HOS 14:5 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not necessarily 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 Bible-translators and others 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 early looks into the drafted texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Original HOS 14:6: Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal Speaker(s)=Narrator (All still tentative.)

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 (HOS 14:6) Ἔσομαι ὡς δρόσος τῷ Ἰσραὴλ, ἀνθήσει ὡς κρίνον, καὶ βαλεῖ τὰς ῥίζας αὐτοῦ ὡς ὁ Λίβανος·
(Esomai hōs drosos tōi Israaʸl, anthaʸsei hōs krinon, kai balei tas ɽizas autou hōs ho Libanos;)

BrTr (HOS 14:6) I will be as dew to Israel: he shall bloom as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Libanus.

ULT I will be like the dew to Israel;
⇔ he will blossom like the lily,
⇔ and he will strike his roots like Lebanon.

UST I will refresh the people of Israel
⇔ just as dew refreshes the ground.
⇔ They will prosper and become beautiful
⇔ and they will become as strong and stable as the trees of Lebanon.

BSB I will be like the dew to Israel;
⇔ he will blossom like the lily
⇔ and take root like the cedars of Lebanon.

OEB I will be as dew to Israel.
⇔ He will blossom like the lily,
⇔ he will plant his roots like the cedars of Lebanon,

WEBBE I will be like the dew to Israel.
⇔ He will blossom like the lily,
⇔ and send down his roots like Lebanon.

NET I will be like the dew to Israel;
⇔ he will blossom like a lily,
⇔ he will send down his roots like a cedar of Lebanon.

LSV I am as dew to Israel, he flourishes as a lily,
And he strikes forth his roots as Lebanon.

FBV I will be like the dew to Israel, they will blossom like lilies, they will send down roots like the cedars of Lebanon.

T4T I will be to the people of Israel
⇔ like dew that refreshes the soil.
⇔ When I do that, they will become as delightful as [MET] lilies are when they are blooming.
⇔ No one will be able to conquer them;
⇔ they will be as unmovable as [SIM] the roots of cedar trees.

LEB • I will be like the dew to Israel;
• he will blossom like the lily plant,
• and he will strike his roots like the trees of Lebanon.

BBE I will be as the dew to Israel; he will put out flowers like a lily, and send out his roots like Lebanon.

Moff I will be like dew to Israel;
⇔ he shall blossom like a lily,
⇔ and strike roots down like a poplar;

JPS (HOS 14:6) (14-7) His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive-tree, and his fragrance as Lebanon.

ASV I will be as the dew unto Israel; he shall blossom as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.

DRA (HOS 14:6) I will be as the dew, Israel shall spring as the lily, and his root shall shoot forth as that of Libanus.

YLT I am as dew to Israel, he flourisheth as a lily, And he striketh forth his roots as Lebanon.

Drby I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall blossom as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.

RV I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall blossom as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.

SLT I will be as the dew to Israel: he shall blossom as the lily and strike his roots as Lebanon.

Wbstr I will be as the dew to Israel: he shall grow as the lily and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.

KJB-1769 I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.[fn][fn]

14.5 grow: or, blossom

14.5 cast…: Heb. strike

KJB-1611 I wil be as the dew vnto Israel: hee shall [fn]grow as the lillie, and [fn]cast foorth his rootes as Lebanon.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above apart from footnotes)

14:5 Or, blossom.

14:5 Heb. strike.

Bshps I wyll be vnto Israel as the deawe, and he shall growe as the lilie, and his roote shall breake out as the trees of Libanus.
(I will be unto Israel as the dew, and he shall grow as the lily, and his root shall break out as the trees of Libanus.)

Gnva I wil heale their rebellion: I wil loue them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.
(I will heal their rebellion: I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.)

Cvdl Yee I wolde be vnto Israel as the dewe, and he shulde growe as ye lylie, & his rote shulde breake out as Libanus.
(Ye/You_all I would be unto Israel as the dew, and he should grow as ye/you_all lily, and his root should break out as Libanus.)

Wycl (HOS 14:6) Y schal be as a dew, and Israel schal buriowne as a lilie. And the root therof schal breke out as of the Liban;
(I shall be as a dew, and Israel shall bud as a lily. And the root thereof shall break out as of the Lebanon;)

Luth (HOS 14:6) Ich will Israel wie ein Tau sein, daß er soll blühen wie eine Rose; und seine Wurzeln sollen ausschlagen wie Libanon,
(I will Israel as/like a dew be, that he should bloom(v) as/like a/one rose(n); and his roots(n) should knock_out/turn_down as/like Lebanon,)

ClVg (HOS 14:6) Ero quasi ros; Israël germinabit sicut lilium, et erumpet radix ejus ut Libani.
(I_will_be as_if dew; Israel will_sprout like lily, and breaks_out root his/her as Of_Lebanon.)

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 14:4–8: The LORD promises to forgive and restore the Israelites

The LORD is the speaker in this section. In Hosea 14:4–7, the LORD gives his response to the people’s prayer of repentance in the form of a poem. In 14:8, he reminds the people that he will not tolerate idols. He also promises to care for the people and bless them. Here are other examples of section headings:

The Lord Promises to Forgive (CEV)

The Lord Promises New Life for Israel (NJB)

Paragraph 14:4–7

This paragraph is a poem with thirteen lines. In Hebrew, verses 4–6 each have three lines. Verse 7 has four lines.

^4a I will heal their apostasy;

^4b I will freely love them,

^4cfor My anger has turned away from them.

^5a I will be like the dew to Israel;

^5b he will blossom like a lily

^5cand take root like the cedars of Lebanon.

^6a His shoots will sprout,

^6band his splendor will be like the olive tree,

^6c his fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon.

