Chapter 1
1 These are the words of Jehovah that came to Hosea (the son of BeEri) in the days of UziJah, JoTham, Ahaz, and HezekiJah the kings of Judah, and in the days of JeroBoam (the son of JoAsh) the king of Israel.
2 This is the beginning of the word of Jehovah by Hosea:
The Lord spoke to Hosea and said, ‘Take a wife for yourself among the whores; one who has children from her whoring; because, by chasing after immoral sex, the land has strayed from Jehovah.’
3 So, he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, and she got pregnant and bore him a son.
4 Then the Lord said to him, ‘Call his name JezreEl, for in a while I’ll bring vengeance, for JezreEl’s blood upon the whole house of Judah, and I’ll bring an end to Israel’s kingdom. 5 In that day I’ll break Israel’s bow, in the valley of JezreEl.’
6 Then she got pregnant again and gave birth to a daughter. And He said to him, ‘Call her name Show No Mercy, for there’s no way that I’ll continue to show mercy, upon the house of Israel, but I’ll stand against and oppose them. 7 However, by the power of Jehovah their God, I’ll show mercy upon Judah’s son, and I will bring them salvation. I won’t save by the bow or the broadsword, nor by the battles of horses and horsemen.’
8 And after she weaned Show No Mercy, [my wife] got pregnant again and bore a son. 9 And He said, ‘Call his name Not My People, because you’re no longer My people, and I am no part of you. 10 But the numbers of the sons of Israel, will become like the sands of the sea, and they’ll not be measured or counted. And it will be in the place, where they were told You aren’t My people, that they’ll be called the living God’s sons. 11 Then sons of Judah and Israel will be gathered, and they’ll appoint someone to rule them. Then they will [will be taken] from the land, for great is the day of JezreEl.’
Chapter 2
1 ‘Speak to your brothers, My people, and to your sister Being Shown Mercy! 2 Plead with your mother… yes plead; for she is not My wife, and I am not her husband. For, from before Me I’ll remove all her whoring, and her adultery from between [both] her breasts. 3 I will strip her down ‘til she’s naked, and restore her like the day she was born. To desolation I’ll then appoint her, and make her like a land with no water; then I will kill her with thirst.
4 ‘There’s no way that I’ll show mercy on her children, for children of whoring they are; 5 because their mother was immoral, and the one who bore them disgraced them. For she said: I will follow my lovers; those who give me my bread loaves and water, as well as my clothes and linen robes… my olive oil and all I deserve.
6 ‘For this, {Look!} with barbs I’ll close up her way… I’ll block her ways and her roads, so there’s no way that she’ll ever find them. 7 Then, when she pursues all her lovers, there’ll be no way she’ll be able to catch them… she’ll search for them but not find them.
‘Then she will say: To my husband I’ll now return, for it was better for me then than it is now. 8 But she doesn’t know it was I, who gave her the grain and the wine; all the olive oil and her silver. But she took the things of silver and gold, to make [other] things for Baal.
9 ‘It’s because of this that I will return, and carry away all My grain in its season, as well as My wine in its time; I will remove all the clothes that [I gave her], as well as My linen robes, so she’ll have nothing to cover her shame. 10 I’ll uncover her filth in front of her lovers, and from My hand none will then save her.
11 ‘I’ll remove all the joy of her holiday feasts, as well as New Moons, festivals, and Sabbaths.
12 ‘I’ll remove all her grapevines and fig trees, for she said: These are the wages that were paid by my lovers. So, I’ll appoint them as witnesses, and wild animals in the fields will consume her, as well as winged creatures that fly in the skies, and things that crawl on the ground.
13 ‘I will take vengeance upon her, for the days that she sacrificed to the Baals… when she donned her necklaces and earrings… when she chased her lovers and forgot Me,’ says Jehovah.
14 ‘Because of this {Look!} I’ll make her wander, and I’ll order upon her desolation. Then I’ll speak to her heart and return her possessions, and the Valley of Achor to make her understand. 15 Then she’ll become humble like the days of her childhood… like the days she ascended out of Egypt.
16 ‘And it will be in that day,’ says Jehovah, ‘that she’ll call out to Me O My husband! No longer will you call Me Baal Im. 17 For, the name of Baal Im I’ll lift from her mouth, and she’ll no longer remember his name.
18 ‘Then I’ll make a Sacred Agreement in that day, with all the wild beasts of the fields, all the flying creatures in the skies, and all the crawling things on the ground. I will break all the bows and the broadswords, then I’ll remove all the wars and bring hope to the land.
19 ‘Then I’ll take you as My wife through the age… in righteousness and fairness I’ll take you to Myself, and in mercy and compassion. 20 I’ll marry you to Myself in full trust, and you will recognize your Lord.
21 ‘And it will be in that day,’ says Jehovah, ‘that I’ll give My attention to the skies, and the skies will give attention to the earth. 22 Then the earth will give attention to the grain, as well as the wine and olive oil, and they will give attention to JezreEl.
23 ‘I will plant her on the earth for Myself, and I’ll love the one that’s unloved. Then I’ll say those who are not My people, Now you are My people! And she will say: Jehovah’s My God!’
Chapter 3
1 And the Lord said to me, ‘Go again and love an adulteress who loves evil! For, though Jehovah loves the sons of Israel, they look away toward strange gods, and of raisin cakes they are very fond!’
2 So, I hired myself one for fifteen silver coins, two-hundred quarts of barley, and a skin flask of wine. 3 And I said to her, ‘Sit next to me for many days, and there’s no way that you many commit immoral acts, nor should you be with a man; for I alone am to be yours. 4 Thus the sons of Israel will sit down many days without a king or a ruler, and there will be no sacrifices, no Altar, and no Priesthood, and there won’t be any [sacred] direction.
5 ‘And after these things have happened, the sons of Israel will return and search for Jehovah their God, and for David their king. And in the end of the days they’ll be ecstatic over Jehovah and all His good things.
Chapter 4
1 O sons of Israel; hear the word of the Lord! For, Jehovah has a case against all those who live in the land, because there is no truth, no mercy, and no full knowledge of God in the land. 2 Cursing, lying, and murder, fraud, and adultery have been poured out upon the land, and blood you’ve mingled with blood. And because of this the land will [soon] mourn, 3 for it will be reduced of all those who live there. Then even the wild beasts of the fields, the winged creatures in the skies, and the fish in the seas will fail.
