Amos 6:3-7
Konteks6:3 You refuse to believe a day of disaster will come, 1
but you establish a reign of violence. 2
6:4 They lie around on beds decorated with ivory, 3
and sprawl out on their couches.
They eat lambs from the flock,
and calves from the middle of the pen.
6:5 They sing 4 to the tune of 5 stringed instruments; 6
like David they invent 7 musical instruments.
6:6 They drink wine from sacrificial bowls, 8
and pour the very best oils on themselves. 9
Yet they are not concerned over 10 the ruin 11 of Joseph.
6:7 Therefore they will now be the first to go into exile, 12
and the religious banquets 13 where they sprawl on couches 14 will end.
Amos 6:2
Konteks6:2 They say to the people: 15
“Journey over to Calneh and look at it!
Then go from there to Hamath-Rabbah! 16
Then go down to Gath of the Philistines!
Are they superior to our two 17 kingdoms?
Is their territory larger than yours?” 18
Kisah Para Rasul 17:7-18
Konteks17:7 and 19 Jason has welcomed them as guests! They 20 are all acting against Caesar’s 21 decrees, saying there is another king named 22 Jesus!” 23 17:8 They caused confusion among 24 the crowd and the city officials 25 who heard these things. 17:9 After 26 the city officials 27 had received bail 28 from Jason and the others, they released them.
17:10 The brothers sent Paul and Silas off to Berea 29 at once, during the night. When they arrived, 30 they went to the Jewish synagogue. 31 17:11 These Jews 32 were more open-minded 33 than those in Thessalonica, 34 for they eagerly 35 received 36 the message, examining 37 the scriptures carefully every day 38 to see if these things were so. 17:12 Therefore many of them believed, along with quite a few 39 prominent 40 Greek women and men. 17:13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica 41 heard that Paul had also proclaimed the word of God 42 in Berea, 43 they came there too, inciting 44 and disturbing 45 the crowds. 17:14 Then the brothers sent Paul away to the coast 46 at once, but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea. 47 17:15 Those who accompanied Paul escorted him as far as Athens, 48 and after receiving an order for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they left. 49
17:16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, 50 his spirit was greatly upset 51 because he saw 52 the city was full of idols. 17:17 So he was addressing 53 the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles 54 in the synagogue, 55 and in the marketplace every day 56 those who happened to be there. 17:18 Also some of the Epicurean 57 and Stoic 58 philosophers were conversing 59 with him, and some were asking, 60 “What does this foolish babbler 61 want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods.” 62 (They said this because he was proclaiming the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.) 63
Kisah Para Rasul 18:12
Konteks18:12 Now while Gallio 64 was proconsul 65 of Achaia, 66 the Jews attacked Paul together 67 and brought him before the judgment seat, 68
Yehezkiel 23:5-9
Konteks23:5 “Oholah engaged in prostitution while she was mine. 69 She lusted after her lovers, the Assyrians 70 – warriors 71 23:6 clothed in blue, governors and officials, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding on horses. 23:7 She bestowed her sexual favors on them; all of them were the choicest young men of Assyria. She defiled herself with all whom she desired 72 – with all their idols. 23:8 She did not abandon the prostitution she had practiced in Egypt; for in her youth men had sex with her, fondled her virgin breasts, and ravished her. 73 23:9 Therefore I handed her over to her lovers, the Assyrians 74 for whom she lusted.
Hosea 4:1-2
Konteks4:1 Hear the word of the Lord, you Israelites! 75
For the Lord has a covenant lawsuit 76 against the people of Israel. 77
For there is neither faithfulness nor loyalty in the land,
nor do they acknowledge God. 78
4:2 There is only cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and adultery.
They resort to violence and bloodshed. 79
Hosea 4:11-14
Konteks4:11 Old and new wine
take away the understanding of my people. 80
4:12 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 81 against their God.
4:13 They sacrifice on the mountaintops,
and burn offerings on the hills;
they sacrifice 82 under oak, poplar, and terebinth,
because their shade is so pleasant.
