[1] 1:4 Jezreel This name in Hebrew means "God will plant seeds."

[2] 1:4 people . at Jezreel Valley See 2 Kings 9-10 for the story of Jehu's revolt at Jezreel Valley.

[3] 1:4 nation Literally, "house." This might mean the royal family of that country. Also in verse 6.

[4] 1:6 Lo-Ruhamah This name in Hebrew means "She receives no mercy." Also in verse 8.

[5] 1:7 by my own power Literally, "by the Lord their God."

[6] 1:9 Lo-Ammi This name in Hebrew means "not my people."

[7] 1:11 their nation . land Literally, "they will go up from the land."

[8] 2:1 Or, "Then say to your brothers, 'My people,' and to your sisters, 'You have been shown mercy.'"

[9] 2:2 mother This means the nation of Israel.

[10] 2:2 her lovers Or, "adulteries." Adultery means breaking a marriage promise by sexual sin. God was like a husband to Israel. But Israel was worshiping false gods-this was spiritual adultery against God.

[11] 2:5 lovers This means Israel's false gods. Also in verses 7, 10, 13.

[12] 2:8 Baal A false god worshiped by the Canaanites. They believed he brought rain and storms and made the land produce good crops.

[13] 2:10 power Literally, "hand."

[14] 2:11 New Moon The first day of the month for Israelites or Jews, which they celebrated as a special day of rest and worship. The people met together and shared in the fellowship offerings like those described in Lev. 7:16-21.

[15] 2:13 false gods Literally, "Baals."

[16] 2:13 incense Special dried tree sap that was burned to make a sweet-smelling smoke and offered as a gift to God.

[17] 2:15 vineyard A garden or farm where grapes are grown.

[18] 2:16 My Baal This is a wordplay. Baal was a Canaanite god, but the name also means "lord or husband."

[19] 2:23 I will sow her many seeds Jezreel, Lo-Ruhamah, and Lo-Ammi are Hosea's children. But the names also have special meanings. The name Jezreel means "God will plant seeds." But Jezreel is also the name of a large valley in Israel. This probably shows that God will bring his people back to Israel.

[20] 2:23 Lo-Ruhamah This name in Hebrew means "She receives no mercy."

[21] 2:23 Lo-Ammi This name in Hebrew means "not my people."

[22] 3:1 Gomer Literally, "a woman."

[23] 3:1 raisin cakes This food was used in the feasts that honored false gods such as the "Queen of Heaven."

[24] 3:2 6 ounces Literally, "15 [shekels]" (172.5g).

[25] 3:2 9 bushels Literally, "1 homer and 1 letek" (231 l).

[26] 3:4 memorial stone A stone that was set up to help people remember something special. In ancient Israel, people often set up stones at places where they worshiped false gods.

[27] 3:4 ephod A special vest (coat) worn by the Israelite high priest. See Ex. 28:6-14.

[28] 4:2 adultery Breaking a marriage promise by committing sexual sin.

[29] 4:2 and have their . after another Literally, "they break out, and blood touches blood."

[30] 4:3 dying Literally, "being taken away."

[31] 4:4 Or, "The people cannot complain or blame someone else. The people are helpless, like arguing with a priest." Many times the priests and Levites served as judges, and their decisions were final.

[32] 4:8 This is a wordplay. The word "sins" also means "sin offerings." So instead of eating sacrifices, the priests became hungry for sin itself.

[33] 4:10 They . babies A part of worshiping the false gods was having sexual relations with temple prostitutes. The people thought this would make the gods happy. And then the gods would give the people large families and good crops.

[34] 4:13 incense Special dried tree sap that was burned to make a sweet-smelling smoke and offered as a gift to God.

[35] 4:13 under . trees Trees and groves were an important part of worshiping false gods.

[36] 4:14 blame This word can mean "visit," "put in charge of," "take account of," or "to hold responsible for."

[37] 4:14 temple prostitutes Women who were prostitutes at the temples of the false gods. Their sexual sins were part of worshiping those false gods.

[38] 4:15 Gilgal A city in Israel where people had worshiped God but later became known as a place where people worshiped false gods.

[39] 4:15 Beth-aven A name meaning "House of Evil." It is a wordplay on the name "Bethel," a name meaning "House of God." There was a temple in this town. Also in 5:8.

[40] 4:17 Ephraim The second son of Joseph and the name of one of the tribes of Israel. Sometimes it is used as the name for the northern kingdom of Israel, since Ephraim was most often the leading tribe.

