HOS 9:6 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.)

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 Διὰ τοῦτο ἰδοὺ πορεύονται ἐκ ταλαιπωρίας Αἰγύπτου, καὶ ἐκδέξεται αὐτοὺς Μέμφις, καὶ θάψει αὐτοὺς Μαχμάς· τὸ ἀργύριον αὐτῶν ὄλεθρος κληρονομήσει αὐτὸ, ἄκανθαι ἐν τοῖς σκηνώμασιν αὐτῶν.
(Dia touto idou poreuontai ek talaipōrias Aiguptou, kai ekdexetai autous Memfis, kai thapsei autous Maⱪmas; to argurion autōn olethros klaʸronomaʸsei auto, akanthai en tois skaʸnōmasin autōn. )

BrTr Therefore, behold, they go forth from the trouble of Egypt, and Memphis shall receive them, and Machmas shall bury them: as for their silver, destruction shall inherit it; thorns shall be in their tents.

ULT For behold, they go away from destruction,
⇔ but Egypt will gather them,
⇔ Memphis will bury them.
⇔ As for their treasures of silver—
⇔ sharp briers will possess them,
⇔ thorns will be in their tents.

UST Look! If you escape and the Assyrians do not kill you,
⇔ the army of Egypt will capture you.
⇔ You will die there, and the people in the city of Memphis will bury you.
⇔ All your wealth in silver will be covered up
⇔ and lost when the desert plants grow into your homes and take them over.

OEB ⇔ Even if they flee from destruction,
⇔ Egypt will gather them,
⇔ Memphis will bury them.
⇔ Nettles will take possession of their treasure of silver,
⇔ thorns will push into their tents.

WEBBE For, behold, when they flee destruction,
⇔ Egypt will gather them up.
⇔ Memphis will bury them.
⇔ Nettles will possess their pleasant things of silver.
⇔ Thorns will be in their tents.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Look! Even if they flee from the destruction,
⇔ Egypt will take hold of them,
⇔ and Memphis will bury them.
⇔ The weeds will inherit the silver they treasure –
⇔ thorn bushes will occupy their homes.

LSV For behold, they have gone because of destruction,
Egypt gathers them, Moph buries them,
The desirable things of their silver,
Nettles possess them—a thorn [is] in their tents.

FBV Look, they have left because of the destruction: Egypt with gather them, and Memphis will bury them. They gain a “valued possession” for their silver.[fn] Weeds will possess them, and thorns will grow over their tents.

9:6 Obviously there is a degree of sarcasm here. By fleeing to Egypt, all they received in return for their payment was ruin and death.

T4T And even if you escape and are not killed by the Assyrians,
⇔ you will be captured by the army of Egypt,
⇔ and you will die and be buried in Memphis, the capital of Egypt.
⇔ Briers will grow up and cover your treasures of silver,
⇔ and thorns will grow in your ruined tents/houses.

LEB   • For look! If they flee from the destruction, Egypt will gather them;
  • Memphis[fn] will bury them.
• Nettles will possess
  • their precious things of silver;
   • thorns will be in their tents.

9:? Hebrew “Noph”

BBE For see, they are going away into Assyria; Egypt will get them together, Memphis will be their last resting-place; their fair silver vessels will be covered over with field plants, and thorns will come up in their tents.

Moff You will have gone to Assyria,
⇔ gathered in Egypt,
⇔ mustered at Memphis–
⇔ nettles covering the rare silver idols,
⇔ thorns springing in your shrines.

JPS For, lo, they are gone away from destruction, yet Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them; their precious treasures of silver, nettles shall possess them, thorns shall be in their tents.

ASV For, lo, they are gone away from destruction; yet Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them; their pleasant things of silver, nettles shall possess them; thorns shall be in their tents.

DRA For behold they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them together, Memphis shall bury them: nettles shall inherit their beloved silver, the bur shall be in their tabernacles.

YLT For, lo, they have gone because of destruction, Egypt gathereth them, Moph burieth them, The desirable things of their silver, Nettles possess them — a thorn [is] in their tents.

Drby For behold, they are gone away because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Moph shall bury them: their pleasant things of silver, nettles shall possess them; thorns shall be in their tents.

RV For, lo, they are gone away from destruction, yet Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: their pleasant things of silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tents.

