The Unfaithful Wife

Hosea 2

Israel is pictured as an unfaithful wife who has chased after lovers and forgotten that it was the Lord who gave her corn, wine, oil, and silver, and so the Lord strips away her comforts and exposes her unfaithfulness. The chapter turns to a promise of restoration, in which the Lord will betroth her to himself forever in righteousness, judgment, mercy, and faithfulness, and those once called Not My People will be called My People.

About these editions

The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.

Thomson 1808Septuagint

Brenton 1851Septuagint

Greek · BrentonSeptuagint

KJV 1769Masoretic

JPS 1917Masoretic

Thomson(Now the number of the children of Israel was like the sand of the sea which cannot be measured nor counted.) But it shall come to pass that in the place where it was said to them, You are not My people, they shall be called children of the Living God;

BrentonYet the number of the children of Israel was as the sand of the sea, which shall not be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said to them, Ye are not my people, even they shall be called the sons of the living God.

GreekΚαὶ ἦν ὁ ἀριθμὸς τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ, ὡς ἡ ἄμμος τῆς θαλάσσης, ἣ οὐκ ἐκμετρηθήσεται, οὐδὲ ἐξαριθμηθήσεται· καὶ ἔσται, ἐν τῷ τόπῳ, οὗ ἐῤῥέθη αὐτοῖς, οὐ λαός μου ὑμεῖς, κληθήσονται καὶ αὐτοὶ υἱοὶ Θεοῦ ζῶντος.

KJVYet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.

JPSYet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass that, instead of that which was said unto them: ‘Ye are not My people’, it shall be said unto them: ‘Ye are the children of the living God.’

Thomsonand the children of Juda and the children of Israel shall be gathered together and shall appoint for themselves one head, and come up out of the land. For great will be the day of Jezrael.

BrentonAnd the children of Juda shall be gathered, and the children of Israel together, and shall appoint themselves one head, and shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezrael.

GreekΚαὶ συναχθήσονται υἱοὶ Ἰούδα, καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ ἐπιτοαυτὸ, καὶ θήσονται ἑαυτοῖς ἀρχὴν μίαν, καὶ ἀναβήσονται ἐκ τῆς γῆς, ὅτι μεγάλη ἡ ἡμέρα τοῦ Ἰεζραέλ.

KJVThen shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.

JPSAnd the children of Judah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together, and they shall appoint themselves one head, and shall go up out of the land; for great shall be the day of Jezreel.

ThomsonSAY ye to your brother, My people, and to your sister, Compassionated;

BrentonSay to your brother, My people, and to your sister, Pitied.

GreekΕἴπατε τῷ ἀδελφῷ ὑμῶν, λαός μου, καὶ τῇ ἀδελφῇ ὑμῶν, ἠλεημένη.

KJV—

JPS—

Thomsonemplead your mother, plead, because with regard to her, is she not My wife? And as for Me, am not I her husband? Therefore I will remove her fornication from before Me and her adultery from between her breasts.

BrentonPlead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife, and I am not her husband: and I will remove her fornication out of my presence, and her adultery from between her breasts:

GreekΚρίθητε πρὸς τὴν μητέρα ὑμῶν, κρίθητε, ὅτι αὕτη οὐ γυνή μου, καὶ ἐγὼ οὐκ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς· καὶ ἐξαρῶ τὴν πορνείαν αὐτῆς ἐκ προσώπου μου, καὶ τὴν μοιχείαν αὐτῆς ἐκ μέσου μαστῶν αὐτῆς,

KJVPlead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts;

JPSPlead with your mother, plead; For she is not My wife, neither am I her husband; And let her put away her harlotries from her face, And her adulteries from between her breasts;

ThomsonThat I may do this I will strip her naked, and reduce her to the state she was in at her birth. I will indeed make her desolate, and order her to a land without water and kill her with thirst,

Brentonthat I may strip her naked, and make her again as she was at the day of her birth: and I will make her desolate, and make her as a dry land, and will kill her with thirst.

