2 Kings 10:1-36 
Context10:1 Ahab had seventy sons living in Samaria. 1 So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria to the leading officials of Jezreel and to the guardians of Ahab’s dynasty. This is what the letters said, 2 10:2 “You have with you the sons of your master, chariots and horses, a fortified city, and weapons. So when this letter arrives, 3 10:3 pick the best and most capable 4 of your master’s sons, place him on his father’s throne, and defend 5 your master’s dynasty.”
10:4 They were absolutely terrified 6 and said, “Look, two kings could not stop him! 7 How can we?” 8 10:5 So the palace supervisor, 9 the city commissioner, 10 the leaders, 11 and the guardians sent this message to Jehu, “We are your subjects! 12 Whatever you say, we will do. We will not make anyone king. Do what you consider proper.” 13
10:6 He wrote them a second letter, saying, “If you are really on my side and are willing to obey me, 14 then take the heads of your master’s sons and come to me in Jezreel at this time tomorrow.” 15 Now the king had seventy sons, and the prominent 16 men of the city were raising them. 10:7 When they received the letter, they seized the king’s sons and executed all seventy of them. 17 They put their heads in baskets and sent them to him in Jezreel. 10:8 The messenger came and told Jehu, 18 “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.” Jehu 19 said, “Stack them in two piles at the entrance of the city gate until morning.” 10:9 In the morning he went out and stood there. Then he said to all the people, “You are innocent. I conspired against my master and killed him. But who struck down all of these men? 10:10 Therefore take note that not one of the judgments the Lord announced against Ahab’s dynasty has failed to materialize. The Lord had done what he announced through his servant Elijah.” 20 10:11 Then Jehu killed all who were left of Ahab’s family in Jezreel, and all his nobles, close friends, and priests. He left no survivors.
10:12 Jehu then left there and set out for Samaria. 21 While he was traveling through Beth Eked of the Shepherds, 10:13 Jehu encountered 22 the relatives 23 of King Ahaziah of Judah. He asked, “Who are you?” They replied, “We are Ahaziah’s relatives. We have come down to see how 24 the king’s sons and the queen mother’s sons are doing.” 10:14 He said, “Capture them alive!” So they captured them alive and then executed all forty-two of them in the cistern at Beth Eked. He left no survivors.
10:15 When he left there, he met 25 Jehonadab, son of Rekab, who had been looking for him. 26 Jehu greeted him and asked, 27 “Are you as committed to me as I am to you?” 28 Jehonadab answered, “I am!” Jehu replied, “If so, give me your hand.” 29 So he offered his hand and Jehu 30 pulled him up into the chariot. 10:16 Jehu 31 said, “Come with me and see how zealous I am for the Lord’s cause.” 32 So he 33 took him along in his chariot. 10:17 He went to Samaria and exterminated all the members of Ahab’s family who were still alive in Samaria, 34 just as the Lord had announced to Elijah. 35
10:18 Jehu assembled all the people and said to them, “Ahab worshiped 36 Baal a little; Jehu will worship 37 him with great devotion. 38 10:19 So now, bring to me all the prophets of Baal, as well as all his servants and priests. 39 None of them must be absent, for I am offering a great sacrifice to Baal. Any of them who fail to appear will lose their lives.” But Jehu was tricking them 40 so he could destroy the servants of Baal. 10:20 Then Jehu ordered, “Make arrangements for 41 a celebration for Baal.” So they announced it. 10:21 Jehu sent invitations throughout Israel, and all the servants of Baal came; not one was absent. They arrived at the temple of Baal and filled it up from end to end. 42 10:22 Jehu ordered the one who was in charge of the wardrobe, 43 “Bring out robes for all the servants of Baal.” So he brought out robes for them. 10:23 Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rekab went to the temple of Baal. Jehu 44 said to the servants of Baal, “Make sure there are no servants of the Lord here with you; there must be only servants of Baal.” 45 10:24 They went inside to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed eighty men outside. He had told them, “If any of the men inside get away, you will pay with your lives!” 46
10:25 When he finished offering the burnt sacrifice, Jehu ordered the royal guard 47 and officers, “Come in and strike them down! Don’t let any escape!” So the royal guard and officers struck them down with the sword and left their bodies lying there. 48 Then they entered the inner sanctuary of the temple of Baal. 49 10:26 They hauled out the sacred pillar of the temple of Baal and burned it. 10:27 They demolished 50 the sacred pillar of Baal and 51 the temple of Baal; it is used as 52 a latrine 53 to this very day. 10:28 So Jehu eradicated Baal worship 54 from Israel.
10:29 However, Jehu did not repudiate the sins which Jeroboam son of Nebat had encouraged Israel to commit; the golden calves remained in Bethel 55 and Dan. 56 10:30 The Lord said to Jehu, “You have done well. You have accomplished my will and carried out my wishes with regard to Ahab’s dynasty. Therefore four generations of your descendants will rule over Israel.” 57 10:31 But Jehu did not carefully and wholeheartedly obey the law of the Lord God of Israel. 58 He did not repudiate the sins which Jeroboam had encouraged Israel to commit. 59
10:32 In those days the Lord began to reduce the size of Israel’s territory. 60 Hazael attacked their eastern border. 61 10:33 He conquered all the land of Gilead, including the territory of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh, extending all the way from the Aroer in the Arnon Valley through Gilead to Bashan. 62
10:34 The rest of the events of Jehu’s reign, including all his accomplishments and successes, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. 63 10:35 Jehu passed away 64 and was buried in Samaria. 65 His son Jehoahaz replaced him as king. 10:36 Jehu reigned over Israel for twenty-eight years in Samaria.