4 [The Lord says:] ‘No one should judge and no one should scold, for My people are like priests who’ve been scolded. 5 So, during the day He’ll bring weakness, and the prophets among you will weaken. Your mothers will be like the night, 6 for My people are those without knowledge. And since higher knowledge you’ve pushed away, I’ll push you away and you won’t be My priests anymore. Since you’ve forgotten the laws of your God, I will forget all your children. 7 For all the sins that they’ve sinned against Me, I’ll appoint their glory to dishonor. 8 My people will eat their own sins, and unrighteousness will claim all their lives.
9 ‘And what happens to the people will happen to the priests, for I’ll avenge upon them all their ways, and repay them for all of their thoughts. 10 Then they will eat but never be filled, for they’ve become whores who can never be straight. They don’t watch [for Me] anymore, because they’ve abandoned Jehovah… 11 whoring, wine, and strong drink, have captured the hearts of My people.
12 ‘They look to signs for their answers, and [wave magic] wands for replies. In a spirit of whoring they’ve wandered, and become [adulterous] to their God. 13 Sacrifices they offer on the tops of the hills; beneath the oaks and white poplars; and under the shade of the trees, [asking] for good and protection. Because of this your daughters will be whores, and your brides will all commit adultery. 14 Then I will not visit your daughters, when they are guilty of whoring, nor [will I visit] your daughters-in-laws, when they are committing adultery. For, they’ve become mixed up with whores, and those who make sacrificial rites. Then the people won’t perceive and they’ll join with the whores.
15 ‘But you, O Israel; don’t be ignorant! And you O Judah; don’t go to Gilgal. Don’t ascend to the house at BethEl, or swear the oath Long live Jehovah!
16 ‘Israel was hot like a heifer in heat, so Jehovah will feed them like a lamb in a feed lot.
17 ‘Ephraim was a partner with idols, and made his own snares for himself. 18 He took up with Canaanite whores and had sex, and they loved the dishonor of their neighing. 19 But you’re just wind in her wings, and because of their altars they’ll be disgraced.’
Chapter 5
1 ‘Hear these things, O you priests; O house of Israel pay attention; and house of the king give ear! For, there is a judgment against you, because you’ve become a snare in the heights, and a net being stretched on [Mount] Tabor, 2 which those catching game firmly fastened; but it is I who is your corrector.
3 ‘Both Ephraim and Israel I knew, when they weren’t removed far from Me. But Ephraim has since been immoral, and Israel is also defiled, 4 and they thought not to turn toward their God. For, the spirit of whoring is among them, and they’ve [forgotten] Jehovah. 5 So, the insolence of Israel will bring humility to his face; the unrighteousness of Ephraim will bring weakness upon him; and Judah will be weakened along with them both.
6 ‘They seek Jehovah with their sheep and their calves, but there’s no way that they’ll follow the Lord, nor will they ever be able to find Him, for from them He’s turned away. 7 They have abandoned Jehovah, and to alien children they’ve given birth. So, now they’ll be devoured by blight, along with all that they would inherit.
8 ‘Sound the trumpets from the hilltops! Blow it from all the high places! Proclaim in the house at BethEl! Tell them that BenJamin has been startled, 9 and Ephraim expired in the day of correction!
‘Among the tribes of Israel I was trustworthy, 10 but the rulers of Judah changed the property markers. So, upon them I’ll pour out My feelings like water.
11 ‘To his opponents Ephraim was like a tyrant. He trampled on justice and chased after vain things. 12 So upon Ephraim I’ll bring disturbance, and to the house of Judah I’ll be a spur.
13 ‘Though Ephraim saw his disease, and Judah recognized his grief, when Ephraim [was attacked] by Assyria, [he turned] to the king of Jareb [for aid]. Yet, [Jareb] was unable to save him, and there’s no way he’d see an end to his grief. 14 For to Ephraim I’m like a panther, and to the house of Judah I’m a lion. I’ll snatch them away then I’ll go; I’ll take them and no one will save them. 15 Then I will leave and return to My place, and they’ll no longer be seen in that time. But then they will search for My face.’
Chapter 6
1 ‘In their affliction they’ll rise early to Me, and they’ll say: We should return to Jehovah our God, for He’ll snatch us away and He’ll heal us. He will attack and He’ll dress all our wounds! 2 Then after two days He will heal us, and on the third day we will get up, and then before Him we will live. 3 Knowledge of the Lord we’ll know and pursue, and at the crack of dawn we will find Him. Then He’ll come to us like rain in the morning, and in the evening like rain upon the ground.
4 ‘O Ephraim, what will I do, and O Judah, what must I do? For your mercy is like an early-morning cloud, which like the dew fades away. 5 For this, I have mowed you by the Prophets; I killed them all with the words from My mouth; and the judgment upon you will go forth like light. 6 For, I want mercy, not sacrifices; higher-knowledge of God, not whole burnt-offerings. 7 But as a man who’s broken My Sacred Agreement, they have shown that they hate Me.
8 ‘Gilead is a city that’s working toward vain things, and she’s disturbing the water. 9 Your strength is like a man who’s a burglar, and your priests are like men who murder from ambush.
‘Shechem has committed unrighteous acts, upon those in the house of Israel. 10 Causes for shuddering I’ve seen there, and by the whoring of Ephraim, both Israel and Judah are defiled.
11 ‘So reap [from the vine] of rebellion against Me, until from captivity I bring back My people.’
Chapter 7
1 ‘In My healing of Israel, the unrighteousness of Ephraim was uncovered, as well as the evils of Samaria. For they told lies. then a thief came among them, and a robber led him to the roadways. 2 So, they sang together of the evil in their hearts, remembering all of the [bad things] they’d done. And now they’re surrounded by the things that they chose; these things that happened before My face.
3 ‘And in the bad things that they had done, they gladdened [the heart] of a king; they [delighted many] rulers with their lies. 4 And all the adultery they committed, has become like the fire in an oven, that burns for the purpose of baking; together the flames [warm] the fat, until the whole thing fills with yeast.
5 ‘In the days of [those] kings, their rulers became enraged from their wine, and stretched out their [arms] toward those who are vile. 6 For, their hearts were burning like ovens, and the sleep of Ephraim became filled, with [thoughts of destroying] all night… then in the morning it burst into flames. 7 They all became heated like ovens, and then they devoured their judges.
‘All their kings have now fallen, and upon Me none of them call. 8 The people of Ephraim are all intermixed, and Ephraim became a cake that is baked in hot ashes, which [no one has bothered] to turn. 9 Then strangers ate all his strength (however, he didn’t know it), and then he developed grey hair, but he still remained unaware. 10 So Israel’s insolence will bring humility to his face, for they haven’t turned toward Jehovah their God; and after all these things happened, they never went looking for Him.
