enemy. They will come from the east,
^15cmoving swiftly from the wilderness.
Use a different figure of speech with the same meaning that is natural in your language.

The east wind figure of speech continues in 15d–f. If you make a change in 15b–c you may need to make changes to 15d–f to concord with it. For example, if in 15b–c you translate the meaning without the figure of speech, you may need to translate 15d–f without the figure of speech there as well.

desert: This word refers to dry and barren land where very few people live. Another way to translate desert is “wilderness” (ESV).

13:15d–e

(combined/reordered)

Ephraim’s water sources will disappear.

Notice the parallel lines that are similar in meaning.

^15d His fountain will fail,

^15eand his spring will run dry.

These lines describe the effect of the drying wind on the water sources of Israel. They will dry up.

fountain…spring: The Hebrew words for fountain and spring are closely related. The word for fountain means a water source.HALOT (electronic edition, page 627). The Hebrew word for spring also means “source” or “headwaters.”HALOT (electronic edition, page 612).

Here are some other ways to translate these lines:

his spring will dry up; his well will become dry (NET)

All their flowing springs will run dry, and all their wells will disappear. (NLT)

Another option is to combine these two lines 15d–e. For example:

dries up streams of water (CEV)

and it will dry up their springs and wells (GNT)

fail…run dry: The Hebrew words for fail and run dry both mean to “dry up.”There is some debate concerning the Hebrew word in 15d that the BSB translates as “fail.” The MT has the word “ashamed” BDB (#954). The LXX, Peshitta, and the Vulgate, however, translate the word as “dry up” NIDOTTE (#3312). It is possible that these early versions based their translations on a different Hebrew word root. It is one that also occurs in a Qumran text. Modern versions follow the early versions here. See Andersen and Freedman (pages 640–641) and the NET footnote on this word.

13:15d

His fountain will fail,

Ephraim’s springs will no longer flow,
It will dry up their streams

13:15e

and his spring will run dry.

and the water in his wells will disappear.
and other water sources.

13:15f

The wind will plunder his treasury of every precious article.

His treasuries will be raided and all his valuable things will be taken away.
It will empty his/their storage places of every treasure.
His/Their enemies will rob/steal all their treasures.

The wind will plunder his treasury of every precious article: This clause probably refers to the plunder of Ephraim by Assyrian armies. The LORD used them to judge Ephraim.

Here are four acceptable ways to describe this event:

Say that the east wind plunders.Macintosh (page 550). This translation option continues the east wind figure of speech from 15a. The east wind represents the Armies of Assyria, who plunder. For example:
However, the Lord’s scorching wind will come from the east…. The wind will destroy every precious thing in their storehouses. (GW)
Say that it is the LORD who plunders.McComiskey (pages 226–227) and Andersen and Freedman (pages 640–641). This translation option indicates that the LORD is the one who sends the Assyrian armies, represented by the east wind, to plunder. For example:
the Lord will send a wind from the east…. He will destroy from their treasure houses everything of value. (NCV)
Say that the enemy plunders. For example:This translation option makes explicit that the enemy, the Assyrian armies, are the plunderers.
an east wind will come, a blast from the Lord rising over the desert….The enemy will plunder his wealth, all his costly treasures. (REB)
Leave the agent of plundering implied.Davies (page 296) suggests that “the east wind” need not be the grammatical subject of “plunder” here. The verb may have an indefinite subject equivalent to passive. In this translation option, the fact that Ephraim will be plundered is what matters. The identity of the plunderer is not important. For example:
Every precious thing they own will be plundered and carried away. (NLT)

treasury: There are two main interpretations of the Hebrew word for treasury in this context:TWOT (#154a) has “treasure,” “treasury,” “storehouse."

The word means treasury. A treasury is a place where valuable things are stored.Dearman (pages 331–332) and Davies (page 296). For example:
to strip his treasury of everything worth having (NJB) (BSB, ESV, GW, NASB, NCV, NIV, NJB, NRSV)
The word means “treasure(s)” (valuable things).McComiskey (pages 226–227). For example:
That [wind] shall plunder treasures, Every lovely object. (NJPS) (CEV, GNT, KJV, NET, NJPS, NLT, REB)

The display will follow interpretation (1). However, the Hebrew word can mean either treasures or the place treasures are stored. So either interpretation is acceptable.

every precious article: The Hebrew phrase for every precious article is more literally “every vessel of preciousness.”Some versions translate the phrase as a reference to foodstuffs. For example, the NET has: “delightful foods.” But there is no evidence from the phrase or the context that the meaning is that limited or that it refers to food at all. This phrase refers to objects of value, such as those made of silver or gold.Hubbard (page 225) states that this phrase “probably means images, art objects, jewelry and serving vessels.” It may refer in particular to treasures of the king and or temple, but it could include those of the general population as well.Andersen and Freedman (page 641), Keil (page 106), and Dearman (pages 331–332).

Here are some other ways to translate the phrase:

all its treasures (NIV)

your precious treasures (CEV)

everything of value (NCV)

Parallel HOS 13:15