Hosea 2:17-18

2:17 For ¹  I will remove the names of the Baal idols ²  from your lips, ³ 

so that you will never again utter their names!” ⁴ 

New Covenant Relationship with Repentant Israel

2:18 “At that time ⁵  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 ⁶  the warrior’s bow and sword

– that is, every weapon of warfare ⁷  – from the land,

and I will allow them to live securely.” ⁸ 

[2:17]  ¹ tn The vav consecutive prefixed to וַהֲסִרֹתִי (vahasiroti) “I will remove” (vav consecutive + Hiphil perfect 1st person common singular) introduces an explanatory clause.

[2:17]  ² 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).

[2:17]  ³ tn Heb “from her mouth.” In the translation this is rendered as second person for consistency.

[2:17]  ⁴ tn Heb “they will no longer be mentioned by their name.”

[2:18]  ⁵ tn Heb “And in that day” (so KJV, ASV).

[2:18]  ⁶ tn Heb “I will break”; NAB “I will destroy”; NCV “I will smash”; NLT “I will remove.”

[2:18]  ⁷ 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).

[2:18]  ⁸ 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).