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Septuagint · Hosea §12.1-12.14

Ephraim's Deceit, Jacob's Example, and God's Judgment

Passage 12 of 14 · Greek

Summary

Condemns Ephraim's deceit and futile alliances with Assyria and Egypt, contrasting their behavior with the historical example of Jacob and the guidance of the prophets, while pronouncing the Lord's judgment and punishment for their sins.

§12.1ὁ δὲ Ἐφράιμ πονηρὸν πνεῦμα, ἐδίωξεν καύσωνα ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν· κενὰ καὶ μάταια ἐπλήθυνεν καὶ διαθήκην μετὰ Ἀσσυρίων διέθετο, καὶ ἔλαιον εἰς Αἵγυπτον ἐνεπορεύετο.
But Ephraim is an evil spirit, he pursued the hot wind all the day; he multiplied empty and vain things, and made a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil was carried into Egypt.
§12.2καὶ κρίσις τῷ κυρίῳ πρὸς Ἰούδαν τοῦ ἐκδικῆσαι τὸν Ἰακὼβ κατὰ τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ, καὶ κατὰ τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα αὐτοῦ ἀποδώσει αὐτῷ.
And the Lord has a judgment against Judah, to punish Jacob according to his ways, and according to his practices he will recompense him.
§12.3ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ ἐπτέρνισεν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν κόποις αὐτοῦ ἐνίσχυσεν πρὸς θεόν,
In the womb he tripped his brother by the heel, and in his labors he was strong against God.
§12.4καὶ ἐνίσχυσεν μετὰ ἀγγέλου καὶ ἠδυνάσθη· ἔκλαυσαν καὶ ἐδεήθησάν μου, ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ Ὢν εὕροσάν με, καὶ ἐκεῖ ἐλαλήθη πρὸς αὐτούς.
And he prevailed with an angel and was strong; they wept and made supplication to me; they found me in the house of On, and there it was spoken to them.
§12.5ὁ δὲ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ παντοκράτωρ ἔσται μνημόσυνον αὐτοῦ.
And the Lord God Almighty shall be his memorial.
§12.6καὶ σὺ ἐν θεῷ σου ἐπιστρέψεις· ἔλεον καὶ κρίμα φυλάσσου, καὶ ἔγγιζε πρὸς τὸν θεόν σου διὰ παντός.
Therefore, you shall return by your God; keep mercy and judgment, and draw near to your God continually.
§12.7Χανάαν ἐν χειρὶ αὐτοῦ ζυγὸς ἀδικίας, καταδυναστεύειν ἠγάπησε.
Canaan has a balance of injustice in his hand, he loved to oppress.
§12.8καὶ εἶπεν Ἐφράιμ Πλὴν πεπλούτηκα, εὕρηκα ἀναψυχὴν ἐμαυτῷ. πάντες οἱ πόνοι αὐτοῦ οὐχ εὑρεθήσονται αὐτῷ δι᾿ ἀδικίας ἃς ἥμαρτεν.
And Ephraim said, "Yet I have become rich, I have found refreshment for myself." All his labors shall not be found against him because of the sins which he has committed.
§12.9ἐγὼ δὲ Κύριος ὁ θεός σου ἀνήγαγόν σε ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου, ἔτι κατοικιῶ σε ἐν σκηναῖς καθὼς ἡμέραι ἑορτῆς.
But I am the Lord your God who brought you up out of the land of Egypt; I will yet make you dwell in tabernacles, as in the days of the feast.
§12.10καὶ λαλήσω πρὸς προφήτας, καὶ ἐγὼ ὁράσεις ἐπλήθυνα, καὶ ἐν χερσὶν προφητῶν ὡμοιώθην.
And I will speak to prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and by the hands of prophets I was represented.
§12.11εἰ μὴ Γαλαάδ ἐστιν, ἄρα ψευδεῖς ἤσαν ἐν Γαλαὰδ ἄρχοντες θυσιάζοντες, καὶ τά θυσιαστήρια αὐτῶν ὡς χελῶναι ἐπὶ χέρσον ἀγροῦ.
If Gilead exists, then surely the rulers sacrificing in Gilead were false, and their altars are like tortoises on the dry ground of a field.
§12.12καὶ ἀνεχώρησεν Ἰακὼβ εἰς πεδίον Συρίας, καὶ ἐδούλευσεν Ἰσραὴλ ἐν γυναικί, καὶ ἐν γυναικὶ ἐφυλάξατο.
And Jacob retreated into the plain of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept watch.
§12.13καὶ ἐν προφήτῃ ἀνήγαγεν Κύριος τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου, καὶ ἐν προφήτῃ διεφυλάχθη.
And by a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of the land of Egypt, and by a prophet he was preserved.
§12.14ἐθύμωσεν Ἐφράιμ καὶ παρώργισεν· καὶ τὸ αἷμα αὐτοῦ ἐπʼ αὐτὸν ἐκχυθήσεται, καὶ τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν αὐτοῦ ἀνταποδώσει αὐτῷ Κύριος.
Ephraim provoked and angered him; therefore his blood shall be poured out upon him, and the Lord shall recompense his reproach to him.

Notes

  1. §12.2τοῦ ἐκδικῆσαι — This genitive infinitive with τοῦ can be interpreted either as an adjectival genitive modifying the preceding noun κρίσις ("a judgment to punish") or as an adverbial indicating purpose ("in order to punish"). It has been translated here as expressing purpose connected with the overall context of the main clause.
  2. §12.4Ὢν — The Greek Ὢν refers to the city of On (Heliopolis, as in Gen 41:45), which here corresponds to the Hebrew text's mention of Bethel (or Beth-aven). The LXX translators likely associated the Hebrew 'Aven (wickedness/idolatry) with the Egyptian place name On ('On), rendering it as "the house of On" (οἶκος Ὢν).
  3. §12.8δι᾿ ἀδικίας ἃς ἥμαρτεν — This phrase admits of two interpretations. One is Ephraim's self-justification that "his wealth is not due to injustice (and thus will not be found as sin)." The other is an objective statement that "all his labors will be in vain because of the injustice of his sins." It is rendered here following the context of Ephraim's self-righteous boast, indicating his attempt to deny any sinful gains.
  4. §12.11χελῶναι — The plural of χελώνη ("tortoise/turtle"), which here represents a translation choice for the Hebrew gallîm ("stone heaps"). The LXX translators likely interpreted the piles of stones as resembling the rounded shells of tortoises scattered upon the dry ground of a field.

Cite this passage

Septuagint, Hosea §12.1-12.14. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0527.tlg036.humanitext-grc1:12.1-12.14

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