As a result, your daughters have become cult prostitutes,
and your daughters-in-law commit adultery!
4:14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit prostitution,
nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery.
For the men consort with harlots,
they sacrifice with temple prostitutes.
It is true: 83 “A people that lacks understanding will come to ruin!”
Hosea 7:7-10
Konteks7:7 All of them are blazing like an oven;
they devour their rulers.
All of their kings fall –
and none of them call on me!
7:8 Ephraim has mixed itself like flour 84 among the nations;
Ephraim is like a ruined cake of bread that is scorched on one side. 85
7:9 Foreigners are consuming what his strenuous labor produced, 86
but he does not recognize it!
His head is filled with gray hair,
but he does not realize it!
7:10 The arrogance of Israel testifies against him,
yet they refuse to return to the Lord their God!
In spite of all this they refuse to seek him!
Hosea 8:4-6
Konteks8:4 They enthroned kings without my consent! 87
They appointed princes without my approval! 88
They made idols out of their silver and gold,
but they will be destroyed! 89
8:5 O Samaria, he has rejected your calf idol!
My anger burns against them!
They will not survive much longer without being punished, 90
even though they are Israelites!
8:6 That idol was made by a workman – it is not God!
The calf idol of Samaria will be broken to bits.
Hosea 13:2-3
Konteks13:2 Even now they persist in sin! 91
They make metal images for themselves,
idols that they skillfully fashion 92 from their own silver;
all of them are nothing but the work of craftsmen!
There is a saying about them: 93
“Those who sacrifice 94 to the calf idol are calf kissers!” 95
13:3 Therefore they will disappear like 96 the morning mist, 97
like early morning dew that evaporates, 98
like chaff that is blown away 99 from a threshing floor,
like smoke that disappears through an open window.
Mikha 6:10-16
Konteks6:10 “I will not overlook, 100 O sinful house, the dishonest gain you have hoarded away, 101
or the smaller-than-standard measure I hate so much. 102
6:11 I do not condone the use of rigged scales,
or a bag of deceptive weights. 103
6:12 The city’s rich men think nothing of resorting to violence; 104
her inhabitants lie, 105
their tongues speak deceptive words. 106
6:13 I will strike you brutally 107
and destroy you because of your sin.
6:14 You will eat, but not be satisfied.
Even if you have the strength 108 to overtake some prey, 109
you will not be able to carry it away; 110
if you do happen to carry away something,
I will deliver it over to the sword.
6:15 You will plant crops, but will not harvest them;
you will squeeze oil from the olives, 111 but you will have no oil to rub on your bodies; 112
you will squeeze juice from the grapes, but you will have no wine to drink. 113
6:16 You implement the regulations of Omri,
and all the practices of Ahab’s dynasty; 114
you follow their policies. 115
Therefore I will make you an appalling sight, 116
the city’s 117 inhabitants will be taunted derisively, 118
and nations will mock all of you.” 119
[6:3] 1 tn Heb “those who push away a day of disaster.”
[6:3] 2 tn Heb “you bring near a seat of violence.” The precise meaning of the Hebrew term שֶׁבֶת (shevet, “seat, sitting”) is unclear in this context. The translation assumes that it refers to a throne from which violence (in the person of the oppressive leaders) reigns. Another option is that the expression refers not to the leaders’ oppressive rule, but to the coming judgment when violence will overtake the nation in the person of enemy invaders.
[6:4] 3 tn Heb “beds of ivory.”
[6:5] 4 tn The meaning of the Hebrew verb פָּרַט (parat), which occurs only here in the OT, is unclear. Some translate “strum,” “pluck,” or “improvise.”
[6:5] 5 tn Heb “upon the mouth of,” that is, “according to.”
[6:5] 6 sn The stringed instruments mentioned here are probably harps (cf. NIV, NRSV) or lutes (cf. NEB).