11 ‘Ephraim was like a dove with no mind and no heart. He called upon Egypt and to Assyrians he [turned]. 12 But, when they go there I’ll throw out My net, and I’ll catch them like birds… I’ll drag them down and correct them, and listen [to the sounds] of their torment.
13 ‘Woe to them for they’ve leaped from Me. How wretched they are, for thir irreverence toward Me. Yet, I was the One who paid their ransom, then they spoke against Me and lied. 14 They didn’t call out to Me with their hearts, they just lay there and shrieked in their beds… and for grain and wine sold themselves.
15 ‘They were corrected by Me; it was I who strengthened their arms; then they plotted wicked things against Me. 16 So, when they return there’ll be nothing; like a bow that’s stretched tight they’ll become, and their rulers will fall by the broadsword, because of all the stupidity of their tongues… in the land of Egypt this is their lot.’
Chapter 8
1 ‘The land is now in [Egypt’s hands], and [they’ll fly] like an eagle against the [Temple] of Jehovah, because [Israel] has broken My Sacred Agreement, and they showed their irreverence to My Law. 2 But to Me they’ll then cry out: O God, have we not known You? 3 Yet, Israel threw away all the good things, and an enemy of Mine they chased after.
4 ‘For themselves they chose someone to reign… they didn’t do it through Me. They ruled but they didn’t tell Me. Then with their silver and gold they made idols, so they should be totally destroyed.
5 ‘Get rid of your calf, O Samaria, for against you My rage is provoked. How long will they still be unable, to make themselves clean within Israel? 6 Why, [the calf] is just something you’ve made, so it [really] isn’t a god. O Samaria; because of your calf you have strayed.
7 ‘[The seeds] of their destruction they’ve sown to the wind, now their end is searching for them. They’re a stalk of grain too weak to give flour, and if it could still produce some, it would be eaten by strangers.
8 ‘Israel has been swallowed down, and become something that’s useless among the nations. 9 For, they went up to Assyria, and in the way that Ephraim loves to do, he offered them bribes [for their aid]. 10 And because of this they’ll be [scattered] among the nations; now I’ll take them and they’ll be too weak, to anoint a king and rulers for themselves.
11 ‘Ephraim has built many altars, and the alters he loved are the cause of his sins. 12 So, for him I’ll write extra laws; for the altars he loves are so strange. 13 So, if a sacrifice they should offer, and if they should then eat the meat, Jehovah won’t favorably receive them. Rather, their unrighteousness He’ll remember, and He’ll take vengeance upon them for their sins.
‘For, they returned back to Egypt, 14 and Israel forgot the One who had made him. Then they established sacred precincts, and Judah built many cities with walls. But I will send fire to his cities, and it will devour their foundations.
Chapter 9
1 ‘So, don’t rejoice O Israel, nor should your people be glad. For, from Jehovah your God you went whoring; you loved [laying] gifts on grain threshing-floors. 2 Yet, threshing-floors and wine vats didn’t know them, and to them the wine told many lies.
3 ‘They didn’t dwell in the land of Jehovah; Ephraim [preferred] dwelling in Egypt, and among Assyrians they ate unclean things. 4 They offered no wine as drink to the Lord, or anything delicious to Him. Their sacrifices were as bread of mourning to them, and all who ate them were defiled. So, their bread may not enter the [Temple] of Jehovah, for [the purpose of saving] their lives.
5 ‘So now, what will you do on festival days, and on the holiday feasts of Jehovah?
6 ‘Because of this, {Look!} they are gone… back to the misery of Egypt! Memphis will watch over them, and Machmas will lay them in tombs. Ruin will inherit their silver, and thornbushes will grow in their tents. 7 For, the days of vengeance have arrived… the days for receiving what’s due. Israel will be afflicted like a dispossessed prophet; like a man who is carried by the wind. Because you were so unrighteous, the frenzy [in your lives] will increase.
8 ‘The watchman of Ephraim was with God, but now the ways of their prophets are all crooked snares, and madness [reigns] in God’s [Temple]. 9 They’ve been corrupt since the days of the hills, so their unrighteousness He’ll remember, and He’ll punish them for their sins.
10 ‘When I found Israel they were like desert grapes, and as an early fig on a fig tree. I saw their fathers as they [bowed to] Baal Peor… when they left [Me] in shame to make themselves disgusting… something that’s no longer loved.
11 ‘Ephraim was like a bird that flew [from its nest], [losing] the glory of its birth, and its pangs of conception. 12 For, even if they nourish their children, they’ll be made childless among men… woe when I tear their flesh from them. 13 For, Ephraim’s children will be treated like game… their children will be led out and stabbed.’
14 Give it to them, O Jehovah! [O Lord], what will you give them? Give them a womb that is childless, as well as breasts that are dry!
15 ‘All their evils are in Gilgal, for there’s where [they’ve gained] all My hatred. Because of all the evils that they’re doing, I’ll throw them out of My [Temple]. There’s no way that I’ll love them anymore, for none of their rulers [will listen].
16 ‘Ephraim was worked but his roots became dry, so he could no longer bear fruit. And if they give birth, I’ll destroy the desires of their bellies… 17 God will push them away, for they refused to listen to Him, so they will wander among the nations.
Chapter 10
1 ‘Israel was a grapevine having good branches, 2 and her fruit was [once] straight and true. But the more the abundance of her fruit, the more they built altars [to false gods]. And the more prosperity there was in the land, the more they built [shrines of false worship]. 2 They gave their hearts to such things, but now they will be wiped away. For, He will cut their altars to the ground, and allow all their shrines to languish.
3 ‘And now they say: We don’t have a king anymore. And we feared not Jehovah but the king, for what can He do to us?
4 ‘They give excuses and speak lying words, but with them He had made an Agreement. So, judgment on them will arise, like weeds in an uncultivated field.
5 ‘To the calf in the [temple] at BethEl, the people of Samaria have gone. [God’s] people have wailed over it, which made Him feel very bitter. They should rather rejoice in His glory, but far from Him they have moved.
6 ‘For this they were tied up and carried away, by the Assyrians as a gift and tribute to Jareb. Yes by His decree, both Ephraim and Israel were shamed.
7 ‘Samaria threw off her [true] king, like a stick on the surface of the water. 8 So, the shrines at BethEl (the sin of Israel), will soon be lifted away. Then upon their altars will grow thistles and thorns, and they’ll say to the mountains Come cover us over! And to the hills Fall upon us!
