When Ephraim ¹  spoke, ²  there was terror; ³  he was exalted ⁴  in Israel, but he became guilty by worshiping Baal and died.

biblegateway Hos 13:1

When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling. He exalted himself in Israel, But through Baal he did wrong and died.

When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling; he was exalted in Israel. But he incurred guilt through Baal and died.

When the tribe of Ephraim spoke, people trembled. The people of Ephraim were important in Israel. Then they became guilty of worshiping Baal, so they must die.

biblegateway Hos 13:1

When Ephraim spoke, men trembled; he was exalted in Israel. But he became guilty of Baal worship and died.

When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling; he was exalted in Israel, but he incurred guilt through Baal and died.

bibleoremus Hos 13:1

When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling; he was exalted in Israel; but he incurred guilt through Baal and died.

Ephraim was a prince and a leader and he was exalted in Israel, but, guilty of Baal-worship, he suffered death.

biblegateway Hos 13:1

When Ephraim spoke, trembling, He exalted himself in Israel; But when he offended through Baal worship , he died.

When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died.

biblegateway Hos 13:1

When Ephraim ¹  spoke, ²  there was terror; ³  he was exalted ⁴  in Israel, but he became guilty by worshiping Baal and died.

¹ sn In Hosea the name “Ephraim” does not refer to the tribe, but to the region of Mount Ephraim where the royal residence of Samaria was located. It functions as a synecdoche of location (Mount Ephraim) for its inhabitants (the king of Samaria; e.g., 5:13; 8:8, 10).

² tn The rulers of Ephraim (i.e., Samaria) issued many political decisions in the 8th century b.c. which brought “terror” to the other regions of the Northern Kingdom, as well as to Judah: “hearts shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind” (Isa 7:2; 2 Kgs 16:5).

³ tn The noun רְתֵת (rÿtet, “terror, trembling”) appears only here in OT (BDB 958 s.v. רְתֵת; HALOT 1300-1301 s.v. רְתֵת). However, it is attested in 1QH 4:33 where it means “trembling” and is used as a synonym with רַעַד (ra’ad, “quaking”). It also appears in Mishnaic Hebrew, meaning “trembling” (G. Dalman, Aramäisch-neuhebräisches Handwörterbuch, 406, s.v. רעד). This is the meaning reflected in the Greek recensions of Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion, as well as Jerome’s Latin Vulgate.

⁴ tc The MT vocalizes the consonantal text as נָשָׂא (nasa’, “he exalted”; Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular) which is syntactically awkward. The LXX and Syriac reflect a vocalization tradition of נִשָּׂא (nisa’, “he was exalted”; Niphal perfect 3rd person masculine singular). The BHS editors suggest that this revocalization should be adopted, and it has been followed by NAB, NIV, NRSV.