HOS 4:12 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) My people consult their wooden idols,
⇔ ≈ and their divining rods inform them,
⇔ because a spirit of unfaithfulness has led them astray,
⇔ ≈ and they’ve played the loose woman, departing from their 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 ἐν συμβόλοις ἐπηρώτων, καὶ ἐν ῥάβδοις αὐτοῦ ἀπήγγελλον αὐτῷ· πνεύματι πορνείας ἐπλανήθησαν, καὶ ἐξεπόρνευσαν ἀπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ αὐτῶν.
(en sumbolois epaʸrōtōn, kai en ɽabdois autou apaʸngellon autōi; pneumati porneias eplanaʸthaʸsan, kai exeporneusan apo tou Theou autōn. )

BrTr They asked counsel by means of signs, and they reported answer to them by their staves: they have gone astray in a spirit of whoredom, and gone grievously a-whoring from their God.

ULT My people consult their wooden idols,
⇔ and their walking sticks inform them.
⇔ For a spirit of harlotry has led them astray,
⇔ and they have played the harlot, departing from their God.

UST My own people pray to an idol made from a piece of wood.
⇔ They ask their walking staffs to tell them which way they should go!
⇔ They are always wanting to sin in sexual ways, so they have stopped obeying me, the God whom they should worship.

OEB My own people ask counsel of a piece of wood!
⇔ A stick gives them advice!
⇔ For a spirit of prostitution has led them astray,
⇔ they commit adultery against their God.

WEBBE My people consult with their wooden idol,
⇔ and answer to a stick of wood.
⇔ Indeed the spirit of prostitution has led them astray,
⇔ and they have been unfaithful to their God.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET They consult their wooden idols,
⇔ and their diviner’s staff answers with an oracle.
⇔ The wind of prostitution blows them astray;
⇔ they commit spiritual adultery against their God.

LSV My people at its staff asks and its rod declares to it,
For a spirit of whoredoms has caused to err,
And they go whoring from under their God.

FBV My people consult their wooden idols and their divining rods give them answers, for a spirit of prostitution makes them go astray. Prostituting themselves, they have deserted their God.

T4T “You my people request wooden idols
⇔ to tell you what you should do!
⇔ Like prostitutes who have left/abandoned their husbands,

LEB • My people, consult their wooden idols ,[fn]
• and their divining rod gives them oracles;
• because a spirit of whoredom led them astray,
• and they played the whore from under their God.[fn]

4:? Literally “their wood”

4:? That is, “they played the whore forsaking their God”; See Ezek 23:5

BBE My people get knowledge from their tree, and their rod gives them news; for a false spirit is the cause of their wandering, and they have been false to their God.

Moff ⇔ My people ask a piece of wood to guide them,
⇔ a pole gives them their oracles!
⇔ For a harlot-spirit has let them astray,
⇔ they have left their God for a faithless way;

JPS My people ask counsel at their stock, and their staff declareth unto them; for the spirit of harlotry hath caused them to err, and they have gone astray from under their God.

ASV My people ask counsel at their stock, and their staff declareth unto them; for the spirit of whoredom hath caused them to err, and they have played the harlot, departing from under their God.

DRA My people have consulted their stocks, and their staff hath declared unto them: for the spirit of fornication hath deceived them, and they have committed fornication against their God.

YLT My people at its staff asketh and its rod declareth to it, For a spirit of whoredoms hath caused to err, And they go a-whoring from under their God.

Drby My people ask counsel of their stock, and their staff declareth unto them; for the spirit of whoredoms causeth [them] to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their [fn]God:

4.12 Elohim

RV My people ask counsel at their stock, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredom hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.
(My people ask council/counsel at their stock, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredom/prostitution hath/has caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God. )

SLT My people will ask in their counsel, and with their rod they will announce to them: for the spirit of fornications caused to err, and they will commit fornication from under their God.

Wbstr My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth to them: for the spirit of lewdness hath caused them to err, and they have gone astray from under their God.