9 ‘For as long as the hills have existed, Israel has stood in their sins. So, there’s no way that the hills [will come to their aid], for war will come to these unrighteous children, 10 to correct them and bring them together. It will come against both to straighten their unrighteous ways.
11 ‘Ephraim is a heifer that was taught to love fights, but I will [grab hold] of her neck, and then I’ll lead Ephraim away; I’ll silently pass over Judah, and Jacob will grow stronger against him.
12 ‘So [as you sow], sow righteousness for yourselves! Gather the vintage of the fruitage of life! Light for yourselves the light of knowledge! Keep on asking Jehovah, ’til the offspring of righteousness enters your [hearts]!
13 ‘Why have you overlooked your irreverence in silence, and gathered the vintage of unrighteousness? You ate false fruit and in your chariots put hope; [you trusted] in the abundance of your power. 14 Now destruction will arise among your people, and all your walled [cities] will fall.
‘O house of Israel; As the ruler Shalman left house of JeroBoam, in the days of the battle, and dashed the mothers on top of their children, 15 that’s how I’ll treat you for your evil ways.’
Chapter 11
1 ‘They were disowned early on, and Israel’s kings were also disowned. For, Israel is a child that I’ve loved, so from Egypt I called back his children. 2 But as I was calling them back, they were moving away from before Me. Sacrifices they offered to Baal Im, and to carved images they burned incense.
3 ‘It was I who wrapped Ephraim and took him in My arms, and when they didn’t know Me I healed them. 4 While in the corruption of men, I wrapped them with the bonds of My love. And to them I’ll be like a [father], who gives discipline [to his son]; I’ll watch over him and I’ll win.
5 ‘Ephraim has lived down in Egypt, and when Assyria was his king he didn’t want to return. 6 He was weakened by the broadsword in his cities, and then he rested his hands, so they must eat [the fruit of] their decisions.
7 ‘His people have clung to the things in their homes, and God is enraged by the things they hold dear, so there’s no way that He will exalt them.
8 ‘How will I deal with you, Ephraim? How will I shield you, O Israel? How will I deal with you… like Admah? Will I appoint you be like Zeboim? Will My heart be changed about such a thing? Should I repent because it disturbed Me? 9 There’s no way that I’ll act in the anger of My rage; there’s no way that I’ll make Ephraim extinct. For I am God not a man; I am the Holy One among you; but I will not enter your city.’
10 [As for me] I will follow Jehovah, for like a lion He will roar and He’ll bellow, and startle the children of the sea in the west. 11 ‘They’ll be startled like a bird out of Egypt, and like a dove from the land of Assyria; then I’ll restore them to their homes,’ says Jehovah.
12 ‘Ephraim surrounded Me with a circle of lies, and with the irreverence of the houses of Israel and Judah. But, then they’re known by Jehovah, and they’ll be called holy people of God.’
Chapter 12
1 ‘Ephraim is like an evil wind, for burning winds he pursues throughout the whole day. Empty and vain things he’s done; he [signed] a treaty with Assyria, and olive oil he has traded in Egypt.
2 ‘The Lord has a case against Judah, so He’ll punish Jacob according to His ways, and pay him back for the bad things he’s done. 3 While still in the womb he caught the heel of his brother, and grew in his strength with his God. 4 With a messenger [of God] he wrestled and won. Then he wept and begged [for a blessing], and at the house at [BethEl] he found Me. 5 It was there that he was then told, that He’s to be remembered as Jehovah the Almighty.
6 ‘So, you should return to your God… show mercy and also be fair, and always [stay close] to your God.
7 ‘In the hands of Canaan are unrighteous scales, and he loves to tyrannize others. 8 Ephraim said, I am rich, so I’ve found a way to relax.
But he’ll never see the fruits of his toil, because of the [sins] he’s committed.
9 ‘I Jehovah am your God; it was I who led you out of Egypt; and I’ll still settle you in tents, as though in the days of the holiday feasts.
10 ‘I will speak by the Prophets, and I’ll provide them many visions; for I am described through the hands of the Prophets.
11 ‘If Gilgal no longer exists, it’s because false sacrifices were offered by their rulers. Now their altars are like heaps of turtle dung, that are found in uncultivated fields.
12 ‘To the plains of Syria Jacob withdrew, as Israel’s servant searched for a wife; then for a wife he guarded the sheep. 13 And by a Prophet of Jehovah, to the land of Egypt Israel was led, and by a Prophet he was protected.
14 ‘But Ephraim was enraged and provoked to anger, so his blood will be poured out upon him, as Jehovah repays him for his scorn.’
Chapter 13
1 ‘According to all that Ephraim says, righteous rules in Israel were all his ideas… but then he turned to Baal and he died. 2 They’ve proceeded to sin, and made molten castings with their silver, into the image of idols… and then they were finished by their craftsmen and they said: Let’s now sacrifice men for the calves are all gone!
3 ‘For this they’ll be like fog in the morning, and like dew in the morning they’ll be gone… as chaff on threshing floors they’ll blow away, and they will dry up like tears.
4 ‘But I am Jehovah your God; it was I who led you from Egypt, and no God besides Me shall you know, for there is no Savior other than Me. 5 I was your shepherd in the desert, and in uninhabited lands; then from their pastures you were filled.
6 ‘But then they made their hearts haughty, and because of this they forgot Me. 7 So, to them I’ll become like a panther and leopard, according to the way of Assyrians. 8 Like an angry bear I’ll attack them, and then tear open their [chests], so the cubs in the woods can then eat them, and wild beasts of the field can pull them apart.
9 ‘In your corruption, O Israel, who will come to your aid? 10 Where is your king... let him save your cities! Let him be your judge, for it’s you that once said, Give me a king and a ruler! 11 So, I gave you a king in My anger, and My rage [was finally] stilled.
12 ‘But a confederacy of injustice Ephraim became, and he hid all his sins. 13 Thus upon him will come birth pangs, and though he’s your intelligent son, there’s no way that he’ll stop the destruction of his children.
14 ‘It is I who will save them from the hands of the grave, and it is I who’ll [pay] their ransom from death. So, where is your punishment, O death? And where is your sting, O grave? For, [they both] are hidden from My eyes.
15 ‘Because of this I will separate brothers, and bring burning wind from the desert upon him. Then it will dry up his veins, and bring desolation to his springs. It will dry up his land and desirable things.