Greekὅπως ἂν ἐκδύσω αὐτὴν γυμνὴν, καὶ ἀποκαταστήσω αὐτὴν καθὼς ἡμέρα γενέσεως αὐτῆς· καὶ θήσω αὐτὴν ἔρημον, καὶ τάξω αὐτὴν ὡς γῆν ἄνυδρον, καὶ ἀποκτενῶ αὐτὴν ἐν δίψει.

KJVLest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day that she was born, and make her as a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst.

JPSLest I strip her naked, And set her as in the day that she was born, And make her as a wilderness, And set her like a dry land, And slay her with thirst.

Thomsonand on her children I will not have compassion. Because they are children of fornication—

BrentonAnd I will not have mercy upon her children; for they are children of fornication.

GreekΚαὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῆς οὐ μὴ ἐλεήσω, ὅτι τέκνα πορνείας ἐστίν.

KJVAnd I will not have mercy upon her children; for they be the children of whoredoms.

JPSAnd I will not have compassion upon her children; For they are children of harlotry.

Thomsonbecause their mother hath committed whoredom—she who brought them forth hath acted shamefully—because she said, I will go after my lovers, who give me my bread and my water, and my apparel and my fine linens, mine oil and all things convenient for me.

BrentonAnd their mother went a-whoring: she that bore them disgraced them: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, and my garments, and my linen clothes, my oil and all my necessaries.

GreekὍτι ἐξεπόρνευσεν ἡ μήτηρ αὐτῶν, κατῄσχυνεν ἡ τεκοῦσα αὐτά· ὅτι εἶπε, πορεύσομαι ὀπίσω τῶν ἐραστῶν μου, τῶν διδόντων μοι τοὺς ἄρτους μου, καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ μου, καὶ τὰ ἱμάτιά μου, καὶ τὰ ὀθόνιά μου, τὸ ἔλαιόν μου, καὶ πάντα ὅσα μοι καθήκει.

KJVFor their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.

JPSFor their mother hath played the harlot, She that conceived them hath done shamefully; For she said: ‘I will go after my lovers, That give me my bread and my water, My wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.’

ThomsonFor this, behold, I will hedge up her way with thorns, and block up her ways that she may not find her path.

BrentonTherefore, behold, I hedge up her way with thorns, and will stop the ways, and she shall not find her path.

GreekΔιὰ τοῦτο ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ φράσσω τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτῆς ἐν σκόλοψι, καὶ ἀνοικοδομήσω τὰς ὁδοὺς, καὶ τὴν τρίβον αὐτῆς οὐ μὴ εὕρῃ·

KJVTherefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths.

JPSTherefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, And I will make a wall against her, That she shall not find her paths.

ThomsonThough she follow her lovers she shall not overtake them; though she seek them, she shall not find them. Then she will say, I will go and return to my former husband, for it was then better with me than now.

BrentonAnd she shall follow after her lovers, and shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: and she shall say, I will go, and return to my former husband; for it was better with me than now.

GreekΚαὶ καταδιώξεται τοὺς ἐραστὰς αὐτῆς, καὶ οὐ μὴ καταλάβῃ αὐτούς· καὶ ζητήσει αὐτοὺς, καὶ οὐ μὴ εὕρῃ αὐτούς· καὶ ἐρεῖ, πορεύσομαι, καὶ ἐπιστρέψω πρὸς τὸν ἄνδρα μου τὸν πρότερον, ὅτι καλῶς μοι ἦν τότε, ἢ νῦν.

KJVAnd she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now.

JPSAnd she shall run after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them, And she shall seek them, but shall not find them; Then shall she say: ‘I will go and return to my first husband; For then was it better with me than now.’

ThomsonShe indeed did not acknowledge that I gave her the corn and wine and oil, and multiplied silver for her; but she made ornaments of gold and silver for Baal.

BrentonAnd she knew not that I gave her her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied silver to her: but she made silver and gold images for Baal.