2 Timothy 1:1-18
Context1:1 From Paul, 66 an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to further the promise 67 of life in Christ Jesus, 1:2 to Timothy, my dear child. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord!
1:3 I am thankful to God, whom I have served with a clear conscience as my ancestors did, 68 when I remember you in my prayers as I do constantly night and day. 69 1:4 As I remember your tears, I long to see you, 70 so that I may be filled with joy. 1:5 I recall 71 your sincere faith 72 that was alive first in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice, and I am sure 73 is in you.
1:6 Because of this I remind you to rekindle God’s gift that you possess 74 through the laying on of my hands. 1:7 For God did not give us a Spirit 75 of fear but of power and love and self-control. 1:8 So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord 76 or of me, a prisoner for his sake, but by 77 God’s power accept your share of suffering 78 for the gospel. 1:9 He is the one who saved us 79 and called us with a holy calling, not based on 80 our works but on his own purpose and grace, granted to us in Christ Jesus before time began, 81 1:10 but now made visible through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus. He 82 has broken the power of death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel! 1:11 For this gospel 83 I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher. 84 1:12 Because of this, in fact, I suffer as I do. 85 But I am not ashamed, because I know the one in whom my faith is set 86 and I am convinced that he is able to protect what has been entrusted to me 87 until that day. 88 1:13 Hold to the standard 89 of sound words that you heard from me and do so with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 90 1:14 Protect that good thing 91 entrusted to you, through the Holy Spirit who lives within us.
1:15 You know that everyone in the province of Asia 92 deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. 1:16 May the Lord grant mercy to the family of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my imprisonment. 93 1:17 But when he arrived in Rome, 94 he eagerly searched for me and found me. 1:18 May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day! 95 And you know very well all the ways he served me in Ephesus. 96
Hosea 2:1-23
Context2:1 Then you will call 97 your 98 brother, “My People” (Ammi)! You will call your sister, “Pity” (Ruhamah)!
2:2 Plead earnestly 99 with your 100 mother
(for 101 she is not my wife, and I am not her husband),
so that 102 she might put an end to her adulterous lifestyle, 103
and turn away from her sexually immoral behavior. 104
2:3 Otherwise, I will strip her naked,
and expose her like she was when she was born.
I will turn her land into a wilderness
and make her country a parched land,
so that I might kill 105 her with thirst.
2:4 I will have no pity on her children, 106
because they are children conceived in adultery. 107
2:5 For their mother has committed adultery;
she who conceived them has acted shamefully.
For she said, “I will seek out 108 my lovers; 109
they are the ones who give me my bread and my water,
my wool, my flax, my olive oil, and my wine. 110
2:6 Therefore, I will soon 111 fence her in 112 with thorns;
I will wall her in 113 so that 114 she cannot find her way. 115
2:7 Then she will pursue her lovers, but she will not catch 116 them;
she will seek them, but she will not find them. 117
Then she will say,
“I will go back 118 to my husband, 119
because I was better off then than I am now.” 120
2:8 Yet 121 until now 122 she has refused to acknowledge 123 that I 124 was the one
who gave her the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil;
and that it was I who 125 lavished on her the silver and gold –
which they 126 used in worshiping Baal! 127
2:9 Therefore, I will take back 128 my grain during the harvest time 129
and my new wine when it ripens; 130
I will take away my wool and my flax
which I had provided 131 in order to clothe her. 132
2:10 Soon 133 I will expose her lewd nakedness 134 in front of her lovers,
and no one will be able to rescue her from me! 135
2:11 I will put an end to all her celebration:
her annual religious festivals,
monthly new moon celebrations,
and weekly Sabbath festivities –
all her appointed festivals.
2:12 I will destroy her vines and fig trees,
about which she said, “These are my wages for prostitution 136
that my lovers gave to me!”
I will turn her cultivated vines and fig trees 137 into an uncultivated thicket,
so that wild animals 138 will devour them.
2:13 “I will punish her for the festival days
when she burned incense to the Baal idols; 139
she adorned herself with earrings and jewelry,
and went after her lovers,
but 140 she forgot me!” 141 says the Lord.
2:14 However, in the future I will allure her; 142
I will lead 143 her back into the wilderness,
and speak tenderly to her.
2:15 From there I will give back her vineyards to her,
and turn the “Valley of Trouble” 144 into an “Opportunity 145 for Hope.”
There she will sing as she did when she was young, 146
when 147 she came up from the land of Egypt.
2:16 “At that time,” 148 declares the Lord,
“you will call, 149 ‘My husband’; 150
you will never again call me, 151 ‘My master.’ 152
2:17 For 153 I will remove the names of the Baal idols 154 from your lips, 155
so that you will never again utter their names!” 156
2:18 “At that time 157 I will make a covenant for them with the wild animals,
the birds of the air, and the creatures that crawl on the ground.