KJB-1769 ¶ My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.
(¶ My people ask council/counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms/prostitutions hath/has caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God. )

KJB-1611 ¶ My people aske counsel at their stocks, and their staffe declareth vnto them: for the spirit of whordomes hath caused them to erre, and they haue gone a whoring from vnder their God.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps My people aske counsell at their stockes, and their staffe teacheth them: for the spirite of fornication hath caused them to go astray, and they haue committed fornication against their God.
(My people ask council/counsel at their stocks, and their staff teacheth/teaches them: for the spirit of fornication hath/has caused them to go astray, and they have committed fornication against their God.)

Gnva My people aske counsell at their stockes, and their staffe teacheth them: for the spirite of fornications hath caused them to erre, and they haue gone a whoring from vnder their God.
(My people ask council/counsel at their stocks, and their staff teacheth/teaches them: for the spirit of fornications hath/has caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God. )

Cvdl My people axe councel at their stockes, their staffe must tell them. For an whorish mynde hath disceaued them, so yt they comitte fornicacion agaynst their God.
(My people axe council/counsel at their stocks, their staff must tell them. For an whorish mind hath/has deceived them, so it they commit fornication against their God.)

Wycl My puple axide in his tre, and the staf therof telde to it; for the spirit of fornicacioun disseyuede hem, and thei diden fornicacioun fro her God.
(My people asked in his tree, and the staff thereof told to it; for the spirit of fornication deceived_or_dissuaded hem, and they did fornication from her God.)

Luth Mein Volk fragt sein Holz, und sein Stab soll ihm predigen; denn der Hurereigeist verführet sie, daß sie wider ihren GOtt Hurerei treiben.
(My people asks be wood, and be rod/staff should him preaching; because/than the/of_the spirit_of_fornication seduced they/she/them, that they/she/them against your(pl) God fornication to_drive.)

ClVg Populus meus in ligno suo interrogavit, et baculus ejus annuntiavit ei; spiritus enim fornicationum decepit eos, et fornicati sunt a Deo suo.
(Populus mine in/into/on wood his_own asked, and staff/walking-stick his announced to_him; spirit because fornication I_was_deceivedt them, and fornicati are from to_God his_own. )

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 4:11b–19: The Sinful People

This section shows how much the people of Israel were committed to sexual sin and idolatry. They were stubborn and refused to return to the LORD. As a result, the LORD promised to discipline them so that in time they would be ashamed of their idolatry.

Here are some other examples of section headings:

The Lord Condemns Pagan Worship (GNT)

Worship in Israel is idolatrous and debauched (NJB)

The previous section focused primarily on the priests. This section focuses on the people as a group. A section heading may be appropriate here if you chose interpretation (1) in 4:10d–11b. In that case this section would begin with a new sentence. A section heading is not recommended if you chose interpretation (2) or (3), because the heading would interrupt a sentence.

4:12a–b

(combined/reordered)

My own people expect wooden idols and other objects of wood to give them advice.

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^12a My people consult their wooden idols

^12band their divining rods inform them.

These lines show that the people of Israel no longer sought guidance from the LORD. Instead they turned to idols and divination to guide them.

4:12a

My people consult their wooden idols,

My own people ask for guidance from their wooden idols.
Indeed, even my own people ask a piece of wood to guide/advise them!

My people consult their wooden idols: To consult their wooden idols means to ask an idol carved from wood to guide them. For example:

ask their wooden idols for help (GW)

4:12b

and their divining rods inform them.

They rely on their wooden sticks/rods to tell them what to do.
They use their divining rods for guidance.

and their divining rods inform them: The people did some kind of divination using a wooden stick or rod to obtain an answer to their requests.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

A piece of wood tells them what to do (GW)

they ask those sticks of wood to advise them (NCV)

General Comment on 4:12a–b

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

You expect wooden idols and other objects of wood to give you advice. (CEV)

4:12c–d

(combined/reordered)

They have rejected me as their God. They are now doing what is wrong, because they enjoy prostitution/immorality and idolatry.

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^12cFor a spirit of prostitution leads them astray

^12dand they have played the harlot against their God.

In these lines the LORD said that the people’s devotion to prostitution had led them away from devotion to him. See the General Comment on 4:12c–d at the end of 4:12d for ways to translate the literal and figurative meanings of prostitution in these parallel lines.

4:12c

For a spirit of prostitution leads them astray

For their desire to be immoral has caused them to do what is wrong.
They long to have sex with prostitutes and to worship false gods. So they have gone astray.

