Hos 2:19-20 | NETfull | STEP | I will commit myself to you forever; I will commit myself to you in righteousness and justice, in steadfast love and tender compassion.

Hosea 2:19-20

19 I will commit myself to you ^{▼▼ Heb “I will betroth you to me” (so NIV) here and in the following lines. Cf. NRSV “I will take you for my wife forever.”} forever;
I will commit myself to you in ^{▼▼ The preposition בְּ (bet), which is repeated throughout 2:19–20 [21-22], denotes price paid (BDB 90 s.v. בְּ III.3; e.g., Ezek 3:14). The text contains an allusion to the payment of bridal gifts. The Lord will impute the moral character to Israel that will be necessary for a successful covenant relationship (contra 4:1).} righteousness and justice,
in steadfast love and tender compassion.
20 I will commit myself to you in faithfulness;
then ^{▼▼ The vav consecutive on the suffix conjugation verb וְיָדַעַתְּ (v^eyada’at, “then you will know”) introduces a result clause (cf. NASB, CEV).} you will acknowledge ^{▼▼ Or “know.” The term יָדַע (yada’, “know, acknowledge”) is often used in covenant contexts. It can refer to the suzerain’s acknowledgment of his covenant obligations to his vassal or to the vassal’s acknowledgment of his covenant obligations to his suzerain. When used in reference to a vassal, the verb “know” is metonymical (cause for effect) for “obey.” See H. Huffmann, “The Treaty Background of Hebrew yādaʿ,” BASOR 181 (1966): 31-37.} the Lord.” ^{▼▼ The MT reads יְהוָה (y^ehvah, “the Lord”); however, many Hebrew mss read כִּי אָנִי (ki ’ani, “that it is I”), as also reflected in the Latin Vulgate (cf. CEV “know who I am”).}