I will abolish 158 the warrior’s bow and sword
– that is, every weapon of warfare 159 – from the land,
and I will allow them to live securely.” 160
2:19 I will commit myself to you 161 forever;
I will commit myself to you in 162 righteousness and justice,
in steadfast love and tender compassion.
2:20 I will commit myself to you in faithfulness;
then 163 you will acknowledge 164 the Lord.” 165
2:21 “At that time, 166 I will willingly respond,” 167 declares the Lord.
“I will respond to the sky,
and the sky 168 will respond to the ground;
2:22 then the ground will respond to the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil;
and they will respond to ‘God Plants’ (Jezreel)! 169
2:23 Then I will plant her as my own 170 in the land.
I will have pity on ‘No Pity’ (Lo-Ruhamah).
I will say to ‘Not My People’ (Lo-Ammi), ‘You are my people!’
And he 171 will say, ‘You are 172 my God!’”
Psalms 119:97-120
Contextמ (Mem)
119:97 O how I love your law!
All day long I meditate on it.
119:98 Your commandments 173 make me wiser than my enemies,
for I am always aware of them.
119:99 I have more insight than all my teachers,
for I meditate on your rules.
119:100 I am more discerning than those older than I,
for I observe your precepts.
119:101 I stay away 174 from the evil path,
so that I might keep your instructions. 175
119:102 I do not turn aside from your regulations,
for you teach me.
119:103 Your words are sweeter
in my mouth than honey! 176
119:104 Your precepts give me discernment.
Therefore I hate all deceitful actions. 177
נ (Nun)
119:105 Your word 178 is a lamp to walk by,
and a light to illumine my path. 179
119:106 I have vowed and solemnly sworn
to keep your just regulations.
119:107 I am suffering terribly.
O Lord, revive me with your word! 180
119:108 O Lord, please accept the freewill offerings of my praise! 181
Teach me your regulations!
119:109 My life is in continual danger, 182
but I do not forget your law.
119:110 The wicked lay a trap for me,
but I do not wander from your precepts.
119:111 I claim your rules as my permanent possession,
for they give me joy. 183
119:112 I am determined to obey 184 your statutes
at all times, to the very end.
ס (Samek)
119:113 I hate people with divided loyalties, 185
but I love your law.
119:114 You are my hiding place and my shield.
I find hope in your word.
119:115 Turn away from me, you evil men,
so that I can observe 186 the commands of my God. 187
119:116 Sustain me as you promised, 188 so that I will live. 189
Do not disappoint me! 190
119:117 Support me, so that I will be delivered.
Then I will focus 191 on your statutes continually.
119:118 You despise 192 all who stray from your statutes,
for they are deceptive and unreliable. 193
119:119 You remove all the wicked of the earth like slag. 194
Therefore I love your rules. 195
119:120 My body 196 trembles 197 because I fear you; 198
I am afraid of your judgments.
1 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
2 tn Heb “to the officers of Jezreel, the elders, and to the guardians of Ahab, saying.” It is not certain why the officials of Jezreel would be in Samaria. They may have fled there after they heard what happened to Joram and before Jehu entered the city. They would have had time to flee while Jehu was pursuing Ahaziah.
3 tn Heb “And now when this letter comes to you – with you are the sons of your master and with you are chariots and horses and a fortified city and weapons.”
4 tn Hebrew יָשָׁר (yashar) does not have its normal moral/ethical nuance here (“upright”), but a more neutral sense of “proper, right, suitable.” For the gloss “capable,” see HALOT 450 s.v. יָשָׁר.
5 tn Or “fight for.”
6 tn Heb “they were very, very afraid.” The term מְאֹד (me’od) “very,” is repeated for emphasis.
7 tn Heb “did not stand before him.”
8 tn Heb “How can we stand?”
9 tn Heb “the one who was over the house.”
10 tn Heb “the one who was over the city.”
11 tn Or “elders.”
12 tn Heb “servants.”
13 tn Heb “Do what is good in your eyes.”
14 tn Heb “If you are mine and you are listening to my voice.”
15 sn Jehu’s command is intentionally vague. Does he mean that they should bring the guardians (those who are “heads” over Ahab’s sons) for a meeting, or does he mean that they should bring the literal heads of Ahab’s sons with them? (So LXX, Syriac Peshitta, and some
16 tn Heb “great,” probably in wealth, position, and prestige.
17 tn Heb “and when the letter came to them, they took the sons of the king and slaughtered seventy men.”
18 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Jehu) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
19 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jehu) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
20 tn Heb “Know then that there has not fallen from the word of the
21 tn Heb “and he arose and went and came to Samaria.”
22 tn Heb “found.”
23 tn Or “brothers.”
24 tn Heb “for the peace of.”
25 tn Heb “found.”
26 tn Heb “and he went from there and found Jehonadab son of Rekab [who was coming] to meet him.”
27 tn Heb “and he blessed him and said to him.”
28 tn Heb “Is there with your heart [what is] right, as my heart [is] with your heart?”