16 ‘Samaria will be totally gone, for she resisted her God. Then they will fall by the broadsword; those by her breasts will be dashed [to the ground], and those in the womb torn to pieces.’
Chapter 14
1 Return, O Israel, to Jehovah your God, for all your sins made you weak! 2 Follow your own [good advice], and turn back to Jehovah! Ask Him to overlook your unrighteous ways, so you may receive just good things, and then you’ll be repaid for the fruit of your lips.
3 Assyria will never be our savior, and we’ll not climb upon horses. The works of our hands we won’t call our gods, and we will show mercy to orphans.
4 ‘Then I will repair all their homes; I will confess that I love them, and My rage will have turned away. 5 To Israel I’ll become like early morning dew; then like a lily they will blossom, and as in Lebanon shoot out roots. 6 His branches will grow very full, and put out as much fruit as olive trees, bearing the scent of Lebanon.
7 ‘Then they’ll return and under His protection they will sit. They’ll live amidst plenty of grain, and like a grapevine they’ll blossom… like the wine of Lebanon they’ll be remembered.
8 ‘O Ephraim, what value are your idols? For, it is I who’ve made you humble and I who’ll make you strong. I am a dense juniper tree, and from Me all your fruit has come to be.
9 ‘Who is wise and understands all these things… who [among you can] recognize them? For, the ways of Jehovah are straight, and those who are righteous will live by these ways, while to those who are godless they bring weakness.’
Notes
Soul or?
The Greek word psyche (as in psychology) has been translated many ways, including soul, life, etc. However, psyche actually means something that breathes. It is used in the Bible to describe both breathing animals and breathing humans. So, by definition, a soul cannot leave the body, because a soul is what the living body (whether human or animal) is (see Genesis 2:7).
In ancient Greece, philosophers eventually added another meaning to psyche: The inner person (as opposed to the person that others see and come to know). And with time, the pagan religion of Greece started to teach that this inner person is its own entity and can never die (is immortal). Over the centuries, this pagan Greek doctrine crept into the Christian religions. Please see the link http://www.dirpedia.com/soul.html for more history of the word.
However, such Greek philosophical thought never influenced Jesus and his Apostles. So, they consistently used psyche to indicate a living person or animal. The teaching that the soul is immortal stands in direct conflict with Jesus’ promise of a resurrection, because, if a person is immortal (can never die) he/she can never be resurrected (brought back to life).
In addition, the teaching of the immortality of the human soul is totally without support from the Bible. The word immortal(ity) (Gr: athanasia or undying) is only mentioned in the Bible in two places, and it isn’t used with or applied to the word soul in either case. Both of these scriptures show that immortality is only given by God as a reward for righteousness. And as Ezekiel 18:4 says, ‘The person (gr. psyche or ‘soul’) that is sinning will die (gr. apothaneitai).’
Of course, there are places in the Bible where the word soul means more than just a living, fleshly body. For example, God is recorded to have spoken of ‘My Soul’ in several places. Obviously, God is much more than just a ‘soul’ as most people think of that term, and He surely wasn’t talking about His having a human body. So, we must conclude that what He was referring to is His life.
Then there are Jesus’ words found at Matthew 10:28, which read, ‘Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body but can’t kill the person (psyche). Rather, be afraid of him who can destroy both the person and the body in the garbage dump.’ Here, Jesus is using the word psyche (soul) to refer to the value of life that remains with God until the resurrection. And he obviously isn’t referring the soul as immortal here, because he says God will destroy (gr. apolesai) the [unrighteous] soul or person.
Unfortunately, no single word can be used to translate psyche in every possible Bible application, so various terms are used herein, depending on the circumstances, but always in an attempt to harmonize with the meaning.
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The Heavens or Sky, the Earth or the Land?
In both the Ancient Scriptures of Israel and the Christian Era Scriptures we find all the realm of creation divided into three entities, the heavens (or sky), the earth (the land or ground), and the seas (the waters). Now, in contemporary English we understand that there is a difference between the heavens and the sky, the earth and the land (or ground), and the seas and waters. However, in both Hebrew and Greek, these fine distinctions that we accept because of our modern technology, can’t be found. So, Genesis 1:1 could literally be translated as, ‘In an ancient time God made the sky and the ground.’
This description is accurate, because it was the view of man from the earth. There was the land that he stood on, the sky above, and the water. There was no technical understanding of earth as a planet back then, because men didn’t view the earth as we do today, as a ball in space. That wasn’t necessary at the time. However, because of these distinctions that we understand so well today, Bible translators must choose the proper word to provide the right nuance in English, so readers can grasp the proper meaning of the text.
For this reason, you will find the Greek word ourano translated as both heaven(s) and sky herein, depending on the context. You will also find the Greek word ges translated as earth, ground, or land, depending on the context. So, the symbolic words at Romans 3:5, for example, are translated as, ‘The ancient earth and sky weren’t covered by water. However, (obeying God’s instructions) they stood together between the water [that was above and below].’
Notice that the ‘earth and sky’ were located ‘between the water.’ So, although other Bibles translate this verse as speaking of the ‘heavens and earth,’ the reference is really to that portion of the heavens that are close to the earth, or the sky. Likewise, at Matthew 5:5, where Jesus spoke of the ‘meek’ as inheriting the earth, since he was talking about people receiving an ‘allotment’ on the earth, we have chosen to translate ges as earth, not ground.
And finally, when it comes to the seas (gr. thalassa), there are already distinctions as to different types of waters in the Greek text. For instance, seas are called thalassa and rivers are called potamos (or ‘flowing’). However, notice (in Revelation 20: 13) how the resurrection of the dead is divided between those who died on land and those who were lost in the water, ‘The sea gave up its dead, death and the grave gave up those dead in them, and they were all judged by the things they did.’
We again find all three of these realms of creation brought together symbolically at Revelation 21:1, where it says, ‘Then I saw a new earth and a new sky, because the previous earth and sky had disappeared, as did the sea.’
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Hades: Hell or the Grave?
The Greek word hades (they pronounced it hahdess) has been translated both as Hell (which is thought of as a place of torture) and as the Grave in other Bible versions (such as the King James). Since one word can’t mean two very different things, which translation is correct?
Hades (like the English word Hell) actually means the place of the dead. However, as pagan Greek philosophy started to develop, then creep into Christianity, the latter-day Greek view of hades (a place of torture) was applied to it. Was this a correct application?