GreekΚαὶ αὕτη οὐκ ἔγνω ὅτι ἐγὼ ἔδωκα αὐτῇ τὸν σῖτον, καὶ τὸν οἶνον, καὶ τὸ ἔλαιον, καὶ ἀργύριον ἐπλήθυνα αὐτῇ· αὕτη δὲ ἀργυρᾶ καὶ χρυσᾶ ἐποίησεν τῇ Βάαλ.

KJVFor she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal.

JPSFor she did not know that it was I that gave her The corn, and the wine, and the oil, And multiplied unto her silver and gold, Which they used for Baal.

ThomsonTherefore I will turn and take away My corn in its season, and My wine in its appointed time; and I will take away My garments and My fine linens, that she may not cover her nakedness.

BrentonTherefore I will return, and take away my corn in its season, and my wine in its time; and I will take away my raiment and my linen clothes, so that she shall not cover her nakedness.

GreekΔιὰ τοῦτο ἐπιστρέψω, καὶ κομιοῦμαι τὸν σῖτόν μου καθʼ ὥραν αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὸν οἶνόν μου ἐν καιρῷ αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἀφελοῦμαι τὰ ἱμάτιά μου, καὶ τὰ ὀθόνιά μου, τοῦ μὴ καλύπτειν τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς·

KJVTherefore will I return, and take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof, and will recover my wool and my flax given to cover her nakedness.

JPSTherefore will I take back My corn in the time thereof, And My wine in the season thereof, And will snatch away My wool and My flax Given to cover her nakedness.

ThomsonAnd I will now disclose her impurity before her lovers; and none shall deliver her out of My hand.

BrentonAnd now I will expose her uncleanness before her lovers, and no one shall by any means deliver her out of my hand.

GreekΚαὶ νῦν ἀποκαλύψω τὴν ἀκαθαρσίαν αὐτῆς ἐνώπιον τῶν ἐραστῶν αὐτῆς, καὶ οὐθεὶς οὐ μὴ ἐξέληται αὐτὴν ἐκ χειρός μου.

KJVAnd now will I discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of mine hand.

JPSAnd now will I uncover her shame in the sight of her lovers, And none shall deliver her out of My hand.

ThomsonI will indeed turn away all her pleasures, her festivals, and her new moons and her sabbaths and all her solemn assemblies.

BrentonAnd I will take away all her gladness, her feasts, and her festivals at the new moon, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn assemblies.

GreekΚαὶ ἀποστρέψω πάσας τὰς εὐφροσύνας αὐτῆς, ἑορτὰς αὐτῆς, καὶ τὰς νουμηνίας αὐτῆς, καὶ τὰ σάββατα αὐτῆς, καὶ πάσας τὰς πανηγύρεις αὐτῆς.

KJVI will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts.

JPSI will also cause all her mirth to cease, Her feasts, her new moons, and her sabbaths, And all her appointed seasons.

ThomsonAnd I will lay waste her vineyards and her fig orchards—all those things respecting which she said, These are my rewards which my lovers gave me. And I will make them for a memorial; and the wild beasts of the field and the birds of the air, and the reptiles of the earth shall devour them.

BrentonAnd I will utterly destroy her vines, and her fig-trees, all things of which she said, These are my hire which my lovers have given me: and I will make them a testimony, and the wild beasts of the field, and the birds of the sky, and the reptiles of the earth shall devour them.

GreekΚαὶ ἀφανιῶ ἄμπελον αὐτῆς, καὶ τὰς συκᾶς αὐτῆς, ὅσα εἶπε, μισθώματά μου ταῦτά ἐστιν ἃ ἔδωκάν μοι οἱ ἐρασταί μου· καὶ θήσομαι αὐτὰ εἰς μαρτύριον, καὶ καταφάγεται αὐτὰ τὰ θηρία τοῦ ἀγροῦ, καὶ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανου, καὶ τὰ ἑρπετὰ τῆς γῆς.

KJVAnd I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, whereof she hath said, These are my rewards that my lovers have given me: and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them.