29 tc Heb “Jehonadab said, ‘There is and there is. Give your hand.’” If the text is allowed to stand, there are two possible ways to understand the syntax of וָיֵשׁ (vayesh), “and there is”: (1) The repetition of יֵשׁ (yesh, “there is and there is”) could be taken as emphatic, “indeed I am.” In this case, the entire statement could be taken as Jehonadab’s words or one could understand the words “give your hand” as Jehu’s. In the latter case the change in speakers is unmarked. (2) וָיֵשׁ begins Jehu’s response and has a conditional force, “if you are.” In this case, the transition in speakers is unmarked. However, it is possible that וַיֹּאמֶר (vayyo’mer), “and he said,” or וַיֹּאמֶר יֵהוּא (vayyo’mer yehu), “and Jehu said,” originally appeared between יֵשׁ and וָיֵשׁ and has accidentally dropped from the text by homoioarcton (note that both the proposed וַיֹּאמֶר and וָיֵשׁ begin with vav, ו). The present translation assumes such a textual reconstruction; it is supported by the LXX, Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate.
30 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jehu) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
31 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jehu) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
32 tn Heb “and see my zeal for the
33 tc The MT has a plural form, but this is most likely an error. The LXX, Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate all have the singular.
34 tn Heb “and he struck down all the remaining ones to Ahab in Samaria until he destroyed him.”
35 tn Heb “according to the word of the
36 tn Or “served.
37 tn Or “serve.”
38 tn Heb “much” or “greatly.”
39 tn Heb “and now, all the prophets of Baal, all his servants and all his priests summon to me.”
40 tn Heb “acted with deception [or, ‘trickery’].”
41 tn Heb “set apart”; or “observe as holy.”
42 tn Heb “and the house of Baal was filled mouth to mouth.”
43 tn Heb “and he said to the one who was over the wardrobe.”
44 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jehu) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
45 tn Heb “Search carefully and observe so that there are not here with you any servants of the
46 tn Heb “The man who escapes from the men whom I am bringing into your hands, [it will be] his life in place of his life.”
47 tn Heb “runners.”
48 tn Heb “and they threw.” No object appears. According to M. Cogan and H. Tadmor (II Kings [AB], 116), this is an idiom for leaving a corpse unburied.
49 tn Heb “and they came to the city of the house of Baal.” It seems unlikely that a literal city is meant. Some emend עִיר (’ir), “city,” to דְּבִיר (dÿvir) “holy place,” or suggest that עִיר is due to dittography of the immediately preceding עַד (’ad) “to.” Perhaps עִיר is here a technical term meaning “fortress” or, more likely, “inner room.”
50 tn Or “pulled down.”
51 tn The verb “they demolished” is repeated in the Hebrew text.
52 tn Heb “and they made it into.”
53 tn The consonantal text (Kethib) has the hapax legomenon מַחֲרָאוֹת (makhara’ot), “places to defecate” or “dung houses” (note the related noun חרא (khr’)/חרי (khri), “dung,” HALOT 348-49 s.v. *חֲרָאִים). The marginal reading (Qere) glosses this, perhaps euphemistically, מוֹצָאוֹת (motsa’ot), “outhouses.”
54 tn Heb “destroyed Baal.”
55 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
56 tn Heb “Except the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat which he caused Israel to commit, Jehu did not turn aside from after them – the golden calves which [were in] Bethel and which [were] in Dan.”
57 tn Heb “Because you have done well by doing what is proper in my eyes – according to all which was in my heart you have done to the house of Ahab – sons of four generations will sit for you on the throne of Israel.” In the Hebrew text the Lord’s statement is one long sentence (with a parenthesis). The translation above divides it into shorter sentences for stylistic reasons.
sn Jehu ruled over Israel from approximately 841-814
58 tn Heb “But Jehu was not careful to walk in the law of the
59 tn Heb “He did not turn aside from the sins of Jeroboam which he caused Israel to commit.”
60 tn Heb “began to cut off Israel.”
61 tn Heb “Hazael struck them down in all the territory of Israel, from the Jordan on the east.” In the Hebrew text the phrase “from the Jordan on the east” begins v. 33.
62 tn Heb “all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassehites, from Aroer which is near the Arnon Valley, and Gilead, and Bashan.”
63 tn Heb “As for the rest of the events of Jehu, and all which he did and all his strength, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Israel?”
64 tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”
65 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
66 tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.
67 tn Grk “for the promise…” or possibly “in accordance with the promise…”
68 tn Grk “from my ancestors.”
69 tn Or “as I do constantly. By night and day I long to see you…”
70 tn Grk “longing to see you, remembering your tears” (as a continuation of the preceding clause). Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
71 tn Grk “recalling” (as a continuation of the preceding clause). Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
72 tn Grk “the sincere faith in you.”
73 tn Or “convinced.”
74 tn Grk “that is in you.”
75 tn Or “a spirit,” denoting the human personality under the Spirit’s influence as in 1 Cor 4:21; Gal 6:1; 1 Pet 3:4. But the reference to the Holy Spirit at the end of this section (1:14) makes it likely that it begins this way also, so that the Holy Spirit is the referent.
76 tn Grk “the testimony of our Lord.”
77 tn Or “according to.”
78 tn Grk “suffer hardship together,” implying “join with me in suffering.”