SLT For behold, they went from destruction: Egypt shall gather them together; Memphis shall bury them: the desire for their silver, the prickly weed shall possess them: the thorn in their tents.

Wbstr For lo, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tabernacles.

KJB-1769 For, lo, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tabernacles.[fn][fn]

9.6 destruction: Heb. spoil

9.6 the…: or, their silver shall be desired, the nettle, etc.: Heb. the desire

KJB-1611 [fn][fn]For loe they are gone, because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them vp, Memphis shall burie them: the pleasant places for their siluer, netles shal possesse them: thornes shall be in their Tabernacles.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation and punctuation and footnotes)

9:6 Heb. spoile.

9:6 Or, their siluer shall be desired, the nettle &c: Heb. the desire.

Bshps For beholde they are gone away for destruction, but Egypt shall gather them, and Memphis shall bury them: the nettles shall possesse the pleasaunt places of their siluer, thornes shalbe in their tabernacles.
(For behold they are gone away for destruction, but Egypt shall gather them, and Memphis shall bury them: the nettles shall possess the pleasant places of their silver, thorns shall be in their tabernacles.)

Gnva For loe, they are gone from destruction: but Egypt shall gather them vp, and Memphis shall burie them: the nettle shall possesse the pleasant places of their siluer, and the thorne shall be in their tabernacles.
(For lo, they are gone from destruction: but Egypt shall gather them up, and Memphis shall bury them: the nettle shall possess the pleasant places of their silver, and the thorn shall be in their tabernacles. )

Cvdl lo, they shall get them awaye for the destruccion, Egypte shal receaue them, & Noph shal bury them. The nettles shall ouergrowe their pleasaunt goodes, and burres shalbe in their tabernacles.
(lo, they shall get them away for the destruction, Egypt shall receive them, and Noph shall bury them. The nettles shall overgrowe their pleasant goods, and burrs/thorns shall be in their tabernacles.)

Wycl For lo! thei ben goon out fro distriyng. Egipt schal gadere hem togidere, Memphis schal birie hem. A nettle schal enherite the desirable siluer of hem, a clote schal be in the tabernaclis of hem.
(For lo! they been gone out from destroying. Egypt shall gather hem together, Memphis shall bury hem. A nettle shall inherit the desirable silver of hem, a clote shall be in the tabernacles/tents of hem.)

Luth Siehe, sie müssen weg vor dem Verstörer! Ägypten wird sie sammeln, und Moph wird sie begraben. Nesseln werden wachsen, da jetzt ihr liebes Götzensilber stehet, und Dornen in ihren Hütten.
(See/Look, they/she/them must away/gone before/in_front_of to_him Verstörer! Egypt becomes they/she/them collect, and Moph becomes they/she/them buried. Nesseln become grown, there now/currently you(pl)/their/her love(v)s idolssilber stands, and thorns in your(pl) huts.)

ClVg Ecce enim profecti sunt a vastitate: Ægyptus congregabit eos; Memphis sepeliet eos: desiderabile argentum eorum urtica hæreditabit, lappa in tabernaculis eorum.
(Behold because set_out are from vastitate: Egypt will_gather them; Memphis sepeliet them: desiderabile silver their urtica thesereditabit, lappa in/into/on shelters/tents their. )

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 9:1–9: The LORD will punish the Israelites

This section warns the people of Israel that the LORD will punish them because they have been unfaithful to him. When that happens, the people will no longer be able to celebrate at harvest time or enjoy the crops from their land. The section describes aspects of daily life that the people in Israel would clearly understand. Some examples are harvest festivals (9:1, 5), threshing grain and making wine (9:2), unclean food (9:3–4), offerings and sacrifices (9:4), briers and thorns (9:6), and prophets (9:7–8). There is also an indirect reference to Israel’s past (9:9).

Here are some other examples of section headings:

The Lord Will Punish Israel (ESV)

Hosea announces Israel’s Punishment (NLT)

Israel Will Be Punished (CEV)

The Sorrows of Exile (NJB)

Paragraph 9:1–6

This paragraph tells about joyful activities that the people will no longer experience when they are in exile in Assyria. In exile, they will no longer have joyful harvests or be able to offer acceptable sacrifices to God. Instead of rejoicing, they will mourn.

