Hosea 8:9

The Willful Donkey and the Wanton Harlot

8:9 They have gone up to Assyria,

like a wild donkey that wanders off.

Ephraim has hired prostitutes as lovers. ¹ 

Hosea 12:13

12:13 The Lord brought Israel out of Egypt by a prophet,

and due to a prophet ²  Israel ³  was preserved alive. ⁴ 

[8:9]  ¹ tn Or “has hired herself out to lovers”; cf. NIV “has sold herself to lovers.”

[12:13]  ² tn Heb “by a prophet” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).

[12:13]  ³ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Israel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:13]  ⁴ tn Heb “was protected”; NASB “was kept.” The verb שָׁמַר (shamar, “to watch, guard, keep, protect”) is repeated in 12:13-14 HT (12:12-13 ET). This repetition creates parallels between Jacob’s sojourn in Aram and Israel’s sojourn in the wilderness. Jacob “tended = kept” (שָׁמַר) sheep in Aram, and Israel was “preserved = kept” (נִשְׁמָר, nishmar) by Moses in the wilderness.