An insight into how the ancient Hebrews and the early Christians understood the word can be gained by looking at how it was applied in the Greek Septuagint translation of the Ancient Scriptures of Israel (the ‘Old Testament’) which was the Bible of Jesus’ day. There, the Hebrew word sheol is translated into Greek as hades in every instance, yet in each case, these are obvious references to the grave (the place of the dead), not to a place of conscious torture (see Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10).
Another revealing application of the word hades is found at Revelation the 20:13. It says there, ‘ The sea (gr. he thalassa) gave up its dead, death and the grave (gr. thanatos kai ho hades) gave up those dead in them, and they were all judged by the things they did.’
Notice that those who die at sea are differentiated from those who are buried in graves (hades) and in other places (thanatos). So, Hades is better translated as grave.
In the book of Job, another word that is used once in the Christian Era Scriptures and often translated as Hell, is found in two scriptures. That Greek word is Tartarus, which refers to the place where evil gods or angels are sent. For more information, see the linked document ‘Is There a Burning Hell?’
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Blest or Happy?
There is quite a debate as to whether the Greek word makarios found in many places throughout the Bible should be translated blessed or happy.
Notice that we have chosen to translate it as blest, which is an older spelling of the word blessed, to get rid the affected pronunciation that was likely introduced by early preachers (blessed).
According to Zodhiates’ Complete Word Study Dictionary, the word should never translated happy, because happy is derived from the words happen, happening, or happenstance (luck). His reasoning (which we agree with) is that, when someone suffers for the sake of righteous principles, his/her reward isn’t just happiness (which can come from any source of good luck or fortune), but rather, it is a joy that comes from gaining a better relationship with God.
In other words, there is no exact word in English to use here, but blest seems to be a closer alternative than happy.
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Wicked Zeal
At Psalm 37:8 we read, ‘Stop being angry and abandon your rage. Don’t allow zeal to make you act wicked’ (yes we know, the word should be wickedly, but this is poetic license). However, those words could also be translated as, ‘Do not allow jealously to cause you to act wickedly,’ because the Greek word zelos can be translated zealous or jealous, depending on the circumstances, for both words mean the same thing. Yet, the two words imply different things in English.
Zeal is usually thought of as something good… something all Christians should have, as in zeal for God and righteousness. And jealously is thought of as something bad… as wanting something another has. Yet, God is spoken of, as being jealous over His Name and His position as God, so jealously isn’t always a bad thing. We can have zeal (a burning desire to own) for things that are ours and we are proud of, and be jealous for things that belong to others. So, one may be translated as zeal and the other as jealously, depending on the setting.
As you can see, the words of Psalm 37:8 could be speaking of jealously as something that causes us to act badly. Yet recognize that any sort of misplaced zeal can cause us to do the same. Take for example, the Spanish Inquisition. In the late 1400s and early 1500s, religious people in their zeal for their religion tortured and murdered thousands horribly. This is an example of zeal causing Christians to act wickedly, and any of us can do the same when we treat someone badly or speak badly to others who may disagree with things we hold sacred. We find this to be a common failing in conversations on the Internet and among religious leaders when teaching their flocks!
Remember that Jesus said that only the ‘meek will inherit the earth.’ And notice what other good advice we are given from the Scriptures:
· John 3:10, 11 ‘Now, it’s easy to tell the children of God from the children of the Slanderer, because all those who aren’t righteous and those who don’t love their brothers haven’t been fathered by God. Why, from the earliest [days] you’ve heard the message that we should love each other.’
· 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 ’Love is patient and kind. Love isn’t envious, it doesn’t brag, it isn’t conceited, it doesn’t scheme, it doesn’t just watch out for itself, it doesn’t stir things up, it doesn’t hold a grudge, it doesn’t rejoice over unrighteous things. Rather, it rejoices over things that are true. It covers everything, believes everything, hopes everything, and endures everything. Love never fails.’
· Luke 12:45, 46 ‘But if that slave should ever say in his heart, My master is taking his time in coming, and starts beating the male and female servants, then feasts, drinks, and gets drunk, that slave’s master will come on a day and hour that he isn’t expected, and he will whip him and assign him with the unfaithful.’
Then, is it proper for a man to be jealous of his wife or a wife to be jealous of her husband? No, we should never be jealous of each other, but for each other. We shouldn’t want what the other has, but we should have a burning zeal for each other.
Yet, we often hear of the bad acts or a jealous husband or wife, which may or may not be zeal or jealously. If one has good reason to worry about losing the love of the other that is zeal. However, if such concern is baseless, that is wicked suspicion, not jealously.
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Age
The Greek word aionos is what the English word eon is derived from. It means an indefinite period. However, there is no exact English word to translate it. The best equivalents are age(s) or era(s). Please note that where the plural form of the word (ages) is used, it refers to a long time, at least multiple generations. However, where the singular form is used (age or era), this appears to mean a much shorter period, such as a lifetime, generation, or era. And where the term ages of ages is used (such as at Ephesians 3:21), which is usually said in reference to God, we would assume that this truly means forever.
It is noteworthy that aionos is the word that is used in the Greek Septuagint in place of the Hebrew word ohlam, which is also translated as forever and time indefinite in popular versions of the Hebrew Scriptures. So, this one word (aionos) is translated as forever, everlasting, eternal, system of things, time indefinite, [end of] the world, long ago, from of old, etc. Obviously, something is very wrong here, because the word can’t mean a period having a definite end in one place and infinity in another.
Take for example, the unique way that aionos is used in the question that Jesus’ Apostles asked him, which is found at Matthew 24:3, ‘What will be the signs when you are near and this age will come to its conclusion?’
You can see that the word aionos obviously doesn’t mean forever, everlasting, or eternal in this case, nor did it mean world or system of things. It simply meant the age or the time before the end would come. And for them, that meant the age when the Temple at Jerusalem would be destroyed, because that’s what Jesus had just told them.
The word aionos (which we have translated as age here) is also translated as world (KJ) and as system of things (NW) in other Bibles. However, if the Apostles had meant any of those words, they would have used the Greek word cosmos, not aionos for world or system of things.
The ancient Hebrews viewed everything (and rightly so) as having a beginning and an end. For that reason, you will only find three places in the Bible where words are used that imply no end and none that imply no beginning. An interesting possible insight on the reason for this can be found at Hebrews 1:10-12, which says:
‘Long ago, O Lord, You laid the foundation of the earth and Your hands made the heavens. They will destroy themselves, but You will remain. They will grow old just like clothes do. Then, as [You would do to] a robe, You will wrap them up and repair them like clothes. Yes, You are the One, and Your years will never run out.’