9:6a

For even if they flee destruction,

¶ Some of the people will not be killed/destroyed. But when they try to escape,
¶ For look! The people will flee from destruction. But even so,
¶ Because even if some are able to escape from their devastated/ruined country/land,

For even if they flee destruction: In Hebrew, this phrase is more literally “for look/behold they have gone from devastation.”The RSV follows a proposed Hebrew text that supposedly had “Assyria” here instead of the word meaning “from devastation.” This yields “they are going to Assyria.” However, this proposal has no support from ancient texts or versions. See Davies (page 218) and Andersen and Freedman (page 530). Hosea uses the past tense “have gone” here to indicate that fulfillment of this prophecy is absolutely certain. Some versions use past tense. For example:

What a scene of devastation they have left! (NJB)

For look, the people have fled from a scene of devastation (REB)

In most languages, it will be clearer to use non-past or future verbs as Hebrew does in 9:6b–e. The meaning lines in the Display will do the same.

This verse part means that when their enemy destroys their cities and land, the people of Israel who are still alive will try to escape. But if they do escape, the event(s) in 6:b-c will still happen.

Here are some other ways to translate this verse part:

Even if they escape without being destroyed (GW)

When the disaster comes and the people are scattered (GNT)

In Hebrew, the first two words of this clause are literally “For look,” as in the REB quoted above.

The word For introduces the reason the people will not be able to celebrate their feasts (see 9:5). It is because Israel will be destroyed, and the people who escape the destruction will never live there again. For example:

For even if they escape destruction (NRSV)

The word “look” draws attention to the statement that follows it.McComiskey (page 141) identifies the functions of both Hebrew words. Some versions translate the word literally here. For example:

Look! Even if they flee from the destruction (NET)

Some English versions leave the words For and “look” implied.

9:6b–c

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^6b Egypt will gather them

^6cand Memphis will bury them.

These lines indicate that the people of Israel will die in a land that is foreign to them. Egypt and Memphis probably refer indirectly here to Israel’s past, when the people died in the foreign land of Egypt.Keil (page 121), McComiskey (page 141), and Wood (page 204). Hosea compares their future exile and death in Assyria to their slavery and death in Egypt in the past. This is similar to 9:3b.Another possibility is that these lines refer to literal Egypt and Memphis. See Davies (page 218), Macintosh (page 350), Andersen and Freedman (page 530), Hubbard (page 158), and Stuart (page 144).

9:6b

Egypt will gather them

it is as though the land of Egypt will gather them to face punishment/exile,
the Egyptians will gather/capture them and lead them to their final destination in exile.

Egypt will gather them: There are two ways to interpret the word gather here:

It refers here to gathering people together to be punished. They will be captured and sent/guided to their destination in exile. The captives will later die in exile and be buried. For example:
Egypt will capture them (NCV)
Egypt will round them up (NJB) (CEV, GW, NAB, NCV, NET, NJB, NJPS, NLT, REB)The NLT has “Egypt will conquer you.” Although conquering an enemy does not necessarily imply rounding them up and sending them into exile, it has been listed here, because this rendering could not refer to gathering people for burial.
It refers here to gathering up dead bodies. The bodies will then be buried. For example:
Egypt will gather them up (NASB)
The Egyptians will gather them up—gather them for burial… (GNT) (BSB, ESV, GNT, KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV)The BSB, ESV, NIV, and NRSV all have “gather them.” They have been listed here because of the parallel phrase “bury them,” but these versions are technically ambiguous. In contrast to the KJV, NASB, and GNT, which unambiguously translate “gather up,” they could also refer to gathering the people for punishment.

The Display will follow interpretation (1) along with most versions. It fits better with the preceding context in chapter 8 and with 9:6a. However, interpretation (2) fits better with the parallel phrase “will bury them.”According to Davies (page 219), “gather” refers here to gathering up bodies in order to bury them. Keil and Hubbard follow the same view. However, McComiskey (page 142) understands the verb to mean “gather for punishment,” as in 8:10. Wood (page 204) also supports the second interpretation. He says that “the people will be taken captive; they will be gathered by Egypt…and buried by Memphis.” According to footnote (c) in the NET, the verb has the implication “grab hold” in this context. It “pictures a personified Egypt taking the fugitives prisoner.” Whichever interpretation you follow, it is suggested that you put the other interpretation in a footnote.

