HOS 2:5 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) because their mother has dabbled in prostitution—
⇔ ≈ the woman who conceived them has acted shamefully.
⇔ Yes, she had said, “I’ll go after my lovers,
⇔ who give me my bread and my water,
⇔ ≈ my wool and my flax,
⇔ ≈ and my oil and my drink.”

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 ὅπως ἂν ἐκδύσω αὐτὴν γυμνὴν, καὶ ἀποκαταστήσω αὐτὴν καθὼς ἡμέρα γενέσεως αὐτῆς· καὶ θήσω αὐτὴν ἔρημον, καὶ τάξω αὐτὴν ὡς γῆν ἄνυδρον, καὶ ἀποκτενῶ αὐτὴν ἐν δίψει.
(hopōs an ekdusō autaʸn gumnaʸn, kai apokatastaʸsō autaʸn kathōs haʸmera geneseōs autaʸs; kai thaʸsō autaʸn eraʸmon, kai taxō autaʸn hōs gaʸn anudron, kai apoktenō autaʸn en dipsei. )

BrTr that I may strip her naked, and make her again as she was at the day of her birth: and I will make her desolate, and make her as a dry land, and will kill her with thirst.

ULT For their mother has played the harlot,
⇔ and she who conceived them has acted shamefully.
⇔ For she said, “I will go after my lovers,
⇔ who give me my bread and my water,
⇔ my wool and my flax,
⇔ my oil and my drink.”

UST Israel is like a prostitute;
⇔ she is like a woman who has had these children from doing shameful things with other men.
⇔ Israel decided to hurry after these idols whom she loved, to worship other gods.
⇔ She thought that it was those gods who gave her bread and water.
⇔ She thought that it was those gods who gave her wool, linen, and olive oil, and also wine to drink.

BSB For their mother has played the harlot
⇔ and has conceived them in disgrace.
⇔ For she thought,
⇔ ‘I will go after my lovers,
⇔ who give me bread and water,
⇔ wool and linen, oil and drink.’

OEB for their mother has become a prostitute,
⇔ she who conceived them has behaved shamefully.
⇔ She has said,
⇔ ‘I will go after my lovers
⇔ who gave me my bread and my water,
⇔ my wool, my flax, my oil, and my drink.’

WEBBE For their mother has played the prostitute.
⇔ She who conceived them has done shamefully;
⇔ for she said, ‘I will go after my lovers,
⇔ who give me my bread and my water,
⇔ my wool and my flax,
⇔ my oil and my drink.’

WMBB (Same as above)

MSG ^(2-13)“Haul your mother into court. Accuse her!
  She’s no longer my wife.
  I’m no longer her husband.
Tell her to quit dressing like a whore,
  displaying her breasts for sale.
If she refuses, I’ll rip off her clothes
  and expose her, naked as a newborn.
I’ll turn her skin into dried-out leather,
  her body into a badlands landscape,
  a rack of bones in the desert.
I’ll have nothing to do with her children,
  born one and all in a whorehouse.
Face it: Your mother’s been a whore,
  bringing bastard children into the world.
She said, ‘I’m off to see my lovers!
  They’ll wine and dine me,
Dress and caress me,
  perfume and adorn me!’
But I’ll fix her: I’ll dump her in a field of thistles,
  then lose her in a dead-end alley.
She’ll go on the hunt for her lovers
  but not bring down a single one.
She’ll look high and low
  but won’t find a one. Then she’ll say,
‘I’m going back to my husband, the one I started out with.
  That was a better life by far than this one.’
She didn’t know that it was I all along
  who wined and dined and adorned her,
That I was the one who dressed her up
  in the big-city fashions and jewelry
  that she wasted on wild Baal-orgies.
I’m about to bring her up short: No more wining and dining!
  Silk lingerie and gowns are a thing of the past.
I’ll expose her genitals to the public.
  All her fly-by-night lovers will be helpless to help her.
Party time is over. I’m calling a halt to the whole business,
  her wild weekends and unholy holidays.
I’ll wreck her sumptuous gardens and ornamental fountains,
  of which she bragged, ‘Whoring paid for all this!’
They will soon be dumping grounds for garbage,
  feeding grounds for stray dogs and cats.
I’ll make her pay for her indulgence in promiscuous religion—
  all that sensuous Baal worship
And all the promiscuous sex that went with it,
  stalking her lovers, dressed to kill,
And not a thought for me.”
  God’s Message!