For: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as For introduces the reason why the people seek guidance from wooden idols and divination instead of the LORD. It is because a spirit of prostitution has led them away from him. Other translations leave this connection implied. Use a natural way in your language to introduce this reason.

a spirit of prostitution: In this context, this phrase probably refers to a strong desire to be immoral. It probably does not refer to a demon or evil spirit.NIDOTTE (#8120), Macintosh (page 152), Davies (page 124), McComiskey (page 66), and Stuart (page 81) understand ruaḥ ”spirit” as a strong desire or tendency to act in a certain way. Andersen and Freedman (pages 366–367) prefer the idea of a demonic spirit that deceives people and “incites…promiscuity.” For example:

an urge to go whoring (NJB)

leads them astray: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as leads them astray is literally “has-caused-to-wander.” It indicates here that the people’s desire to be immoral has led or caused them to do what is wrong. The form of the Hebrew verb indicates that the people had been led astray in the past and were still being led astray. The BSB uses present tense to translate this idea. Some versions use past tense forms. For example:

an urge to go whoring has led them astray (NJB)

4:12d

and they have played the harlot against their God.

They have abandoned me in order to worship false gods.
They have turned away from me, their God, and have rejected my authority.

and they have played the harlot against their God: In Hebrew, this clause is literally “and they have committed fornicationThe BART interlinear for 4:12d glosses this qal form of the verb zanah as “they have prostituted themselves.” NIDOTTE (#2388) glosses the qal form as “commit fornication, act as a harlot, have illicit intercourse.” TWOT (#563) and BDB (#2181) are similar. In 4:12d the verb refers figuratively to religious immorality or unfaithfulness to God. from under their God.” It means here that the people rejected the authority of the LORD and devoted themselves to idolatry and self-indulgence instead.

General Comment on 4:12c–d

Some verse parts in the following context (4:13a–c) focus on idolatry. Other verse parts (4:13d–e) focus on the literal prostitution that was part of idol worship. If possible, your translation of “spirit of prostitution” and “played the harlot against their God” in 4:12c–d should include both meanings.

It is suggested that you use at least one expression that refers to sexual unfaithfulness between people. Use other expressions that refer to idolatry or unfaithfulness to God. In the following examples, sexual unfaithfulness will be marked with an underline. Idolatry or unfaithfulness to God will be marked with bold print:

^12cTheir strong desire for sexual pleasure and idol worship has led them to abandon what is right. ^12dThey have left their God to serve other gods.

^12cTheir uncontrolled lusts have caused them to sin. ^12dThey are no longer faithful to one another or to God .

^12cLike prostitutes, they have chased after other gods ^12dand have left their own God. (NCV)

^12cA spirit of prostitution leads them astray. ^12dThey commit adultery by giving themselves to other gods. (GW)

You may also want to clarify the relationship between literal and figurative prostitution in a footnote. Here is a suggested footnote:

People who worshiped idols at mountain shrines sacrificed animals and incense to the idols. As part of the ritual, they often had sex with the prostitutes who worked at the shrines (see 4:13–14). When they did this, they were acting immorally. They were also being unfaithful to God by worshiping other gods.

In some languages, it may be more natural to reorder and/or combine the parallel parts in 4:12c–d. For example:

Their longing for the pleasures of sexual immorality and idolatry has led them to abandon me, their God.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

(Occurrence 0) their walking sticks give them prophecies

(Some words not found in UHB: people_of,my by,his_of,wood consult and,his_of,stick gives_~_oracles to=him/it that/for/because/then/when spirit_of whoredom led_~_astray and,they_have_prostituted_themselves from=under God_of,their )

Idol worshipers used walking sticks to help them predict the future. The walking sticks are spoken of here as if they were people who spoke prophecies.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

(Occurrence 0) a mind of promiscuity has misled them

Worshiping the idols and sleeping with the temple prostitutes has developed in the people of Israel the desire to always sin against Yahweh in these ways. Here “mind” is spoken of as if it were a separate person who was able to convince the people to disobey Yahweh.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

(Occurrence 0) has misled

has convinced the people to sin

Parallel HOS 4:12