[6:5] 7 tn The meaning of the Hebrew phrase חָשְׁבוּ לָהֶם (khoshvu lahem) is uncertain. Various options include: (1) “they think their musical instruments are like David’s”; (2) “they consider themselves musicians like David”; (3) “they esteem musical instruments highly like David”; (4) “they improvise [new songs] for themselves [on] instruments like David”; (5) “they invent musical instruments like David.” However, the most commonly accepted interpretation is that given in the translation (see S. M. Paul, Amos [Hermeneia], 206-7).
[6:6] 8 sn Perhaps some religious rite is in view, or the size of the bowls is emphasized (i.e., bowls as large as sacrificial bowls).
[6:6] 9 tn Heb “with the best of oils they anoint [themselves].”
[6:6] 10 tn Or “not sickened by.”
[6:6] 11 sn The ruin of Joseph may refer to the societal disintegration in Israel, or to the effects of the impending judgment.
[6:7] 12 tn Heb “they will go into exile at the head of the exiles.”
[6:7] 13 sn Religious banquets. This refers to the מַרְזֵחַ (marzeakh), a type of pagan religious banquet popular among the upper class of Israel at this time and apparently associated with mourning. See P. King, Amos, Hosea, Micah, 137-61; J. L. McLaughlin, The “Marzeah” in the Prophetic Literature (VTSup). Scholars debate whether at this banquet the dead were simply remembered or actually venerated in a formal, cultic sense.
[6:7] 14 tn Heb “of the sprawled out.” See v. 4.
[6:2] 15 tn The words “They say to the people” are interpretive and supplied in the translation for clarification. The translation understands v. 2 as the boastful words, which the leaders (described in v. 1) spoke to those who came to them (v. 1b). Some interpret v. 2 differently, understanding the words as directed to the leaders by the prophet. Verse 2b would then be translated: “Are you (i.e., Israel and Judah) better than these kingdoms (i.e., Calneh, etc.)? Is your border larger than their border?” (This reading requires an emendation of the Hebrew text toward the end of the verse.) In this case the verse is a reminder to Judah/Israel that they are not superior to other nations, which have already fallen victim to military conquest. Consequently Judah/Israel should not expect to escape the same fate. Following this line of interpretation, some take v. 2 as a later addition since the Assyrians under Tiglath-pileser III conquered Calneh, Hamath, and Gath after the time of Amos’ ministry. However, this conclusion is not necessary since the kingdoms mentioned here had suffered military setbacks prior to Amos’ time as well. See S. M. Paul, Amos (Hermeneia), 201-4.
[6:2] 16 tn Or “Great Hamath” (cf. NIV); or “Hamath the great” (cf. KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV); the word “rabbah” means “great” in Hebrew.
[6:2] 17 tn Heb “to these,” referring to Judah and Israel (see v. 1a).
[6:2] 18 tn Both rhetorical questions in this verse expect the answer “no.” If these words do come from the leaders, then this verse underscores their self-delusion of power (compare 6:13). The prophet had no such mistaken sense of national grandeur (7:2, 5).
[17:7] 19 tn Grk “whom.” Because of the awkwardness in English of having two relative clauses follow one another (“who have stirred up trouble…whom Jason has welcomed”) the relative pronoun here (“whom”) has been replaced by the conjunction “and,” creating a clause that is grammatically coordinate but logically subordinate in the translation.
[17:7] 20 tn Grk “and they.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.
[17:7] 21 tn Or “the emperor’s” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
[17:7] 22 tn The word “named” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied for clarity.
[17:7] 23 sn Acting…saying…Jesus. The charges are serious, involving sedition (Luke 23:2). If the political charges were true, Rome would have to react.
[17:8] 24 tn Grk “They troubled the crowd and the city officials”; but this could be understood to mean “they bothered” or “they annoyed.” In reality the Jewish instigators managed to instill doubt and confusion into both the mob and the officials by their false charges of treason. Verse 8 suggests the charges raised again Paul, Silas, Jason, and the others were false.
[17:8] 25 tn L&N 37.93 defines πολιτάρχης (politarch") as “a public official responsible for administrative matters within a town or city and a member of the ruling council of such a political unit – ‘city official.’”