JPSAnd I will lay waste her vines and her fig-trees, Whereof she hath said: ‘These are my hire That my lovers have given me’; And I will make them a forest, And the beasts of the field shall eat them.

ThomsonAnd I will punish her for the days of the Baalims in which she sacrificed to them. When she had put on her earrings and her jewels, she went after her lovers and forgot Me, saith the Lord;

BrentonAnd I will recompense on her the days of Baalim, wherein she sacrificed to them, and put on her ear-rings, and her necklaces, and went after her lovers, and forgot me, saith the Lord.

GreekΚαὶ ἐκδικήσω ἐπʼ αὐτὴν τὰς ἡμέρας τῶν Βααλεὶμ, ἐν αἷς ἐπέθυεν αὐτοῖς· καὶ περιετίθετο τὰ ἐνώτια αὐτῆς, καὶ τὰ καθόρμια αὐτῆς, καὶ ἐπορεύετο ὀπίσω τῶν ἐραστῶν αὐτῆς, ἐμοῦ δὲ ἐπελάθετο, λέγει Κύριος.

KJVAnd I will visit upon her the days of Baalim, wherein she burned incense to them, and she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgat me, saith the LORD.

JPSAnd I will visit upon her the days of the Baalim, Wherein she offered unto them, And decked herself with her ear-rings and her jewels, And went after her lovers, And forgot Me, saith the LORD.

Thomsontherefore behold I will cause her to wander, and order her to a wilderness and speak to her heart.

BrentonTherefore, behold, I will cause her to err, and will make her as desolate, and will speak comfortably to her.

GreekΔιὰ τοῦτο ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ πλανῶ αὐτὴν, καὶ τάξω αὐτὴν ὡς ἔρημον, καὶ λαλήσω ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν αὐτῆς,

KJVTherefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her.

JPSTherefore, behold, I will allure her, And bring her into the wilderness, And speak tenderly unto her.

ThomsonAnd thence I will give her for her possessions, even the valley of Achor to open her understanding: and she shall be humbled there as in the days of her youth, even as in the days of her coming up out of the land of Egypt.

BrentonAnd I will give her her possessions from thence, and the valley of Achor to open her understanding: and she shall be afflicted there according to the days of her infancy, and according to the days of her coming up out of the land of Egypt.

Greekκαὶ δώσω αὐτῇ τὰ κτήματα αὐτῆς ἐκεῖθεν, καὶ τὴν κοιλάδα Ἀχὼρ διανοῖξαι σύνεσιν αὐτῆς· καὶ ταπεινωθήσεται ἐκεῖ κατὰ τὰς ἡμέρας νηπιότητος αὐτῆς, καὶ κατὰ τὰς ἡμέρας ἀναβάσεως αὐτῆς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου.

KJVAnd I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.

JPSAnd I will give her her vineyards from thence, And the valley of Achor for a door of hope; And she shall respond there, as in the days of her youth, And as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.

ThomsonAnd it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, that she will call Me, My husband;

BrentonAnd it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, that she shall call me, My husband, and shall no longer call me Baalim.

GreekΚαὶ ἔσται ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκεῖνῃ, λέγει Κύριος, καλέσει με ὁ ἀνήρ μου, καὶ οὐ καλέσει με ἔτι Βααλείμ.

KJVAnd it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali.

JPSAnd it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, That thou shalt call Me Ishi, And shalt call Me no more Baali.

Thomsonand no more call Me, Baalim. I will indeed take away the names of the Baalims out of her mouth, and their names shall no more be mentioned.

BrentonAnd I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and their names shall be remembered no more at all.

GreekΚαὶ ἐξαρῶ τὰ ὀνόματα τῶν Βααλεὶμ ἐκ στόματος αὐτῆς, καὶ οὐ μὴ μνησθῶσιν οὐκέτι τὰ ὀνόματα αὐτῶν.

KJVFor I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name.

JPSFor I will take away the names of the Baalim out of her mouth, And they shall no more be mentioned by their name.