NET For their mother has committed adultery;
⇔ she who conceived them has acted shamefully.
⇔ For she said, “I will seek out my lovers;
⇔ they are the ones who give me my bread and my water,
⇔ my wool, my flax, my olive oil, and my wine.

LSV For their mother has gone whoring,
Their conceiver has acted shamefully,
For she has said, I go after my lovers,
Those giving my bread and my water,
My wool and my flax, my oil and my drink.

FBV For their mother was a prostitute who conceived them in a shameful way. She said, ‘I'll run after my lovers who give me my food and water, my wool and flax and olive oil, and my drink.’

T4T Their parents are like prostitutes [MET]: they have been unfaithful to me,
⇔ and they have done very disgraceful things.
⇔ They said, ‘We will run to our idols/gods who love us;
⇔ they are the ones who give us food and water
⇔ and wool and linen and olive oil, and wine to drink.’

LEB • Because their mother was unfaithful;[fn] she who conceived them has acted shamefully,
  • for she said:
   • “I will go after my lovers,
• the ones who give me my bread, my water,
  • my wool, and my flax,
   • my oil, and my drink.”

2:? Or “their mother played the whore”

BBE For their mother has been untrue; she who gave them birth has done things of shame, for she said, I will go after my lovers, who give me my bread and my water, my wool and my linen, my oil and my wine.

Moff their mother has played the harlot,
⇔ she who conceived them has been shameless;
⇔ she said, “I will follow my lovers,
⇔ who give me my bread and water,
⇔ my wool, flax, oil and wine.”

JPS (2-7) For their mother hath played the harlot, she that conceived them hath done shamefully; for she said: 'I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.'

ASV for their mother hath played the harlot; she that conceived them hath done shamefully; for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.

DRA For their mother hath committed fornication, she that conceived them is covered with shame: for she said: I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread, and my water, my wool, and my flax, my oil, and my drink.

YLT For gone a-whoring hath their mother, Acted shamefully hath their conceiver, For she hath said, I go after my lovers, Those giving my bread and my water, My wool and my flax, my oil and my drink.

Drby For their mother hath played the harlot; she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give [me] my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.

RV for their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.
(for their mother hath/has played the harlot: she that conceived them hath/has done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink. )

SLT For their mother committed fornication: she conceiving them acted shamefully: for she said, I will go after those loving me giving me my bread and my water, my wool and my linen, mine oil and my drinks.

Wbstr For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, my oil and my drink.

KJB-1769 For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.[fn]
(For their mother hath/has played the harlot: she that conceived them hath/has done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink. )

2.5 drink: Heb. drinks

KJB-1611 For their mother hath played the harlot: shee that conceiued them hath done shamefully: for shee sayd, I will goe after my louers, that giue me my bread and my water, my wooll and my flaxe, mine oyle, and my [fn]drinke.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation and footnotes)

2:5 Heb. drinks

Bshps Their mother hath played the harlot, and she that bare them is come to confusion: for she sayde, I wyll go after my louers, that geue me my bread and my water, my wooll and flaxe, my oyle and my drinke.
(Their mother hath/has played the harlot, and she that bare them is come to confusion: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and flax, my oil and my drink.)

Gnva For their mother hath plaied the harlot: she that conceiued them, hath done shamefully: for shee said, I will goe after my louers that giue me my bread and my water, my wooll and my flaxe, mine oyle and my drinke.
(For their mother hath/has played the harlot: she that conceived them, hath/has done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink. )

Cvdl Their mother hath broken hir wedlocke, and she that bare them, is come to cofucion. For she sayde: I wil go after my louers, that geue me my water and my bred, my woll & my flax, my oyle and my drynke.
(Their mother hath/has broken her wedlock, and she that bare them, is come to confusion. For she said: I will go after my lovers, that give me my water and my bred, my wool and my flax, my oil and my drink.)