79 tn More literally, “who saved us,” as a description of God in v. 8. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
80 tn Or “according to,” or “by.”
81 tn Grk “before eternal times.”
82 tn Grk “having broken…and having brought…” (describing Christ). Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here (and at the beginning of v. 11) in the translation.
83 tn Grk “for which.”
84 tc Most
85 tn Grk “suffer these things.”
86 tn Or “in whom I have believed.”
87 sn What has been entrusted to me (Grk “my entrustment,” meaning either (1) “what I have entrusted to him” [his life, destiny, etc.] or (2) “what he has entrusted to me” [the truth of the gospel]). The parallel with v. 14 and use of similar words in the pastorals (1 Tim 6:20; 2 Tim 2:2) argue for the latter sense.
88 sn That day is a reference to the day when Paul would stand before Christ to give account for his service (cf. 2 Tim 1:18; 1 Cor 3:13; 2 Cor 5:9-10).
89 tn Or “pattern.”
90 tn Grk “in faith and love in Christ Jesus.”
sn With the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. This describes the manner in which Timothy must hold to the standard (similar to Paul’s call for him to give attention to his life and his teaching in 1 Tim 4:11-16).
91 sn That good thing (Grk “the good deposit”) refers to the truth of the gospel committed to Timothy (cf. 1 Tim 6:20).
92 tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.
93 tn Grk “my chain.”
94 map For location see JP4 A1.
95 sn That day is a reference to the day when Onesiphorus (v. 16) stands before Christ to give account for his service (cf. v. 12; 1 Cor 3:13; 2 Cor 5:9-10).
96 tn Grk “all the ways he served in Ephesus.”
map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.
97 tn Heb “Say to….” The imperative אִמְרוּ (’imru, Qal imperative masculine plural) functions rhetorically, as an example of erotesis of one verbal form (imperative) for another (indicative). The imperative is used as a rhetorical device to emphasize the certainty of a future action.
98 sn The suffixes on the nouns אֲחֵיכֶם (’akhekhem, “your brother”) and אֲחוֹתֵיכֶם (’akhotekhem, “your sister”) are both plural forms. The brother/sister imagery is being applied to Israel and Judah collectively.
99 tn Heb “Plead with your mother, plead!” The imperative רִיבוּ (rivu, “plead!”) is repeated twice in this line for emphasis. This rhetorical expression is handled in a woodenly literal sense by most English translations: NASB “Contend…contend”; NAB “Protest…protest!”; NIV “Rebuke…rebuke”; NRSV “Plead…plead”; CEV “Accuse! Accuse your mother!”
100 sn The suffix on the noun אִמְּכֶם (’immékhem, “your mother”) is a plural form (2nd person masculine). The children of Gomer represent the “children” (i.e., people) of Israel; Gomer represents the nation as a whole.
101 tn The particle כִּי (ki) introduces a parenthetical explanatory clause (however, cf. NCV “because”).
sn The reason that Hosea (representing the
102 tn The dependent volitive sequence of imperative followed by vav + jussive (רִיבוּ, rivu followed by וְתָסֵר, vétaser) creates a purpose clause: “so that she might turn away from” (= “put an end to”); cf. NRSV “that she put away”; KJV “let her therefore put away.” Many English translations begin a new sentence here, presumably to improve the English style (so NAB, NIV, TEV, NLT), but this obscures the connection with the preceding clause.
103 tn Heb “put away her adulteries from her face.” The plural noun זְנוּנֶיהָ (zénuneha, “adulteries”) is an example of the plural of repeated (or habitual) action: she has had multiple adulterous affairs.
104 tn Heb “[put away] her immoral behavior from between her breasts.” Cf. KJV “her adulteries”; NIV “the unfaithfulness.”
105 tn Heb “and kill her with thirst.” The vav prefixed to the verb (וַהֲמִתִּיהָ, vahamittiha) introduces a purpose/result clause: “in order to make her die of thirst” (purpose) or “and thus make her die of thirst” (result).
106 tn Heb “her sons.” English versions have long translated this as “children,” however; cf. KJV, ASV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT.
sn The word order is rhetorical: the accusative וְאֶת־בָּנֶיהָ (vé’et-baneha, “her sons”) is moved forward for emphasis.
107 tn Heb “sons of adulteries”; KJV “children of whoredoms.”
sn The word order is rhetorical: the construct clause בְנֵי זְנוּנִים (vÿne zÿnunim, “sons of adulteries”), which functions as the predicate nominative, is moved forward, before the independent personal pronoun הֵמָּה (hemma, “they”) which functions as the subject, to focus on the immoral character of her children.
108 tn Heb “I will go after” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV).
109 sn This statement alludes to the practice of sexual rites in the Canaanite fertility cult which attempted to secure agricultural fertility from the Canaanite gods (note the following reference to wool, flax, olive oil, and wine).
110 tn Heb “my drinks.” Many English versions use the singular “drink” here, but cf. NCV, TEV, CEV “wine.”
111 tn The deictic particle הִנְנִי (hinni, “Behold!”) introduces a future-time reference participle that refers to imminent future action: “I am about to” (TEV “I am going to”).
112 tn Heb “I will hedge up her way”; NIV “block her path.”