ThomsonAnd in that day I will make a covenant for them, with the wild beasts of the field and the birds of the air and the reptiles of the earth; and bow and sword and battle I will crush out of the land; and I will settle thee securely and

BrentonAnd I will make for them in that day a covenant with the wild beasts of the field, and with the birds of the sky, and with the reptiles of the earth: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle from off the earth, and will cause thee to dwell safely.

GreekΚαὶ διαθήσομαι αὐτοῖς διαθήκην ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ μετὰ τῶν θηρίων τοῦ ἀγροῦ, καὶ μετὰ τῶν πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ τῶν ἑρπετῶν τῆς γῆς· καὶ τόξον, καὶ ῥομφαίαν, καὶ πόλεμον συντρίψω ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, καὶ κατοικιῶ σε ἐπʼ ἐλπίδι.

KJVAnd in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely.

JPSAnd in that day will I make a covenant for them With the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, And with the creeping things of the ground; And I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the land, And will make them to lie down safely.

Thomsonbetroth thee to Myself forever. I will indeed betroth thee to Myself by righteousness and by judgment and by compassion and by tender mercies;

BrentonAnd I will betroth thee to myself for ever; yea, I will betroth thee to myself in righteousness, and in judgment, and in mercy, and in tender compassions;

GreekΚαὶ μνηστεύσομαί σε ἐμαυτῷ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα· καὶ μνηστεύσομαί σε ἐμαυτῷ ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ ἐν κρίματι, καὶ ἐν ἐλέει, καὶ ἐν οἰκτιρμοῖς,

KJVAnd I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.

JPSAnd I will betroth thee unto Me for ever; Yea, I will betroth thee unto Me in righteousness, and in justice, And in lovingkindness, and in compassion.

Thomsonand I will betroth thee to Myself by fidelity, and thou shalt acknowledge the Lord.

Brentonand I will betroth thee to myself in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the Lord.

Greekκαὶ μνηστεύσομαί σε ἐμαυτῷ ἐν πίστει, καὶ ἐπιγνώσῃ τὸν Κύριον.

KJVI will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.

JPSAnd I will betroth thee unto Me in faithfulness; And thou shalt know the LORD.

ThomsonAnd it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, that I will hearken to the heaven, and it shall hearken to the earth,

BrentonAnd it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, I will hearken to the heaven, and it shall hearken to the earth;

GreekΚαὶ ἔσται ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ, λέγει Κύριος, ἐπακούσομαι τῷ οὐρανῷ, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπακούσεται τῇ γῇ,

KJVAnd it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the LORD, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth;

JPSAnd it shall come to pass in that day, I will respond, saith the LORD, I will respond to the heavens, And they shall respond to the earth;

Thomsonand the earth shall hear the corn and the wine and the oil, and they shall hearken to Jezrael;

Brentonand the earth shall hearken to the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hearken to Jezrael.

Greekκαὶ ἡ γῆ ἐπακούσεται τὸν σῖτον, καὶ τὸν οἶνον, καὶ τὸ ἔλαιον, καὶ αὐτὰ ἐπακούσεται τῷ Ἰεζραέλ.

KJVAnd the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel.

JPSAnd the earth shall respond to the corn, and the wine, and the oil; And they shall respond to Jezreel.

Thomsonand I will plant her for Myself in the land, and love her who was not beloved; and to them who were not My people I will say, Thou art My people: and they will say, Thou the Lord art my God.

BrentonAnd I will sow her to me on the earth; and will love her that was not loved, and will say to that which was not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art the Lord my God.

GreekΚαὶ σπερῶ αὐτὴν ἐμαυτῷ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἀγαπήσω τὴν οὐκ ἠγαπημένην, καὶ ἐρῶ τῷ οὐ λαῷ μου, λαός μου εἶ σύ· καὶ αὐτος ἐρεὶ, Κύριος ὁ Θεός μου εἶ σύ.

KJVAnd I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.

JPSAnd I will sow her unto Me in the land; And I will have compassion upon her that had not obtained compassion; And I will say to them that were not My people: ‘Thou art My people’; And they shall say: ‘Thou art my God.’