[41] 4:17 idol A statue of a false god that people worship. It can also mean anything that is more important to a person than God.

[42] 4:18 lovers This means Israel's false gods.

[43] 4:19 They . think Or, "The wind has carried them away on its wings" or "The spirit held them tight in its wings." This verse is very hard to understand in Hebrew.

[44] 5:1 nation Literally, "house." This might mean the royal family of that country. Also in verse 14.

[45] 5:1 Mizpah A mountain in Israel. The people worshiped the false gods on many of the hills and mountains.

[46] 5:1 Tabor A mountain in Israel.

[47] 5:2 You have done many evil things This sentence is hard to understand in Hebrew, probably because there is a wordplay and a reference to things we are not sure of.

[48] 5:3 Ephraim The second son of Joseph and the name of one of the tribes of Israel. Sometimes it is used as the name for the northern kingdom of Israel, since Ephraim was most often the leading tribe.

[49] 5:5 them Literally, "his face."

[50] 5:7 And now . again Here, the Hebrew is hard to understand.

[51] 5:8 Gibeah, Ramah Cities on Judah's border with Israel.

[52] 5:9 Ephraim The second son of Joseph and the name of one of the tribes of Israel. Sometimes it is used as the name for the northern kingdom of Israel, since Ephraim was most often the leading tribe.

[53] 6:4 Ephraim The second son of Joseph and the name of one of the tribes of Israel. Sometimes it is used as the name for the northern kingdom of Israel, since Ephraim was most often the leading tribe.

[54] 6:5 but good things . decisions Or, "I cut them with the prophets. I killed them with the words from my mouth. Light will come from your decisions."

[55] 6:6 burnt offering A gift to God. Usually these were animals that were killed and completely burned on the altar.

[56] 6:7 as Adam did See Gen. 3.

[57] 6:10 nation Literally, "house." This might mean the royal family of that country.

[58] 6:11 It will happen . captivity Or, "It will happen when I restore my people's fortune."

[59] 7:1 Samaria The capital city of the northern kingdom of Israel.

[60] 7:8 Ephraim The second son of Joseph and the name of one of the tribes of Israel. Sometimes it is used as the name for the northern kingdom of Israel, since Ephraim was most often the leading tribe.

[61] 7:9 Gray hairs This word might describe something that was put on the food when people cooked, something that looked like gray hairs.

[62] 7:12 for their agreements Or, "for the report of their treaties."

[63] 7:16 boomerang A curved stick used in hunting birds. When thrown properly, it flies low to the ground and suddenly curves upward, often returning to the thrower. Literally, "a bow of throwing" or "a bow of deception."

[64] 7:16 They changed . to me Or, "They turned, but not upward" or "They turned to the 'no-gods.'" That is, the statues people worshiped as gods.

[65] 8:1 Be like an eagle . Lord's house Or, "Be like a guard over the Lord's house."

[66] 8:4 idol A statue of a false god that people worship. It can also mean anything that is more important to a person than God.

[67] 8:5-6 calf, Samaria Samaria was the capital city of Israel. The people of Israel made statues of calves and put them in the temples at Dan and Bethel. It is not clear if these statues represented the Lord or some false god. But God didn't want them to use these statues. See 1 Kings 12:26-30.

[68] 8:9 Ephraim The second son of Joseph and the name of one of the tribes of Israel. Sometimes it is used as the name for the northern kingdom of Israel, since Ephraim was most often the leading tribe.

[69] 8:9 lovers This means Israel's false gods.

[70] 8:11 Ephraim The second son of Joseph and the name of one of the tribes of Israel. Sometimes it is used as the name for the northern kingdom of Israel, since Ephraim was most often the leading tribe.

[71] 8:11 altar A raised area, pile of stones, or table where sacrifices were offered as gifts to God. An important altar was the one in front of the Temple in Jerusalem. See also "golden altar."

[72] 8:13 The Israelites love sacrifices This line is uncertain.

[73] 8:14 fortress A building or city with tall, strong walls for protection.

[74] 9:1 You committed your sexual sin This means the people were not faithful to God. But it also means the people had sexual relations with temple prostitutes. They believed their false gods would give them many children and good crops.

[75] 9:1 threshing Putting newly harvested wheat or other grain on a hard floor and walking on it or beating it with special tools to separate the hulls from the grain.