The problem with most Bible translations is that when they encounter the word aionos in all its different tenses, they interpret it according to accepted doctrine, not according to the way that Jesus and his disciples used it. So, the common renderings forever, eternal, and everlasting are used even when the word is in its singular form (aioni, aiona, aionos, aionion, aionian, aionios, aioniou), and this totally distorts the meaning of the text.
Take for example, the scripture at John 5:24, where Jesus said, ‘I tell you the truth; the one who hears what I say and believes in the One that sent me will have life in this age. He won’t have to be judged, but has crossed over from death to life.’
Most Bibles translate Jesus as saying that those who believe in the One who sent him will have everlasting life (or the equivalent). However, the words that Jesus used there were, zoe aionion (life age – singular), not zoe aionion (life ages – plural).
Notice how Jesus explained the meaning of these words with his next statement, ‘He won’t have to be judged, but has crossed over from death to life.’
So, what Jesus was saying here, wasn’t that they would have everlasting life, but that they would (in their current life) be considered among the living, not among the dead (see Revelation 20:12). This doesn’t necessarily mean that they won’t live forever; it’s just that Jesus wasn’t really saying that.
From consideration of the evidence found in the bulk of Jesus’ words about life, the conclusion might be logically reached that he never taught the hope of ‘life eternal,’ ‘everlasting life,’ or ‘immortality,’ in those specific words. However, the concept is still there. What he taught was that (unlike those whom God considers to be ‘dead’) living people will receive ‘life in the age,’ meaning, they will be considered worthy of life by God during their lifetimes.
Two words imply infinity in the Bible. One is the Greek word athanasia, which means undying or immortal and is only found in two places, 1 Corinthians15:53, where it mentions resurrected ones as clothing themselves with immortality, and at 1 Timothy 6:16, where Paul speaks of Jesus as having received it. The other Greek word, aidios, which is found at Romans 1:20 and at Jude 6, is used to describe God’s Power and Might as eternal.
For more information, select the linked documents, The Hereafter and Does the Bible Promise Everlasting Life?
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Breath
The Greek word pneuma (as in pneumonia, a breathing illness) means breath or wind – the movement of air. In other Bibles, this word is often translated as spirit or ghost – as in Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost. However, spirit is just a shortened form of the Latin word espiritu, which (again) means breath. And ghost conveys another meaning altogether.
The most common use of the word pneuma in the Bible is to imply an unseen force (such as breath or wind). And the problem with translating it as spirit or ghost is that many people have started believing that the unseen force that is called [God’s] Holy Breath herein, is another God-like person and part of a Divine Trinity. This can’t be true, because the only scripture that can be used to support this theory (that is, where the Father, the Son, and the Holy Breath are supposed to be ‘one’) is found at Matthew 28:19, which simply says that baptism should be done ‘in the name of’ (or, in recognition of) these three, and there is good reason to believe that even these are spurious and added in the Third Century C.E. And all other scriptures that are used to prove the Trinity theory fail to mention the Holy Breath as part of that group. Notice that the King James wording of 1 John 5:7 (which was used for years to attempt to prove the Trinity) is definitely spurious (something that was added to the Bible).
So to prevent confusion, the Greek word pneuma is usually translated as breath here. The only exceptions would be in instances where the Bible refers to demons as ‘spirits,’ for translating pneuma as breath in these cases, although correct, might just be confusing. And there are also instances where we have used the word spirit to indicate a person’s inward inclinations or feelings.
Another important use of the word pneuma is in the phrase ‘Breath of Life.’ This means more than just breathing, it refers to the entire mechanics of life itself. It’s the unseen force of life that is shared by all living things… it’s the thing that makes each cell alive. However, nowhere does the Bible describe the ‘pneuma’ as immortal, nor is it the same as the soul (a breathing thing), so it can (figuratively) ‘return to God’ at death,’ because all hope of future life depends on God and His promise of a resurrection.
It is interesting that at Genesis 6:4 God says, ‘I won’t allow them to keep My Breath (which allows them to flesh) throughout the [rest of] the age.’ In Greek that reads, ‘Ou me katameine to pneuma mou en tois anthropois toutoiseis ton aiona, dia ai einai autous sarka.’
While the words Breath Mine (pneuma mou) here can refer to God’s Holy Breath, it seems more likely that He is referring to the breath of life that he gave Adam. So, it appears that what He was saying here is that the breath of life (of the people of that age) would be removed prematurely. However, since God referred to it as ‘My Breath,’ there may be a link implied between God’s Holy Breath and the breath of life.
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Why the Name Changes?
You may have noticed that we have started putting some of the letters in Bible names in capital letters. For example, we’ve started spelling such names as Jonathan as JoNathan, Isaiah as IsaiJah, and Eliezer as EliEzer. Why? Well, partly to help with the correct pronunciations of the names, and partly to show some translating consistency.
We all know that the common English pronunciation of Jonathan (for example), is Jon-uh-thun. But did you know that the first part of the name (Io in Greek, Ieho in Hebrew) refers to the name Jehovah? For Jonathan means Jehovah has Given. So, the name was originally pronounced Yo-nuh-thahn. Then the second part of the Name (Nathan) means Gift.
In the case of names that end with an iah, as in Isaiah, the last part of the name includes the name of God. Isaiah, for example, means Salvation [of] Jehovah, and it was originally pronounced Ee-sai-Yah. So, why have we substituted a capital ‘J’ for the letters ‘ie’ in both of the above cases? Well, we recognize that there is an inconsistency here, because there was no letter ‘J’ in Hebrew or Greek alphabets. However, we have the choice of changing all names that start with ‘J’ (such as Jesus, John, Jonah, Joshua, Jeremiah, etc.) to start with the letters ‘Ie’, or for consistency, we can change all the ‘Ies’ into ‘Js’, which is what we have done.
Does this mean then that we are setting out a new rule for name spelling? Absolutely not, for centuries ago a Bible translator first established this rule when he spelled the name Eliou (Greek spelling, pronounced ay-lee-ou) and wrote it as EliJah, because this name is regarded as meaning ‘My God is Jehovah.’
Also notice that where a name ends with an iah, as in Jeremiah (Jehovah exalts), we have often spelled it iJah, because the i would typically be pronounced as a long e followed by a y in Hebrew, and writing it without the i (as in JeremJah) misses this nuance. So we have rendered it JeremiJah, which is similar to the way this name is often pronounced by modern-day Hebrew-speaking Jews, YeremiYah.