[17:9] 26 tn Grk “And after.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
[17:9] 27 tn Grk “they”; the referent (the city officials) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[17:9] 28 tn That is, “a payment” or “a pledge of security” (BDAG 472 s.v. ἱκανός 1) for which “bail” is the most common contemporary English equivalent.
[17:10] 29 sn Berea (alternate spelling in NRSV Beroea; Greek Beroia) was a very old city in Macedonia on the river Astraeus about 45 mi (75 km) west of Thessalonica.
[17:10] map For location see JP1 C1; JP2 C1; JP3 C1; JP4 C1.
[17:10] 30 tn Grk “who arriving there, went to.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (οἵτινες, Joitine") has been left untranslated and a new English sentence begun. The participle παραγενόμενοι (paragenomenoi) has been taken temporally.
[17:10] 31 sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.
[17:11] 32 tn Grk “These”; the referent (the Jews in the synagogue at Berea) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[17:11] 33 tn Or “more willing to learn.” L&N 27.48 and BDAG 404 s.v. εὐγενής 2 both use the term “open-minded” here. The point is that they were more receptive to Paul’s message.
[17:11] 34 sn Thessalonica was a city in Macedonia (modern Salonica).
[17:11] map For location see JP1 C1; JP2 C1; JP3 C1; JP4 C1.
[17:11] 35 tn Or “willingly,” “readily”; Grk “with all eagerness.”
[17:11] 36 tn Grk “who received.” Here the relative pronoun (“who”) has been translated as a pronoun (“they”) preceded by a semicolon, which is less awkward in contemporary English than a relative clause at this point.
[17:11] 37 tn This verb (BDAG 66 s.v. ἀνακρίνω 1) refers to careful examination.
[17:11] 38 tn BDAG 437 s.v. ἡμέρα 2.c has “every day” for this phrase in this verse.
[17:12] 39 tn Grk “not a few”; this use of negation could be misleading to the modern English reader, however, and so has been translated as “quite a few” (which is the actual meaning of the expression).
[17:13] 41 sn Thessalonica was a city in Macedonia (modern Salonica).
[17:13] 42 tn Grk “that the word of God had also been proclaimed by Paul.” This passive construction has been converted to an active one in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[17:13] 43 sn Berea (alternate spelling in NRSV Beroea; Greek Beroia) was a very old city in Macedonia on the river Astraeus about 45 mi (75 km) from Thessalonica.
[17:13] 44 tn BDAG 911 s.v. σαλεύω 2 has “incite” for σαλεύοντες (saleuonte") in Acts 17:13.
[17:13] sn Inciting. Ironically, it was the Jews who were disturbing the peace, not the Christians.
[17:13] 45 tn Or “stirring up” (BDAG 990-91 s.v. ταράσσω 2). The point is the agitation of the crowds.
[17:14] 46 tn Grk “to the sea.” Here ἕως ἐπὶ τὴν θάλασσαν ({ew" epi thn qalassan) must mean “to the edge of the sea,” that is, “to the coast.” Since there is no mention of Paul taking a ship to Athens, he presumably traveled overland. The journey would have been about 340 mi (550 km).
[17:14] 47 tn Grk “remained there”; the referent (Berea) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[17:15] 48 map For location see JP1 C2; JP2 C2; JP3 C2; JP4 C2.
[17:15] 49 sn They left. See 1 Thess 3:1-2, which shows they went from here to Thessalonica.
[17:16] 50 map For location see JP1 C2; JP2 C2; JP3 C2; JP4 C2.
[17:16] 51 tn Grk “greatly upset within him,” but the words “within him” were not included in the translation because they are redundant in English. See L&N 88.189. The term could also be rendered “infuriated.”
[17:16] sn His spirit was greatly upset. See Rom 1:18-32 for Paul’s feelings about idolatry. Yet he addressed both Jews and Gentiles with tact and reserve.
[17:16] 52 tn Or “when he saw.” The participle θεωροῦντος (qewrounto") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle; it could also be translated as temporal.