113 tn Heb “I will wall in her wall.” The cognate accusative construction וְגָדַרְתִּי אֶת־גְּדֵרָהּ (vÿgadarti ’et-gÿderah, “I will wall in her wall”) is an emphatic literary device. The 3rd person feminine singular suffix on the noun functions as a dative of disadvantage: “as a wall against her” (A. B. Davidson, Hebrew Syntax, 3, remark 2). The expression means “I will build a wall to bar her way.” Cf. KJV “I will make a wall”; TEV “I will build a wall”; RSV, NASB, NRSV “I will build a wall against her”; NLT “I will fence her in.”
114 tn The disjunctive clause (object followed by negated verb) introduces a clause which can be understood as either purpose or result.
115 tn Heb “her paths” (so NAB, NRSV).
116 tn Heb “overtake” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV); NLT “be able to catch up with.”
117 tn In the Hebrew text the accusative direct object pronoun אֹתָם (’otam, “them”) is omitted/elided for balanced poetic parallelism. The LXX supplies αὐτους (autous, “them”); but it is not necessary to emend the MT because this is a poetic literary convention rather than a textual problem.
118 tn Heb “I will go and return” (so NRSV). The two verbs joined with vav form a verbal hendiadys. Normally, the first verb functions adverbially and the second retains its full verbal sense (GKC 386-87 §120.d, h). The Hebrew phrase אֵלְכָה וְאָשׁוּבָה (’elkhah vÿ’ashuvah, “I will go and I will return”) connotes, “I will return again.” As cohortatives, both verbs emphasize the resolution of the speaker.
119 tn Heb “to my man, the first.” Many English translations (e.g., KJV, NAB, NRSV, TEV) take this as “my first husband,” although this implies that there was more than one husband involved. The text refers to multiple lovers, but these were not necessarily husbands.
120 tn Or “because it was better for me then than now” (cf. NCV).
121 tn Or “For” (so KJV, NASB); or “But” (so NCV).
122 tn The phrase “until now” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity and smoothness.
123 tn Heb “she does not know” (so NASB, NCV); or “she does not acknowledge.”
124 tn The 1st person common singular independent personal pronoun אָנֹכִי (’anokhi, “I”) is emphatic, since the subject of this verbal clause is already explicit in the verb נָתַתִּי (natatti, Qal perfect 1st person common singular: “I gave”).
125 tn The phrase “that it was I who” does not appear in the Hebrew text here, but is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.
126 sn The third person plural here is an obvious reference to the Israelites who had been unfaithful to the
127 tn Heb “for Baal” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV); cf. TEV “in the worship of Baal.”
128 tn Heb “I will return and I will take.” The two verbs joined with vav conjunction form a verbal hendiadys in which the first verb functions adverbially and the second retains its full verbal sense (GKC 386-87 §120.d, h): אָשׁוּב וְלָקַחְתִּי (’ashuv vÿlaqakhti) means “I will take back.”
129 tn Heb “in its time” (so NAB, NRSV).
130 tn Heb “in its season” (so NAB, NASB, NRSV).
131 tn The words “which I had provided” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons; cf. NIV “intended to cover.”
132 tn Heb “to cover her nakedness” (so KJV and many other English versions); TEV “for clothing.”
sn This announcement of judgment is extremely ironic and forcefully communicates poetic justice: The punishment will fit the crime. The Israelites were literally uncovering their nakedness in temple prostitution in the Baal fertility cult rituals. Yahweh will, in effect, give them what they wanted (nakedness) but not in the way they wanted it: Yahweh will withhold the agricultural fertility they sought from Baal which would lead to nakedness caused by impoverishment.
133 tn The particle עַתָּה (’attah) often refers to the imminent or the impending future: “very soon” (BDB 774 s.v. עַתָּה 1.b). In Hosea it normally introduces imminent judgment (Hos 2:12; 4:16; 5:7; 8:8, 13; 10:2).
134 tn Heb “her lewdness” (so KJV, NIV); NAB, NRSV “her shame.”
135 tn Heb “out of my hand” (so NAB, NASB, NRSV); TEV “save her from my power.”
136 tn Heb “my wages.” The words “for prostitution” are not in the Hebrew text but are supplied for clarity; cf. CEV “gave…as payment for sex.”
137 tn Heb “I will turn them”; the referents (vines and fig trees) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
138 tn Heb “the beasts of the field” (so KJV, NASB); the same expression also occurs in v. 18).
139 tn Heb “the days of the Baals, to whom she burned incense.” The word “festival” is supplied to clarify the referent of “days,” and the word “idols” is supplied in light of the plural “Baals” (cf. NLT “her images of Baal”).
140 tn The vav prefixed to a nonverb (וְאֹתִי, vé’oti) introduces a disjunctive contrastive clause, which is rhetorically powerful.
141 tn The accusative direct object pronoun וְאֹתִי (vé’oti, “me”) is emphatic in the word order of this clause (cf. NIV “but me she forgot”), emphasizing the heinous inappropriateness of Israel’s departure from the
142 tn The participle מְפַתֶּיהָ (méfatteha, Piel participle masculine singular + 3rd feminine singular suffix from פָּתָה, patah, “to allure”) following the deictic particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “Now!”) describes an event that will occur in the immediate or near future.
