Hosea 2:21
Konteks2:21 “At that time, 1 I will willingly respond,” 2 declares the Lord.
“I will respond to the sky,
and the sky 3 will respond to the ground;
Hosea 12:11
Konteks12:11 Is there idolatry 4 in Gilead? 5
Certainly its inhabitants 6 will come to nothing! 7
Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal?
Surely their altars will be like stones heaped up on a plowed field!
[2:21] 1 tn Heb “And in that day”; NAB, NRSV “On that day.”
[2:21] 2 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).
[2:21] 3 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”).
[12:11] 4 tn The noun אָוֶן (’aven) has a broad range of meanings which includes: (1) “wickedness, sin, injustice” (2) “deception, nothingness,” and (3) “idolatry, idolatrous cult” (HALOT 22 s.v. אָוֶן; BDB 19 s.v. אָוֶן). While any of these meanings would fit the present context, the second-half of the verse refers to cultic sins, suggesting that Hosea is denouncing Gilead for its idolatry. Cf. NLT “Gilead is filled with sinners who worship idols.”
[12:11] 5 tn The introductory deictic particle אִם (’im) functions as an interrogative and introduces an interrogative clause: “Is there…?” (see HALOT 60 s.v. אִם 5; BDB 50 s.v. אִם 2). The LXX assumed that אִם was being used in its more common function as a conditional particle: “If there….”
[12:11] 6 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the inhabitants of Gilead) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[12:11] 7 tn The noun שָׁוְא (shav’, “emptiness, nothing”), which describes the imminent judgment of the people of Gilead, creates a wordplay in Hebrew with the noun אָוֶן (’aven, “nothingness” = idolatry). Because Gilead worshiped “nothingness” (idols), it would become “nothing” (i.e., be destroyed).