Wycl for the modir of hem dide fornicacioun, sche is schent that conseyuede hem, for sche seide, Y schal go after my louyeris that yeuen looues to me, and my watris, and my wolle, and my flex, and myn oile, and my drynke.
(for the mother of hem did fornication, she is harmed/shamed that conceived hem, for she said, I shall go after my lovers that gave loaves to me, and my waters, and my wool, and my flex, and mine oil, and my drink.)

Luth auf daß ich sie nicht nackend ausziehe und darstelle, wie sie war, da sie geboren ward, und ich sie nicht mache wie eine Wüste und wie ein dürres Land, daß ich sie nicht Durst sterben lasse,
(on/in/to that I they/she/them not naked ausziehe and darstelle, as/like they/she/them was, there they/she/them born was, and I they/she/them not make as/like a/one desert and as/like a have_a_droughts country, that I they/she/them not thirst die let,)

ClVg Quia fornicata est mater eorum, confusa est quæ concepit eos; quia dixit: Vadam post amatores meos, qui dant panes mihi, et aquas meas, lanam meam, et linum meum, oleum meum, et potum meum.
(Because fornicata it_is mother their, confusa it_is which conceived them; because he/she_said: I_will_go after lovers mine, who/which dant bread/food to_me, and waters of_mine, lanam of_mine, and linum mine, oil mine, and drink mine. )

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 2:2–13: The LORD promised to punish the people of Israel

In this section, the LORD described the crisis that resulted from Israel being unfaithful to him by following other gods. He warned Israel about the punishment that he would inflict on them if they continued their unfaithfulness. There is a sharp contrast between the negative tone in this section and the positive tone in the previous one.

The first words of this section seem to be a command by Hosea to his children. He commanded them to rebuke their mother (2:2a). However, the words “declares the LORD” in 2:13c indicate that the LORD is the speaker throughout this section. The reason for this double reference is that this section has both literal and figurative meanings. Literally, it applies to the relationship between Hosea, his wife Gomer, and their children. Figuratively, it expresses the relationship between the LORD and Israel. In a complex metaphor, the nation of Israel is compared to the LORD’s wife. At the same time, the entire nation of Israel is compared to a mother, and the individual Israelites that made up the nation are compared to her children.Andersen and Freedman (pages 219–220) and Wood (page 175).

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

The LORD’s future punishment of Israel

Israel is the Lord’s unfaithful wife (GW)

Unfaithful Gomer—Unfaithful Israel (GNT)

Paragraph 2:2–5

This paragraph contains the first examples in Hosea of Hebrew poetry, including the use of parallel lines. See The form in the Introduction for more information on formatting poetry and translating parallel lines.

2:5a–b

(combined/reordered)

Indeed, the one who gave birth to you^(plur) has been acting like a prostitute. What she is doing is shameful!
For your very own mother has been acting shamefully by selling her body to other men.

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^5aFor their mother has played the whore; (NRSV)

^5b she who conceived them has acted shamefully. (NRSV)

Both lines mean that the mother of the children has acted like a prostitute. The NRSV has been used as the source line, because it shows the parallel parts more clearly.

2:5a

For their mother has played the harlot

Yes, your^(plur) mother has behaved like a prostitute.

(NRSV) For their mother has played the whore: The Hebrew word that the NRSV translates as For indicates here that the parallel statements in 2:5 are an explanation. They explain the way in which the mother’s children are the children of adultery.

Here are some other ways to introduce this explanation in 2:5a:

Yes, their mother… (NJB)

What I mean is that their mother…

Some English versions leave this Hebrew conjunction implied. Use a natural way in your language to introduce an explanation.

their mother: See the note on “on her children” in 2:4a. Here there is a similar change of pronoun from “your” to their. As in 2:4a, the husband (symbolizing the LORD) is still speaking to the children. So in some languages, it may be clearer to use the same pronoun as in 2:2a. For example:

your mother

has played the whore: The Hebrew expression that the NRSV translates as has played the whore is literally “she has committed fornication.” The word “fornication” can refer to adultery or prostitution. The latter part of the verse indicates that she received pay for her acts of adultery. So prostitution is the meaning in this context. For example:

acted like a prostitute (GW)

Some versions use a more general expression. For example:

has been unfaithful (NIV)

Use an expression in your language that fits the context.

