Hosea 1:8-9

8 When
The preterite וַתִּגְמֹל (vatigmol, literally, “and she weaned”) functions in a synchronic sense with the following preterite וַתַּהַר (vattahar, literally, “and she conceived”) and may be treated in translation as a dependent temporal clause: “When she had weaned…she conceived” (cf. KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV). Other English versions render this as sequential with “After” (NAB, NIV, TEV, NLT).
she had weaned ‘No Pity’ (Lo-Ruhamah) she conceived again and gave birth to another son.
9Then the Lord
Heb “Then he said”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity. As in v. 6, many English versions specify the speaker here.
said: “Name him ‘Not My People’ (Lo-Ammi), because you
The independent personal pronoun אַתֶּם (’attem, “you”) is a plural form, referring to the people of Israel as a whole. To make this clear TEV translates this as third person: “the people of Israel are not my people” (cf. CEV, NLT).
are not my people and I am not your
The pronominal suffix on the preposition לָכֶם (lakhem, “your”) is a plural form, referring to the people of Israel as a whole.
God.”
The MT reads לֹא־אֶהְיֶה לָכֶם (lo-ehyeh lakhem, “I will not be yours”). The editors of BHS suggest emending the text to לֹא־אֱלֹהֵיכֶם (lo-elohekhem, “I will not be your God”). The emendation creates a tighter parallel with the preceding אַתֶּם לֹא עַמִּי (’attem lo ammi, “you are not my people”). Because of a lack of external evidence, however, the reading of the MT should be retained.
Heb “I am not yours.” The divine name “God” is supplied in the translation for clarity even though the reading of the MT is followed (see previous [V] note). Almost all English versions (including KJV, ASV, NASB) supply “God” here.
This is an allusion to Yahweh’s promise to Moses אֶהְיֶה עִמָּךְ (’ehyeh immakh, “I will be with you”; Exod 3:12, 14). In effect, it is a negation of Exod 3:12, 14 and a cancellation of Israel’s status as vassal of Yahweh in the conditional Mosaic covenant.


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