Ratapan 2:14
Konteksנ (Nun)
2:14 Your prophets saw visions for you
that were worthless lies. 1
They failed to expose your sin
so as to restore your fortunes. 2
They saw oracles for you
that were worthless 3 lies.
Hosea 9:7
Konteks9:7 The time of judgment 4 is about to arrive! 5
The time of retribution 6 is imminent! 7
Let Israel know! 8
The prophet is considered a fool 9 –
the inspired man 10 is viewed as a madman 11 –
because of the multitude of your sins
and your intense 12 animosity.
[2:14] 1 tn Heb “emptiness and whitewash.” The nouns שָׁוְא וְתָפֵל (shv’ vÿtafel) form a nominal hendiadys. The first noun functions adjectivally, modifying the second noun that retains its full nominal sense: “empty whitewash” or “empty deceptions” (see following translation note on meaning of תָּפֵל [tafel]). The noun תָּפֵל (tafel, “whitewash”) is used literally in reference to a white-washed wall (Ezek 13:10, 11, 14, 15) and figuratively in reference to false prophets (Ezek 22:28).
[2:14] 2 tc The Kethib שְׁבִיתֵךְ (shÿvitekh) and Qere שְׁבוּתֵךְ (shÿvutekh), which is preserved in many medieval Hebrew
[2:14] 3 tn The nouns שָׁוְא וּמַדּוּחִים (shav’ umaddukhim, lit., “emptiness and enticements”) form a nominal hendiadys. The first functions adjectivally, modifying the second noun that retains its nominal sense: “empty enticements” or “false deceptions.” The noun מַדּוּחַ (madduakh), meaning “enticement” or “transgression” is a hapax legomenon (term that appears only once in the Hebrew OT). It is related to the verb נָדָח (nadakh, “to entice, lead astray”) which is often used in reference to idolatry.
[9:7] 4 tn Heb “the days of the visitation”; NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “the days of punishment.”
[9:7] 5 tn Heb “has come” (בָּאוּ, ba’u). The two perfect tense (suffix-conjugation) verbs בָּאוּ (Qal perfect 3rd person common plural from בּוֹא, bo’, “to come”) repeated in this verse are both examples of the so-called “prophetic perfect”: the perfect, which connotes completed or factual action, is used in reference to future events to emphasize the certainty of the announced event taking place.
[9:7] 6 tn Heb “the days of the retribution”; NIV “of reckoning”; NRSV “of recompense.”
[9:7] 7 tn Heb “has come”; NIV “are at hand”; NLT “is almost here.”
[9:7] 8 tc The Aleppo Codex and Leningrad Codex (the MT
[9:7] 9 tn Or “is distraught”; cf. CEV, NLT “are crazy.”
[9:7] 10 tn Heb “the man of the Spirit”; NAB, NRSV “spirit.”
[9:7] 11 tn Or “is driven to despair.” The term מְשֻׁגָּע (mÿshugga’, Pual participle masculine singular from שָׁגַע, shaga’, “to be mad”) may be understood in two senses: (1) It could be a predicate adjective which is a figure of speech: “to be maddened,” to be driven to despair (Deut 28:34); or (2) it could be a substantive: “a madman,” referring to prophets who attempted to enter into a prophetic state through whipping themselves into a frenzy (1 Sam 21:16; 2 Kgs 9:11; Jer 29:26; see BDB 993 s.v. שָׁגַע). The prophetic context of 9:7 favors the latter option (which is followed by most English versions). Apparently, the general populace viewed these mantics with suspicion and questioned the legitimacy of their claim to be true prophets (e.g., 2 Kgs 9:11; Jer 29:26).