2:5b

and has conceived them in disgrace.

This woman who became pregnant with you^(plur) has behaved disgracefully.

(NRSV) she who conceived them: This phrase is a more specific way to refer to the parallel part “their mother” in 2:5a. Both expressions refer to the same person.

Here are some other ways to translate this expression:

The woman who became pregnant with them (GW)

the one who gave birth to them

(NRSV) has acted shamefully: This phrase describes the mother’s behavior as a prostitute in 2:5a. It was considered shameful or disgraceful for a married woman to engage in prostitution.

Here is another way to translate this expression:

did shameful things (GW)

General Comment on 2:5a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to reorder and/or combine the parallel parts. For example:

Yes, your mother, the one who gave birth to you, has behaved like a shameless prostitute.

For your very own mother has been acting shamefully, selling her body to other men.

2:5c

For she thought, ‘I will go after my lovers,

She said, ‘I will go look for other men to sleep with.
She decided to give herself to her sexual partners instead of her husband.

For: In Hebrew, this verse part begins with a word that the BSB and many versions translate as For. It indicates that the statements that follow give an explanation. They explain the way in which the mother has acted like a shameless prostitute. Other versions leave this connection implied. Use a natural way in your language to introduce an explanation.

she thought, ‘I will go after my lovers: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as thought is literally “said” In this statement, the husband used a direct quote to tell his children what their mother had said, thought or decided.According to Keil (page 37), the verb “said” may indicate either speaking or thinking. Both McComiskey (page 34) and Andersen and Freedman (page 230) say that this quote represents a decision on the part of the wife. It is not clear whether she spoke these words to her husband or merely made a decision, using these words, in her mind. In some languages, it may be more natural to use indirect speech for the statement. For example:

she said/decided that she would go after her lovers…

I will go after my lovers: This clause means that the woman will go and look for men who will pay her to have sex with them. It emphasizes her deliberate intention to be unfaithful to her husband. Symbolically, it refers to Israel’s deliberate worship of the gods of other nations, such as Baal, rather than her own God.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

I shall chase after my lovers (NJB)

I will seek out my lovers (NET)

I will search for men who are willing to have sex with me

2:5d

who give me bread and water, wool and linen, oil and drink.’

They supply me with what I eat and drink. They also give me my clothing made of wool and linen, my olive oil, and wine.’
She depended on them to pay her with the food, water, and clothes that she needed, as well as olive oil and wine.

who give me bread and water, wool and linen, oil and drink: This verse part describes her “lovers” in terms of the payments a prostitute expected them to offer in exchange for sexual relations.

Here is another way to translate this verse part:

She herself said, “I will go to my lovers—they give me food and water, wool and linen, olive oil and wine.” (GNT)

give: The word give refers here to payment. It does not refer to gifts. In some languages, it may be necessary to make this clear. For example:

I’ll…sell myself to them for food and water… (NLT)

they pay me with food and water…

bread and water: This expression refers to the basic requirements of life. In Hebrew, the word bread is often a figure of speech that represents food.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

what I eat and drink

the food and water that I need

wool and linen: wool is the hair of sheep. linen is thread made from a plant called flax. Some versions translate this as “flax” (NRSV). These were the basic materials that the Israelites used to make their clothing. Some versions make this purpose explicit. For example:

for clothing of wool and linen (NLT)

If your language does not have specific terms for wool and linen, you may use a more general word or phrase. For example:

my clothing

the clothes that I wear

oil: The word oil is a general term that refers to oil from plants or from animal fat. Here it probably refers to olive oil. It was used mainly for cooking, but also for perfume and incense.Andersen and Freedman (page 233). For example:

olive oil (GNT)

In areas where olive oil is not known, you may use a more general term that refers to cooking oil.

drink: In Hebrew, the word drink can refer in general to any drink, but it probably refers here to alcoholic drinks.Hubbard (page 74), Keil (page 54), and Andersen and Freedman (page 48). Some versions, including the GNT, have:

wine (GNT)

Parallel HOS 2:5