[17:17] 53 tn Although the word διελέξατο (dielexato; from διαλέγομαι, dialegomai) is frequently translated “reasoned,” “disputed,” or “argued,” this sense comes from its classical meaning where it was used of philosophical disputation, including the Socratic method of questions and answers. However, there does not seem to be contextual evidence for this kind of debate in Acts 17:17. As G. Schrenk (TDNT 2:94-95) points out, “What is at issue is the address which any qualified member of a synagogue might give.” Other examples of this may be found in the NT in Matt 4:23 and Mark 1:21.
[17:17] 54 tn Or “and the devout,” but this is practically a technical term for the category called God-fearers, Gentiles who worshiped the God of Israel and in many cases kept the Mosaic law, but did not take the final step of circumcision necessary to become a proselyte to Judaism. See further K. G. Kuhn, TDNT 6:732-34, 743-44, and the note on the phrase “God-fearing Greeks” in 17:4.
[17:17] 55 sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.
[17:17] 56 tn BDAG 437 s.v. ἡμέρα 2.c has “every day” for this phrase in this verse.
[17:18] 57 sn An Epicurean was a follower of the philosophy of Epicurus, who founded a school in Athens about 300
[17:18] 58 sn A Stoic was a follower of the philosophy founded by Zeno (342-270
[17:18] 59 tn BDAG 956 s.v. συμβάλλω 1 has “converse, confer” here.
[17:18] 61 tn Or “ignorant show-off.” The traditional English translation of σπερμολόγος (spermologo") is given in L&N 33.381 as “foolish babbler.” However, an alternate view is presented in L&N 27.19, “(a figurative extension of meaning of a term based on the practice of birds in picking up seeds) one who acquires bits and pieces of relatively extraneous information and proceeds to pass them off with pretense and show – ‘ignorant show-off, charlatan.’” A similar view is given in BDAG 937 s.v. σπερμολόγος: “in pejorative imagery of persons whose communication lacks sophistication and seems to pick up scraps of information here and there scrapmonger, scavenger…Engl. synonyms include ‘gossip’, ‘babbler’, chatterer’; but these terms miss the imagery of unsystematic gathering.”
[17:18] 62 tn The meaning of this phrase is not clear. Literally it reads “strange deities” (see BDAG 210 s.v. δαιμόνιον 1). The note of not being customary is important. In the ancient world what was new was suspicious. The plural δαιμονίων (daimoniwn, “deities”) shows the audience grappling with Paul’s teaching that God was working through Jesus.
[17:18] 63 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[18:12] 64 sn Gallio was proconsul of Achaia from
[18:12] 65 sn The proconsul was the Roman official who ruled over a province traditionally under the control of the Roman senate.
[18:12] 66 sn Achaia was a Roman province created in 146
[18:12] 67 tn Grk “with one accord.”
[18:12] 68 tn Although BDAG 175 s.v. βῆμα 3 gives the meaning “tribunal” for this verse and a number of modern translations use similar terms (“court,” NIV; “tribunal,” NRSV), there is no need for an alternative translation here since the bema was a standard feature in Greco-Roman cities of the time.
[18:12] sn The judgment seat (βῆμα, bhma) was a raised platform mounted by steps and sometimes furnished with a seat, used by officials in addressing an assembly or making pronouncements, often on judicial matters. The judgment seat was a familiar item in Greco-Roman culture, often located in the agora, the public square or marketplace in the center of a city. So this was a very public event.
[23:5] 69 tn Heb “while she was under me.” The expression indicates that Oholah is viewed as the Lord’s wife. See Num 5:19-20, 29.
[23:5] sn Played the harlot refers to alliances with pagan nations in this context. In Ezek 16 harlotry described the sin of idolatry.
[23:5] 71 tn The term apparently refers to Assyrian military officers; it is better construed with the description that follows. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 1:738.
[23:7] 72 tn Heb “lusted after.”
[23:8] 73 tn Heb “and poured out their harlotry on her.”