[76] 9:3 Ephraim The second son of Joseph and the name of one of the tribes of Israel. Sometimes it is used as the name for the northern kingdom of Israel, since Ephraim was most often the leading tribe.

[77] 9:4 sacrifices . funeral Literally, "bread of mourners." See Num. 19:11-22.

[78] 9:5 Literally, "What will you do for a day of solemn assembly, for the Lord's festival day?"

[79] 9:6 Memphis An important city in Egypt.

[80] 9:8 Ephraim The second son of Joseph and the name of one of the tribes of Israel. Sometimes it is used as the name for the northern kingdom of Israel, since Ephraim was most often the leading tribe.

[81] 9:9 Gibeah A place where some men from the tribe of Benjamin committed a terrible sin. See Judges 19 and 20.

[82] 9:10 Baal-Peor This happened when Moses was still leading the Israelites in the desert. Read Num. 25:1-5.

[83] 9:10 they changed . rotten fruit This is a wordplay that can also mean "they dedicated themselves to a shameful idol."

[84] 9:11 Ephraim The second son of Joseph and the name of one of the tribes of Israel. Sometimes it is used as the name for the northern kingdom of Israel, since Ephraim was most often the leading tribe.

[85] 9:15 Gilgal A city in Israel where people had worshiped God but later became known as a place where people worshiped false gods.

[86] 10:1 altar A raised area, pile of stones, or table where sacrifices were offered as gifts to God. An important altar was the one in front of the Temple in Jerusalem. See also "golden altar."

[87] 10:2 memorial stone A stone that was set up to help people remember something special. In ancient Israel, people often set up stones at places where they worshiped false gods.

[88] 10:5 Samaria During Old Testament times, the capital city of Israel, the northern Israelite kingdom. In New Testament times, the name refers to the central hill country, the general area that had been occupied by the northern kingdom.

[89] 10:5 Beth-aven A name meaning "House of Evil." It is a wordplay on the name "Bethel," a name meaning "House of God." There was a temple in this town.

[90] 10:6 Ephraim The second son of Joseph and the name of one of the tribes of Israel. Sometimes it is used as the name for the northern kingdom of Israel, since Ephraim was most often the leading tribe.

[91] 10:6 idol Or, "advice."

[92] 10:7 false god Or, "king."

[93] 10:8 high place A place of worship usually on top of a hill, a mountain, or a man-made platform. Although high places were sometimes used for the worship of Yahweh, they are most often associated with pagan worship of false gods.

[94] 10:8 high places of Aven Aven means "evil" or "wickedness." This probably means the temple and other places of worship at Bethel.

[95] 10:8 altar A raised area, pile of stones, or table where sacrifices were offered as gifts to God. An important altar was the one in front of the Temple in Jerusalem. See also "golden altar."

[96] 10:9 Gibeah A place where some men from the tribe of Benjamin committed a terrible sin. See Judges 19 and 20.

[97] 10:11 Ephraim The second son of Joseph and the name of one of the tribes of Israel. Sometimes it is used as the name for the northern kingdom of Israel, since Ephraim was most often the leading tribe.

[98] 10:11 threshing Putting newly harvested wheat or other grain on a hard floor and walking on it or beating it with special tools to separate the hulls from the grain.

[99] 10:11 yoke A pole that was put across the shoulders of men, usually slaves, or animals and used in pulling or carrying heavy loads.

[100] 10:11 Jacob Another name for Israel (see Gen. 32:24-28), ancestor of the people of Israel (also called Israelites and, later, Jews). He was the father of twelve sons from whom the twelve tribes of Israel descended.

[101] 10:14 fortress A building or city with tall, strong walls for protection.

[102] 10:14 Shalman This is probably Shalmaneser, king of Assyria.

[103] 11:2 I This is from the ancient Greek version. The Hebrew says, "they."

[104] 11:2 false gods Literally, "Baals."

[105] 11:2 incense Special dried tree sap that was burned to make a sweet-smelling smoke and offered as a gift to God.

[106] 11:2 idol A statue of a false god that people worship. It can also mean anything that is more important to a person than God.

[107] 11:3 Ephraim The second son of Joseph and the name of one of the tribes of Israel. Sometimes it is used as the name for the northern kingdom of Israel, since Ephraim was most often the leading tribe.

[108] 11:4 ropes The Hebrew says, "ropes of a man."