^7a They will return and dwell in his shade;

^7b they will grow grain

^7cand blossom like the vine.

^7d His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon.

The poem has two main parts. In 14:4, the LORD gives his response to Israel’s prayer in direct, nonfigurative words. He promises them healing, love and forgiveness.

In 14:5–7, the LORD describes aspects of his healing, love and forgiveness more fully. Each line in this part of the poem is a figure of speech (simile or metaphor) that compares the LORD or Israel to something from nature that was familiar to people in that part of the world.

Verses 5–7 each end with the name “Lebanon.” “Lebanon” refers to the mountainous area of northern Galilee and modern-day Lebanon. It is a fertile and fragrant region.Dearman (page 341) suggests that the reference to Lebanon provides the source for the metaphors used in these verses.

14:5a

I will be like the dew to Israel;

I will be like dew to Israel.
I will be to the people of Israel like refreshing dew,

I will be like the dew to Israel: This clause is a simile in which the LORD compares himself to dew. The word dew refers to the drops of water that appear on plants in the evening and/or morning.

Here are two ways that the LORD is similar to dew:This comparison is very different from the comparison of Israel to dew in Hosea 6:4 and 13:3. In those verses Israel’s love and the lives of the people are compared to the temporary nature of dew that disappears quickly.

He gives refreshment.Keil (pages 107–108), Hubbard (page 230), Davies (page 305) and Carroll (page 303).
He provides what is needed for life and health.In that part of the world, it seldom rained from April through October. The dew allowed fruit and other plants to survive and ripen during those dry months. Dearman (page 341).

Some versions make explicit a way that the LORD and dew are similar. For example:

I will be to Israel like a refreshing dew from heaven. (NLT)

14:5b

he will blossom like the lily

He/Israel will blossom like a lily.
and they will blossom like beautiful flowers.

he will blossom like the lily: This clause is a simile that compares Israel to a lily. Israel will blossom in a way similar to a lily.

The Hebrew word for lily refers to a flower.BDB (#7799). According to Keil (pages 107–108) the word may refer specifically to a white lily. Other possibilities may be an iris, tulip, crocus or other flower. See Davies (page 305), Macintosh (page 570), Patterson and Hill (page 87) and Stuart (page 215). The Hebrew word for blossom means to “bud” or “sprout.”BDB (#6524). Here it probably refers to a bud opening into a flower blossom.

Here are some ways that Israel will (figuratively) blossom:

The people will reproduce abundantly like a lily.“Fertility.” See Keil (pages 107–108), McComiskey (page 233), and Stuart (page 215).
Israel will be beautiful and fragrant like a lily.“Beauty.” See Garrett (page 274), Stuart (page 215); “glory” Macintosh (page 570); “beauty and fragrance” Davies (page 305).

Some versions make explicit that the pronoun he refers to Israel. For example:

Israel will blossom like the lily (NLT)

Some versions have “flowers” instead of lily. This may be a good translation option to follow in languages that do not have a word for lily. For example:

They will blossom like flowers (GNT)

14:5c

and take root like the cedars of Lebanon.

He/Israel will grow roots like a cedar tree in Lebanon.
They will be strong like trees in Lebanon that have/produce deep roots.

and take root like the cedars of Lebanon: In Hebrew, this clause is more literally “and it will strike its roots like (the) Lebanon.” There is a textual issue with the name Lebanon in this clause:

The Masoretic Text has Lebanon. For example:
and he will take root like the cedars of Lebanon (NASB) (BSB, ESV, GNT, GW, KJV, NAB, NASB, NCV, NET, NJB, NJPS, NLT, NRSV)
Some scholars think that the original word was “poplar.”Oort and Valeton, cited in Macintosh (page 571). For example:
he shall strike root as the poplar (RSV) (REB, RSV)

It is recommended that you follow option (1) along with most versions and scholars. Ancient versions also follow this option.

The phrase that the BSB translates as take root is more literally “and it will strike.” The phrase “strike its roots” means to “thrust” roots into the ground.BDB (#5221) 1d. Also Macintosh (page 570) and McComiskey (page 233).

The clause is a simile that compares Israel’s roots to the roots of a cedar of Lebanon.This simile is the reverse of the metaphor in Hosea 9:16. In that metaphor Ephraim’s roots are withered. This comparison implies several things:

Their roots provide nourishment, so Israel will have splendor/glory.See Wood (page 224) and Macintosh (page 571).
Their roots are hardy, so Israel will become great and last a long time.See Macintosh (page 571).
Their roots are deep and firm, so Israel will be strong and stable.See Macintosh (page 571), McComiskey (page 233), Stuart (page 215), and Garrett (page 274).

Here are some other ways to translate this line:

They will be firmly rooted like the trees of Lebanon. (GNT)

it will send roots deep into the soil like the cedars in Lebanon. (NLT)

cedars of Lebanon: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as cedars of Lebanon is more literally “like the Lebanon.” There are at least two acceptable ways to translate this expression. They are listed here in order of more specific to less specific:

Make explicit that this expression probably refers to “cedar” trees that were famous in Lebanon at that time.See Psalms 92:12; 104:16. Carroll (page 303). For example:
He will send down his roots like a cedar of Lebanon. (NET)
Make explicit that this expression may refer to the trees or forests of Lebanon.As in the Targum. See Macintosh (page 571), McComiskey (page 233), Davies (page 305), Carroll (page 303), and Andersen and Freedman (page 646). For example:
he shall strike root like the forests of Lebanon. (NRSV)
he shall take root like the trees of Lebanon (ESV)

Parallel HOS 14:5

Section 14:4–8: The LORD promises to forgive and restore the Israelites

Paragraph 14:4–7

14:5a

14:5b

14:5c