[23:9] 74 tn Heb “I gave her into the hand of her lovers, into the hand of the sons of Assyria.”
[4:1] 75 tn Heb “sons of Israel” (so NASB); KJV “children of Israel”; NAB, NRSV “people of Israel.”
[4:1] 76 tn The noun רִיב (riv, “dispute, lawsuit”) is used in two contexts: (1) nonlegal contexts: (a) “dispute” between individuals (e.g., Gen 13:7; Isa 58:1; Jer 15:10) or (b) “brawl; quarrel” between people (e.g., Exod 17:7; Deut 25:1); and (2) legal contexts: (a) “lawsuit; legal process” (e.g., Exod 23:3-6; Deut 19:17; 21:5; Ezek 44:24; Ps 35:23), (b) “lawsuit; legal case” (e.g., Deut 1:12; 17:8; Prov 18:17; 25:9), and (c) God’s “lawsuit” on behalf of a person or against his own people (Hos 4:1; 12:3; Mic 6:2; HALOT 1225-26 s.v. רִיב). The term in Hosea refers to a covenant lawsuit in which Yahweh the suzerain lodges a legal case against his disobedient vassal, accusing Israel and Judah of breach of covenant which will elicit the covenant curses.
[4:1] 77 tn Heb “with the inhabitants of the land” (so KJV); NAB, NASB, NRSV “against the inhabitants of the land.”
[4:1] 78 tn Heb “there is no truthfulness nor loyalty nor knowledge of God in the land.” Here “knowledge of God” refers to recognition of his authority and obedience to his will.
[4:2] 79 tn Heb “they break out and bloodshed touches bloodshed.” The Hebrew term פָּרַץ (parats, “to break out”) refers to violent and wicked actions (BDB 829 s.v. פָּרַץ 7; HALOT 972 s.v. פרץ 6.c). It is used elsewhere in a concrete sense to describe breaking through physical barriers. Here it is used figuratively to describe breaking moral barriers and restraints (cf. TEV “Crimes increase, and there is one murder after another”).
[4:11] 80 tn Heb “take away the heart of my people.” The present translation assumes that the first word of v. 12 in the Hebrew text is to be construed with the noun at the end of v. 11 (so also TEV, CEV, NLT).
[4:12] 81 tn Heb “adultery.” The adjective “spiritual” is supplied in the translation to clarify that apostasy is meant here.
[4:13] 82 tn The phrase “they sacrifice” is not repeated in the Hebrew text here but is implied by parallelism; it is provided in the translation for the sake of clarity.
[4:14] 83 tn The words “it is true” are supplied in the translation to indicate that this is a conclusion drawn on the preceding behavior. Cf. NAB “So must a people”; NRSV “thus a people”; TEV “As the proverb says, ‘A people.’”
[7:8] 84 tn The words “like flour” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied by the imagery.
[7:8] 85 tn Heb “a cake of bread not turned.” This metaphor compares Ephraim to a ruined cake of bread that was not turned over in time to avoid being scorched and burned (see BDB 728 s.v. עֻגָה). Cf. NLT “as worthless as a half-baked cake.”
[7:9] 86 tn Heb “foreigners consume his strength”; NRSV “devour (sap NIV) his strength.”
[8:4] 87 tn Heb “but without me”; NCV “without asking my permission”; CEV “without consulting me.”
[8:4] 88 tn Heb “but I did not know”; NRSV “but without my knowledge.”
[8:4] 89 tn Heb “in order to be cut off.” The text gives the impression that they made the idols for this purpose, but the language is ironic and sarcastic, bringing out the futility of their efforts. One could paraphrase, “they made idols…but only so that they might be destroyed.” Though they had other plans for the idols, God’s judgment would bring their intentions to naught.
[8:5] 90 tn Heb “How long will they be able to be free from punishment?” This rhetorical question affirms that Israel will not survive much longer until God punishes it.