[109] 11:4 set them free Literally, "lifted the yoke from their jaws."

[110] 11:7 Or, "My people are hanging [on poles] around my dwelling place. They called up to him, but he didn't lift them up."

[111] 11:8 Ephraim The second son of Joseph and the name of one of the tribes of Israel. Sometimes it is used as the name for the northern kingdom of Israel, since Ephraim was most often the leading tribe.

[112] 11:8 Admah, Zeboiim Two cities that were destroyed when God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. See Gen. 19; Deut. 29:23.

[113] 11:12 Ephraim . me Or, "Ephraim surrounded me with lies. The house of Israel surrounded me with deception."

[114] 11:12 El This might be one of the names of God, or it might be El, the most important god of the Canaanites. It is not clear if this means Judah was being faithful to God or if Judah was worshiping the false gods.

[115] 11:12 holy ones These might be angels or Canaanite false gods.

[116] 12:1 Ephraim The second son of Joseph and the name of one of the tribes of Israel. Sometimes it is used as the name for the northern kingdom of Israel, since Ephraim was most often the leading tribe.

[117] 12:2 Israel Literally, "Judah."

[118] 12:2 Jacob Another name for Israel (see Gen. 32:24-28), ancestor of the people of Israel (also called Israelites and, later, Jews). He was the father of twelve sons from whom the twelve tribes of Israel descended.

[119] 12:3 he . his brother Or, "he grabbed his brother's heel." This is a wordplay. The Hebrew word is like the name "Jacob." Read Gen. 25:26.

[120] 12:4 Jacob wrestled . and won Read Gen. 32:22-28.

[121] 12:5 Yahweh is the God of the armies This is like one of the names for God. It is usually translated "Lord All-Powerful."

[122] 12:7 merchant A person who earns a living by buying and selling things.

[123] 12:7 Jacob . merchant Literally, "Cannan."

[124] 12:7 scales Or, "balances," a tool for weighing things.

[125] 12:9 during . Tent of Meeting The special tent where the people worshiped God. This might also mean "like during the festival of Succoth." The Jewish people live in tents or temporary buildings during this time.

[126] 12:10 vision Something like a dream used by God to speak to people.

[127] 12:11 Gilead The area east of the Jordan River where the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh lived. See Num. 26:29.

[128] 12:11 Gilgal A city in Israel where people had worshiped God but later became known as a place where people worshiped false gods.

[129] 12:11 altar A raised area, pile of stones, or table where sacrifices were offered as gifts to God. An important altar was the one in front of the Temple in Jerusalem. See also "golden altar."

[130] 12:12 Israel Another name for Jacob. See Gen. 32:28.

[131] 13:1 Ephraim The second son of Joseph and the name of one of the tribes of Israel. Sometimes it is used as the name for the northern kingdom of Israel, since Ephraim was most often the leading tribe.

[132] 13:1 Baal A false god worshiped by the Canaanites. They believed he brought rain and storms and made the land produce good crops.

[133] 13:2 idol A statue of a false god that people worship. It can also mean anything that is more important to a person than God.

[134] 13:3 chaff The seed coverings and stems separated from the seeds of plants like wheat or barley. Farmers saved the seeds but let the wind blow the useless chaff away.

[135] 13:3 threshing Putting newly harvested wheat or other grain on a hard floor and walking on it or beating it with special tools to separate the hulls from the grain.

[136] 13:10 You asked for . leaders See 1 Sam. 8:4-9.

[137] 13:12 Ephraim The second son of Joseph and the name of one of the tribes of Israel. Sometimes it is used as the name for the northern kingdom of Israel, since Ephraim was most often the leading tribe.

[138] 14:2 praise from our lips Literally, "the fruit of our lips."

[139] 14:5 lily A kind of flower. In the Song of Solomon, it is probably a red flower.

[140] 14:8 Ephraim The second son of Joseph and the name of one of the tribes of Israel. Sometimes it is used as the name for the northern kingdom of Israel, since Ephraim was most often the leading tribe.

[141] 14:8 idol A statue of a false god that people worship. It can also mean anything that is more important to a person than God.

[142] 14:8 and watches over you This is a wordplay. The Hebrew word is like the name "Assyria." God is saying that he, not some foreign country, protects Israel.

[143] 14:9 Good people . die by them Literally, "Good people will walk on them. Sinners will stumble on them."

© Copyright 2004 World Bible Translation Center.