143 tn Following the future-time referent participle (מְפַתֶּיהָ, méfatteha) there is a string of perfects introduced by vav consecutive that refer to future events.
144 tn Heb “Valley of Achor,” so named because of the unfortunate incident recorded in Josh 7:1-26 (the name is explained in v. 26; the Hebrew term Achor means “disaster” or “trouble”). Cf. TEV, CEV “Trouble Valley.”
145 tn Heb “door” or “doorway”; cf. NLT “gateway.” Unlike the days of Joshua, when Achan’s sin jeopardized Israel’s mission and cast a dark shadow over the nation, Israel’s future return to the land will be marked by renewed hope.
146 tn Heb “as in the days of her youth” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV).
147 tn Heb “as in the day when” (so KJV, NASB).
148 tn Heb “And in that day”; NLT “In that coming day.”
149 tc The MT reads תִּקְרְאִי (tiqrÿ’i, “you will call”; Qal imperfect 2nd person feminine singular). The versions (LXX, Syriac, Vulgate) all reflect an alternate Vorlage of תִּקְרָא לִי (tiqra’ li, “she will call me”; Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular followed by preposition לְ, lamed, + 1st person common singular pronominal suffix). This textual variant undoubtedly arose under the influence of לִי תִּקְרְאִי (tiqrÿ’i li) which follows. Most English versions follow the reading of the MT (KJV, ASV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT, CEV), but some follow the ancient versions and read the 3rd person (“she”, so NAB, NCV, TEV).
150 tn There are wordplays on the terms אִישׁ (’ish) and בַּעַל (ba’al) here. The term אִישִׁי (’ishi, “my man, husband”) is a title of affection (Gen 2:23; 3:6, 16) as the counterpart to אִשָּׁה (’ishah, “woman, wife”). The term בַּעְלִי (ba’li, “my lord”) emphasizes the husband’s legal position (Exod 21:3; Deut 22:22; 24:4). The relationship will no longer be conditioned on the outward legal commitment but on a new inward bond of mutual affection and love.
151 tc The MT reads תִקְרְאִי לִי (tiqrÿ’i li, “you will call me”; Qal imperfect 2nd person feminine singular followed by preposition לְ, lamed, + 1st person common singular pronominal suffix). The versions (LXX, Syriac, Vulgate) all reflect an alternate Vorlage of תִקְרְא לִי (tiqrÿ’ li, “she will call me”; Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular followed by preposition לְ + 1st person common singular pronominal suffix). This textual variant is related to the preceding textual issue (see preceding tc note).
152 sn There is a wordplay on the terms בַּעְלִי (ba’li, “my master”) and הַבְּעָלִים (habbé’alim, “the Baals”) which are derived from the root בַּעַל (ba’al, “master; lord”). This wordplay is especially effective because the term בַּעַל can refer to one’s husband and is also the name of the Canaanite storm god Baal. Referring to a spouse the term normally means “husband; master.” It was a common, ordinary, nonpejorative term that was frequently used in an interchangeable manner with אִישׁ (’ish, “husband; man”). Due to its similarity in sound to the abhorrent Canaanite fertility god Baal, the repentant Israelites would be so spiritually sensitive that they would refrain from even uttering this neutral term for fear of recalling their former idolatry. The purpose of the exile is to end Israel’s worship of Baal and to remove syncretism.
153 tn The vav consecutive prefixed to וַהֲסִרֹתִי (vahasiroti) “I will remove” (vav consecutive + Hiphil perfect 1st person common singular) introduces an explanatory clause.
154 tn Heb “the Baals.” The singular term בַּעַל (ba’al) refers to the Canaanite god Baal himself, while the plural form הַבְּעָלִים (habbé’alim) refers to the manifestations of the god (i.e., idols; BDB 127 s.v. בָּעַל II.1).
155 tn Heb “from her mouth.” In the translation this is rendered as second person for consistency.
156 tn Heb “they will no longer be mentioned by their name.”
157 tn Heb “And in that day” (so KJV, ASV).
158 tn Heb “I will break”; NAB “I will destroy”; NCV “I will smash”; NLT “I will remove.”
159 tn Heb “bow and sword and warfare.” The first two terms in the triad וְקֶשֶׁת וְחֶרֶב וּמִלְחָמָה (vÿqeshet vÿkherev umilkhamah, literally, “bow and sword and warfare”) are examples of synecdoche of specific (bow and sword) for general (weapons of war, so CEV). However, they might be examples of metonymy (bow and sword) of association (warfare).
160 tn Heb “and I will cause them to lie down in safety.” The causative nuance (“will make them”) is retained in several English versions (e.g., KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV).
161 tn Heb “I will betroth you to me” (so NIV) here and in the following lines. Cf. NRSV “I will take you for my wife forever.”
162 tn The preposition בְּ (bet), which is repeated throughout 2:19-20 [21-22], denotes price paid (BDB 90 s.v. בְּ III.3; e.g., Ezek 3:14). The text contains an allusion to the payment of bridal gifts. The
163 tn The vav consecutive on the suffix conjugation verb וְיָדַעַתְּ (véyada’at, “then you will know”) introduces a result clause (cf. NASB, CEV).