[13:2] 91 tn The phrase יוֹסִפוּ לַחֲטֹא (yosifu lakhato’, “they add to sin”) is an idiom meaning either (1) “they sin more and more” or (2) “they continue to sin” (see BDB 415 s.v. יָסַף 2.a; HALOT 418 s.v. יסף 3.b). The English versions are divided: (1) “they sin more and more” (KJV, RSV, NASB, NIV) and (2) “they go on sinning” (NJPS), “they continue to sin” (NAB), “they (+ still TEV, NCV) keep on sinning” (NRSV, NLT).
[13:2] 92 tn The term כִּתְבוּנָם (kitvunam, “according to their skill”; preposition כְּ + feminine singular noun תְּבוּנָה, tÿvunah + 3rd person masculine plural suffix) is an abbreviated form of כִּתְבוּנָתָם (kitvunatam; GKC 255-56 §91.e). תְּבוּנָה means “understanding, faculty, skill” (BDB 108 s.v. תְּבוּנָה 1). It refers to a builder skillfully constructing a house (Prov 24:3), God skillfully fashioning creation (Ps 136:5; Prov 3:19), and a craftsman skillfully making an idol (Hos 13:2).
[13:2] 93 tn Heb “They say about them.” Another possible rendering for the line is: “It is said of them – those men who sacrifice, ‘They kiss calves!’” The phrase זֹבְחֵי אָדָם (zovkhe ’adam, “those men who sacrifice”) functions either (1) as the subject of the verb יִשָּׁקוּן (yishaqun, “they kiss”) in the quotation in the direct discourse: “It is said of them, ‘Those men who sacrifice kiss calves!’” or (2) in apposition to the indirect object 3rd person masculine plural suffix לָהֶם (lahem, “about them”): “It is said of them, that is, those men who sacrifice….”
[13:2] 94 tn Heb “Those among men who offer sacrifices.” The genitive construct זֹבְחֵי אָדָם (zovkhe ’adam, “the sacrificers of men”) is misunderstood by NIV as an objective genitive phrase: “they offer human sacrifice.” Such a classification is questionable: (1) Nowhere else in the book does Hosea accuse Israel of human sacrifice, and (2) archaeological evidence does not provide any evidence of human sacrifice in the Northern Kingdom during Iron Age I (1200-722
[13:2] 95 tn Heb “They kiss calves!” The verb יִשָּׁקוּן (yishaqun) may be parsed as an imperfect (“they kiss [calves]”) or jussive (“let them kiss [calves]!”). Paragogic nun endings (ן + יִשָּׁקוּ) are attached to imperfects to connote rhetorical emphasis. It is used either (1) to mark out an action that is contrary to normal practice and deviates from normal expectations (those who worship the calf idol are, in effect, kissing calves!), or (2) to express strong emotion (in this case disgust) at the action of the calf idolaters (they kiss calves!). For function of paragogic nun, see IBHS 516-17 §31.7.1.
[13:3] 96 tn Heb “they will be like” (so NASB, NIV).
[13:3] 97 tn The phrase כְּעֲנַן־בֹּקֶר (kÿ’anan-boqer, “like a cloud of the morning”) occurs also in Hos 6:4 in a similar simile. The Hebrew poets and prophets refer to morning clouds as a simile for transitoriness (Job 7:9; Isa 44:22; Hos 6:4; 13:3; HALOT 858 s.v. עָנָן 1.b; BDB 778 s.v. עָנָן 1.c).
[13:3] 98 tn Heb “like the early rising dew that goes away”; TEV “like the dew that vanishes early in the day.”
[13:3] 99 tn Heb “storm-driven away”; KJV, ASV “driven with the whirlwind out.” The verb יְסֹעֵר (yÿso’er, Poel imperfect 3rd person masculine singular from סָעַר, sa’ar, “to storm”) often refers to the intense action of strong, raging storm winds (e.g., Jonah 1:11, 13). The related nouns refer to “heavy gale,” “storm wind,” and “high wind” (BDB 704 s.v. סָעַר; HALOT 762 s.v. סער). The verb is used figuratively to describe the intensity of God’s destruction of the wicked whom he will “blow away” (Isa 54:11; Hos 13:3; Hab 3:14; Zech 7:14; BDB 704 s.v.; HALOT 762 s.v.).