Another important word in names that we usually capitalize
is ‘El’ (from the Hebrew Elohe, or God). So EliEzer (which people
commonly pronounce Ee-lee-ay-zer and means God [has] Helped) should
actually be pronounced Elee-eh-zer. The same is true for the letters Ai,
especially in the names of cities, because Ai in Hebrew refers to the
word city. So, AiLam probably meant the City of
Similar words, such as Bel (as in BelShazzar), Baal, and Beel, refer to ‘the Lord’ or ‘the God.’ Also, the letters ‘Ben’ and ‘Bar’ mean ‘the son of.’ ‘Beth’ means ‘the house of,’ ‘Beer’ refers to a ‘well,’ ‘Is’ or ‘Ish’ means ‘Man,’ etc.
Does this mean that we have put all the capitals in the right places, and where they should be? No, for we make no claim to Hebrew scholarship. All we are trying to do is provide a better understanding to how these names were pronounced by Greek-speaking Jews.
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Jehovah
The existing modern copies of the Greek Septuagint (Greek translation of the ‘Old Testament’ or ‘Ancient Scriptures of Israel’) don’t use the Name of God (Jehovah) at all. We know that the reason why the Name was removed from all later copies of the Hebrew versions, was because Jewish scribes had become so awed with God’s Name that they refused to write it or say it, so they started substituting the term ‘the Lord’ (the Master) or ‘Theos’ (God), wherever it was found. And since most existing versions of the Septuagint come from the second century or later, it isn’t surprising that God’s Name has been omitted from modern texts.
That the Name Jehovah (which means, He who Causes to Be, or, The Creator) was originally in the Bible, is documented in all ancient Hebrew texts. And it is most likely that the Septuagint translation which Jesus and his Apostles used (most quotations they gave seem to have come from an ancient Septuagint) carried that Name, but probably in the four Hebrew characters that represent the English consonants YHWH.
Notice this comment by Robert Hanhart, who contributed the Introduction to ‘The Septuagint as Christian Scripture.’ He stated therein that, ‘All Greek biblical texts of Jewish origin found to date, whether from pre-Christian or Christian times, transmit the name יהוה Jehovah not in the form κύριος [Lord] encountered in all the LXX [Septuagint] manuscripts of Christian origin, but in some form of the Tetragrammaton.’ (See: ‘The Septuagint as Christian Scripture,’ 2002, book, p.7, by Martin Hengel. Introduction by Robert Hanhart, published by Baker Academic. ISBN 0-8010-2790-X).
You will see how in the book of Isaiah, for example, God is often referred to in Greek as Kyrios ho Kyrios, or, Lord the Lord (see Isaiah 48:16 LXX). And these are obvious examples of texts where God’s Name was omitted, for such sentences should clearly read Jehovah the Lord, or Lord Jehovah.
Since the words God and Lord both appear to have been substituted in the text wherever God’s Name originally appeared, it is difficult to know where to reinsert the Name for the titles. We could refer to the Hebrew texts and insert it wherever the Name appears there, but that would be out of harmony with the purpose of presenting this translation of the Septuagint on its own merit. So, wherever the term the Lord appears in reference to God, we have decided to insert the Name Jehovah.
There are places where we have deviated from this rule. For example, there is the instance when Abraham was talking to three ‘men,’ one of whom he referred to as the Lord. In this case, Abraham was obviously speaking to a messenger from Jehovah (likely His representative, Michael), because, as God told Moses, ‘No man can see God and live.’ So, in such instances we have left the term ‘Lord’ unchanged, because that is likely the actual word Abraham used.
Also, in the writings of many of the Prophets, you will notice that they were often spoken to by God’s messengers, who they referred to as the Lord. And these messengers thereafter went on to give them messages from Jehovah. So, you’ll see an interspersing of the term the Lord, when referring to the angel messenger, and Jehovah, when referring to God. For example, notice the wording of Jeremiah 2:1 as an example: ‘Then the word of the Lord came to me saying, Go and yell in the ears of Jerusalem! Tell them that Jehovah says… ’
By the way, notice that the term for pagan gods (Baal, Beel, and Bel) simply meant ‘the Lord.’ So, all the pagan peoples in Bible times referred to their gods as ‘the Lord.’ Then they might have added the name of that ‘Lord,’ to show which one they were referring to. So, if the Israelites, Hebrews, and Jews had simply referred to their God as ‘the Lord’ without giving His Name, then no one among the surrounding nations would have known which ‘Lord’ they were talking about. So, from the context (and from its use in all ancient Bible texts) we can see that the name Jehovah once appeared throughout the Bible to show which ‘Lord’ the Israelites worshiped.
And where you find the exclamation HalleluJah, which is the original Hebrew rendering of this word, understand that this word means ‘Praise Jehovah!’ (Hallel means praise, u implies second person, and Jah is a shortened form of Jehovah). So, even in most Bibles where God’s Name has been omitted, it usually still appears in this Hebrew exclamation, as well as in most Bible names of faithful men.
But, is using God’s Name really all that important? Yes, because He Himself said concerning the nations, as recorded at Jeremiah 16:21, ‘Because of this {Look!} I’ll show them My hand, and in that time I’ll show them My power. Then they will know that My Name is Jehovah.’
It has long been argued that the Name Jehovah wasn’t used before God revealed it to Moses on the mountain, because He said (at Exodus 6:2-4), ‘I am Jehovah. I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I was their God. However, I didn’t show them My Name Jehovah when I established My Sacred Agreement with them [and promised] to give them the land of the Canaanites, the land they were visiting and living in as strangers.’
While many disagree with this view and argue that God was actually referring to His revealing the power behind His Name (which could be true), the fact that His Name is missing from inclusion in the names of His followers until after the time of Moses, and then it becomes so commonly used, would seem to indicate that the Name Jehovah wasn’t actually known prior to that time, and was inserted by later writers, such as Moses.
Perhaps Christians would more deeply appreciate the need to use the Name Jehovah, rather than the title ‘Lord,’ when referring to God, if they understood that the term ‘the Lord’ in the language of the Canaanites was ‘Baal’ or ‘Beel.’ And the same term in modern day Arabic is ‘Allah.’
Then, what of those who prefer a more exact Hebrew pronunciation of the Name (Yahweh, Yahwah, or Yehwah)? That is commendable if their reasons are consistent. For if their concern is to properly pronounce Bible names (not a hatred for God’s Name as it is pronounced in English), then they will also be found promoting the proper Hebrew pronunciation of His son’s name, Ieshuah, or Iehoshuah… or at least the proper pronunciation of his name in Greek, Iesous (Yeh-sous).
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