164 tn Or “know.” The term יָדַע (yada’, “know, acknowledge”) is often used in covenant contexts. It can refer to the suzerain’s acknowledgment of his covenant obligations to his vassal or to the vassal’s acknowledgment of his covenant obligations to his suzerain. When used in reference to a vassal, the verb “know” is metonymical (cause for effect) for “obey.” See H. Huffmann, “The Treaty Background of Hebrew ya„daà,” BASOR 181 (1966): 31-37.
165 tc The MT reads יְהוָה (yÿhvah, “the
166 tn Heb “And in that day”; NAB, NRSV “On that day.”
167 tn The verb עָנָה, (’anah) which is used throughout 2:23-24, is related to the root I עָנָה (’anah), “to answer, listen attentively, react willingly” (BDB 772 s.v. 1.b; HALOT 852 s.v. ענה 3.b).
168 tn Heb “and they.” In the Hebrew text the plural pronoun is used because it refers back to the term translated “sky,” which is a dual form in Hebrew. Many English versions (e.g., NAB, NASB, NRSV) use the plural term “heavens” here, which agrees with a plural pronoun (cf. also NIV, NCV “skies”).
169 tn Heb “Jezreel.” The use of the name יִזְרְעֶאל (yizré’e’l, “Jezreel”) creates a powerful three-fold wordplay: (1) The proper name יִזְרְעֶאל (“Jezreel”) is a phonetic wordplay on the similar sounding name יִשְׂרָאֵל (yisra’el, “Israel”): God will answer Israel, that is, Jezreel. (2) The name יִזְרְעֶאל (“Jezreel”) plays on the verb זָרַע (zara’, “to sow, plant”), the immediately following word: וּזְרַעְתִּיהָ (uzéra’tiha, vav + Qal perfect 1st person common singular + 3rd person feminine singular suffix: “I will sow/plant her”). This wordplay creates a popular etymology for יִזְרְעֶאל meaning, “God sows/plants,” which fits well into the agricultural fertility imagery in 2:21-23 [2:23-25]. (3) This positive connotation of יִזְרְעֶאל (“Jezreel”) in 2:21-23[23-25] reverses the negative connotation of יִזְרְעֶאל (“Jezreel”) in 1:4-5 (bloodshed of Jehu in the Jezreel Valley).
170 tn Heb “for myself.”
171 tn The Hebrew text, carrying out the reference to the son born in 1:8-9, uses the third person masculine singular pronoun here; some English translations use third person plural (“they,” so KJV, NASB, NIV, CEV) in keeping with the immediate context, which refers to reestablished Israel.
172 tn The words “You are” do not appear in the Hebrew text, but are implied. It is necessary to supply the phrase in the translation to prevent the reader from understanding the predicate “my God” as an exclamation (cf. NAB).
173 tn The plural form needs to be revocalized as a singular in order to agree with the preceding singular verb and the singular pronoun in the next line. The
174 tn Heb “I hold back my feet.”
175 tn Heb “your word.” Many medieval Hebrew
176 tn Heb “How smooth they are to my palate, your word, more than honey to my mouth.” A few medieval Hebrew
177 tn Heb “every false path.”
178 tn Many medieval Hebrew
179 tn Heb “[is] a lamp for my foot and a light for my path.”
180 tn Heb “according to your word.”
181 tn Heb “of my mouth.”
182 tn Heb “my life [is] in my hands continually.”
183 tn Heb “for the joy of my heart [are] they.”
184 tn Heb “I turn my heart to do.”
185 tn Heb “divided ones.” The word occurs only here; it appears to be derived from a verbal root, attested in Arabic, meaning “to split” (see HALOT 762 s.v. *סֵעֵף). Since the psalmist is emphasizing his unswerving allegiance to God and his law, the term probably refers to those who lack such loyalty. The translation is similar to that suggested by L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 131.
186 tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
187 tn The psalmist has already declared that he observes God’s commands despite persecution, so here the idea must be “so that I might observe the commands of my God unhindered by threats.”
188 tn Heb “according to your word.”
189 tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
190 tn Heb “do not make me ashamed of my hope.” After the Hebrew verb בּוֹשׁ (bosh, “to be ashamed”) the preposition מִן (min, “from”) often introduces the reason for shame.
191 tn Or “and that I might focus.” The two cohortatives with vav (ו) conjunctive indicate purpose/result after the imperative at the beginning of the verse.
192 tn The Hebrew verb סָלָה (salah, “to disdain”) occurs only here and in Lam 1:15. Cognate usage in Aramaic and Akkadian, as well as Lam 1:15, suggest it may have a concrete nuance of “to throw away.”
193 tn Heb “for their deceit [is] falsehood.”
194 sn Traditionally “dross” (so KJV, ASV, NIV). The metaphor comes from metallurgy; “slag” is the substance left over after the metallic ore has been refined.
195 sn As he explains in the next verse, the psalmist’s fear of judgment motivates him to obey God’s rules.
196 tn Heb “my flesh.”
197 tn The Hebrew verb סָמַר (samar, “to tremble”) occurs only here and in Job 4:15.
198 tn Heb “from fear of you.” The pronominal suffix on the noun is an objective genitive.