[6:10] 100 tn The meaning of the first Hebrew word in the line is unclear. Possibly it is a combination of the interrogative particle and אִשׁ (’ish), an alternate form of יֵשׁ (yesh, “there is/are”). One could then translate literally, “Are there treasures of sin [in] the house of the sinful?” The translation assumes an emendation to הַאֶשֶּׁה (ha’esheh, from נָשָׁא, nasha’, “to forget”), “Will I forget?” The rhetorical question expects an answer, “No, I will not forget.”
[6:10] 101 tn Heb “the treasures of sin”; NASB “treasures of wickedness”; NIV “ill-gotten treasures.”
[6:10] 102 tn Heb “the accursed scant measure.”
[6:10] sn Merchants would use a smaller than standard measure so they could give the customer less than he thought he was paying for.
[6:11] 103 tn Heb “Do I acquit sinful scales, and a bag of deceptive weights?” The rhetorical question expects an answer, “No, I do not,” and has been translated as a declarative statement for clarity and emphasis.
[6:11] sn Merchants also used rigged scales and deceptive weights to cheat their customers. See the note at Amos 8:5.
[6:12] 104 tn Heb “because her rich are full of violence.”
[6:12] 105 tn Heb “speak lies.”
[6:12] 106 tn Heb “and their tongue is deceptive in their mouth.”
[6:13] 107 tn Heb “and also I, I will make you sick, striking you.”
[6:14] 108 tc The first Hebrew term in the line (וְיֶשְׁחֲךָ, vÿyeshkhakha) is obscure. HALOT 446 s.v. יֶשַׁח understands a noun meaning “filth,” which would yield the translation, “and your filth is inside you.” The translation assumes an emendation to כֹּחַ-וְיֶשׁ (vÿyesh-koakh, “and [if] there is strength inside you”).
[6:14] 109 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term וְתַסֵּג (vÿtasseg) is unclear. The translation assumes it is a Hiphal imperfect from נָסַג/נָשַׂג (nasag/nasag, “reach; overtake”) and that hunting imagery is employed. (Note the reference to hunger in the first line of the verse.) See D. R. Hillers, Micah (Hermeneia), 80.
[6:14] 110 tn The Hiphal of פָּלַט (palat) is used in Isa 5:29 of an animal carrying its prey to a secure place.
[6:15] 111 tn Heb “you will tread olives.” Literally treading on olives with one’s feet could be harmful and would not supply the necessary pressure to release the oil. See O. Borowski, Agriculture in Iron Age Israel, 119. The Hebrew term דָּרַךְ (darakh) may have an idiomatic sense of “press” here, or perhaps the imagery of the following parallel line (referring to treading grapes) has dictated the word choice.
[6:15] 112 tn Heb “but you will not rub yourselves with oil.”
[6:15] 113 tn Heb “and juice, but you will not drink wine.” The verb תִדְרֹךְ (tidrokh, “you will tread”) must be supplied from the preceding line.
[6:16] 114 tn Heb “the edicts of Omri are kept, and all the deeds of the house of Ahab.”
[6:16] 115 tn Heb “and you walk in their plans.”
[6:16] sn The Omride dynasty, of which Ahab was the most infamous king, had a reputation for implementing unjust and oppressive measures. See 1 Kgs 21.
[6:16] 116 tn The Hebrew term שַׁמָּה (shammah) can refer to “destruction; ruin,” or to the reaction it produces in those who witness the destruction.
[6:16] 117 tn Heb “her”; the referent (the city) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[6:16] 118 tn Heb “[an object] of hissing,” which was a way of taunting someone.
[6:16] 119 tc The translation assumes an emendation of the MT’s עַמִּי (’ammi, “my people”) to עַמִּים (’ammim, “nations”).
[6:16] tn Heb “and the reproach of my people you will bear.” The second person verb is plural here, in contrast to the singular forms used in vv. 13-15.