9:6c

and Memphis will bury them.

and the city of Memphis will bury them.
They will be buried in the graveyards of Memphis!

and Memphis will bury them: Memphis was an important city in the country of Egypt. It was well known for its large burial grounds and pyramid tombs.Davies (page 219), Macintosh (page 349), Andersen and Freedman (page 530), Hubbard (page 158), Stuart (page 144), and Wood (204).

Hosea describes Memphis as if it is a person who buries dead bodies. This is a figure of speech (personification). In some languages, it may not be clear or natural to say that a country or a city buries people.

Here are some other ways to express the meaning:

Memphis will be their grave (REB)

they will be buried in the city/graveyards of Memphis

the people of Memphis will bury them

9:6d–e

(combined/reordered)

Their treasures of silver and the places where their homes once stood will be overgrown with weeds and thorn bushes. (GNT)

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^6d Their precious silver will be taken over by thistles,

^6eand thorns will overrun their tents.

These lines describe what will happen to the former possessions and property of the people of Israel after the Assyrians take the people into exile. It will be abandoned and weeds will grow there.McComiskey (page 142).

9:6d

Their precious silver will be taken over by thistles,

Nettles/Thistles will become like the new owners of the silver that they love/value so much.
The silver articles/objects that they treasure/value will be left behind to be overgrown with briers.

Their precious silver will be taken over by thistles: In Hebrew, this clause is more literally “nettles will take possession of their treasure of silver.” Normally it is people who take possession of things.Andersen and Freedman (page 531). Also see TWOT (#920) for information on “take possession of.” However, in this clause, it is thorny weeds that figuratively take possession of the treasures of the people.

Their precious silver: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as precious refers to something that is pleasant or desirable.TWOT (#673d). The Hebrew word for silver can refer to literal silver or money.TWOT (#1015a). Here the phrase precious silver may be a figure of speech that refers to wealth.Stuart (page 144) and McComiskey (page 141). Either way, it refers to treasures that are precious to the people.

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

the silver they treasure (NET)

thistles: In Hebrew, this word means “thistle” or “nettle.”TWOT (#2037). These are thorny weeds.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

Nettles shall possess their precious things of silver (ESV)

Weeds will grow over their silver treasures. (GW)

9:6e

and thorns will overrun their tents.

Thorn bushes will grow inside their tents.
Thorns will grow in the places where their homes were once located.

and thorns will overrun their tents: In Hebrew, this clause is more literally “thorn[s] [will be] in their tents.” The Hebrew word for tents can also mean “dwellings.”TWOT (#32a). It probably refers to the former homes of the people of Israel.McComiskey (page 141) and Davies (page 220). Thorns will grow where their homes were once located.

thorns: In Hebrew, this word means “brier” or “bramble.”TWOT (#620a). It is a thorny weed similar to “nettle” in the previous clause.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

Thorns will grow over their tents. (GW)

and thorn-bushes will invade their homesteads (NJB)

General Comment on 9:6d–e

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the parallel parts in these two lines. See 9:6d–e (combined/reordered) in the Display for an example.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / 123person

(Occurrence 0) if they escape

(Some words not found in UHB: that/for/because/then/when see/lo/see! flee from_[the],devastation Miʦrayim/(Egypt) it,will_gather_them Mof/(Memphis) it,will_bury_them precious_things_of of,their_of,silver nettles it,will_take_possession_of_them thorns [will,be]_of,in_their_tents )

Here “they” still refers to the people of Israel. You can continue stating this is second person. Alternate translation: “if you escape”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

(Occurrence 0) Egypt will gather them, and Memphis will bury them

Egypt and Memphis refer to the people who live there. Alternate translation: “the army of Egypt will capture you. You will die there, and the people in the city of Memphis will bury you”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

(Occurrence 0) As for their treasures of silver—sharp briers will possess them

Briers growing in the places where Israelites stored their silver is spoken of as if the briers were human enemies that would take the Israelite’s precious possessions for themselves. Alternate translation: “Sharp briers will grow where they store their treasures of silver”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

(Occurrence 0) sharp briers will possess them, and thorns will fill their tents

Here “sharp briers” and “thorns” mean the same thing. To have briers and thorns growing represents a land that has become desolate and like a wilderness. (See also: figs-metonymy)

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

(Occurrence 0) their tents

Here “tents” represents the Israelites’ homes.

Parallel HOS 9:6