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Fri, 03 May 2024 19:46:01 -0500 Yom Shishi, Chodesh Sheni 24, 6024 — יום ששי חדש שני כד ו׳כד

Tanakh
Book of Hosea, Chapter:   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Hosea

Chapter 1

דבר־יהוה ׀ אשר היה אל־הושע בן־בארי בימי עזיה יותם אחז יחזקיה מלכי יהודה ובימי ירבעם בן־יואש מלך ישראל׃ א 1 The word of Yehovah that came unto Hosea the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.
תחלת דבר־יהוה בהושע
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־הוֹשֵׁ֗עַ לֵ֣ךְ קַח־לְךָ֞ אֵ֤שֶׁת זְנוּנִים֙ וְיַלְדֵ֣י זְנוּנִ֔ים כִּֽי־זָנֹ֤ה תִזְנֶה֙ הָאָ֔רֶץ מֵֽאַחֲרֵ֖י יְהוָֽה׃
ב 2 When Yehovah spoke at first with Hosea, {P} Yehovah said unto Hosea: 'Go, take unto thee a wife of harlotry and children of harlotry; for the land doth commit great harlotry, departing from Yehovah.'
וילך ויקח את־גמר בת־דבלים ותהר ותלד־לו בן׃ ג 3 So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; and she conceived, and bore him a son.
ויאמר יהוה אליו קרא שמו יזרעאל כי־עוד מעט ופקדתי את־דמי יזרעאל על־בית יהוא והשבתי ממלכות בית ישראל׃ ד 4 And Yehovah said unto him: 'Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will visit the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel.
והיה ביום ההוא ושברתי את־קשת ישראל בעמק יזרעאל׃ ה 5 And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.'
ותהר עוד ותלד בת ויאמר לו קרא שמה לא רחמה כי לא אוסיף עוד ארחם את־בית ישראל כי־נשא אשא להם׃ ו 6 And she conceived again, and bore a daughter. And He said unto him: 'Call her name Lo-ruhamah; for I will no more have compassion upon the house of Israel, that I should in any wise pardon them.
ואת־בית יהודה ארחם והושעתים ביהוה אלהיהם ולא אושיעם בקשת ובחרב ובמלחמה בסוסים ובפרשים׃ ז 7 But I will have compassion upon the house of Judah, and will save them by Yehovah their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, nor by horses, nor by horsemen.'
ותגמל את־לא רחמה ותהר ותלד בן׃ ח 8 Now when she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived, and bore a son.
ויאמר קרא שמו לא עמי כי אתם לא עמי ואנכי לא־אהיה לכם׃ ס ט 9 And He said: 'Call his name Lo-ammi; for ye are not My people, and I will not be yours.' {P}

Chapter 2

והיה מספר בני־ישראל כחול הים אשר לא־ימד ולא יספר והיה במקום אשר־יאמר להם לא־עמי אתם יאמר להם בני אל־חי׃ א 1 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass that, instead of that which was said unto them: 'Ye are not My people', it shall be said unto them: 'Ye are the children of the living God.'
ונקבצו בני־יהודה ובני־ישראל יחדו ושמו להם ראש אחד ועלו מן־הארץ כי גדול יום יזרעאל׃ ב 2 And the children of Judah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together, and they shall appoint themselves one head, and shall go up out of the land; for great shall be the day of Jezreel.
אמרו לאחיכם עמי ולאחותיכם רחמה׃ ג 3 Say ye unto your brethren: 'Ammi'; and to your sisters, 'Ruhamah.'
ריבו באמכם ריבו כי־היא לא אשתי ואנכי לא אישה ותסר זנוניה מפניה ונאפופיה מבין שדיה׃ ד 4 Plead with your mother, plead; for she is not My wife, neither am I her husband; and let her put away her harlotries from her face, and her adulteries from between her breasts;
פן־אפשיטנה ערמה והצגתיה כיום הולדה ושמתיה כמדבר ושתה כארץ ציה והמתיה בצמא׃ ה 5 Lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day that she was born, and make her as a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst.
ואת־בניה לא ארחם כי־בני זנונים המה׃ ו 6 And I will not have compassion upon her children; for they are children of harlotry.
כי זנתה אמם הבישה הורתם כי אמרה אלכה אחרי מאהבי נתני לחמי ומימי צמרי ופשתי שמני ושקויי׃ ז 7 For their mother hath played the harlot, she that conceived them hath done shamefully; for she said: 'I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.'
לכן הנני־שך את־דרכך בסירים וגדרתי את־גדרה ונתיבותיה לא תמצא׃ ח 8 Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and I will make a wall against her, that she shall not find her paths.
ורדפה את־מאהביה ולא־תשיג אתם ובקשתם ולא תמצא ואמרה אלכה ואשובה אל־אישי הראשון כי טוב לי אז מעתה׃ ט 9 And she shall run after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them, and she shall seek them, but shall not find them; then shall she say: 'I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now.'
והיא לא ידעה כי אנכי נתתי לה הדגן והתירוש והיצהר וכסף הרביתי לה וזהב עשו לבעל׃ י 10 For she did not know that it was I that gave her the corn, and the wine, and the oil, and multiplied unto her silver and gold, which they used for Baal.
לכן אשוב ולקחתי דגני בעתו ותירושי במועדו והצלתי צמרי ופשתי לכסות את־ערותה׃ יא 11 Therefore will I take back My corn in the time thereof, and My wine in the season thereof, and will snatch away My wool and My flax given to cover her nakedness.
ועתה אגלה את־נבלתה לעיני מאהביה ואיש לא־יצילנה מידי׃ יב 12 And now will I uncover her shame in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of My hand.
והשבתי כל־משושה חגה חדשה ושבתה וכל מועדה׃ יג 13 I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feasts, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her appointed seasons.
והשמתי גפנה ותאנתה אשר אמרה אתנה המה לי אשר נתנו־לי מאהבי ושמתים ליער ואכלתם חית השדה׃ יד 14 And I will lay waste her vines and her fig-trees, whereof she hath said: 'These are my hire that my lovers have given me'; and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them.
ופקדתי עליה את־ימי הבעלים אשר תקטיר להם ותעד נזמה וחליתה ותלך אחרי מאהביה ואתי שכחה נאם־יהוה׃ פ יה 15 And I will visit upon her the days of the Baalim, wherein she offered unto them, and decked herself with her ear-rings and her jewels, and went after her lovers, and forgot Me, saith Yehovah. {S}
לכן הנה אנכי מפתיה והלכתיה המדבר ודברתי על לבה׃ יו 16 Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly unto her.
ונתתי לה את־כרמיה משם ואת־עמק עכור לפתח תקוה וענתה שמה כימי נעוריה וכיום עלתה מארץ־מצרים׃ ס יז 17 And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope; and she shall respond there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.
והיה ביום־ההוא נאם־יהוה תקראי אישי ולא־תקראי־לי עוד בעלי׃ יח 18 And it shall be at that day, saith Yehovah, that thou shalt call Me Ishi, and shalt call Me no more Baali.
והסרתי את־שמות הבעלים מפיה ולא־יזכרו עוד בשמם׃ יט 19 For I will take away the names of the Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be mentioned by their name.
וכרתי להם ברית ביום ההוא עם־חית השדה ועם־עוף השמים ורמש האדמה וקשת וחרב ומלחמה אשבור מן־הארץ והשכבתים לבטח׃ כ 20 And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground; and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the land, and will make them to lie down safely.
וארשתיך לי לעולם וארשתיך לי בצדק ובמשפט ובחסד וברחמים׃ כא 21 And I will betroth thee unto Me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto Me in righteousness, and in justice, and in lovingkindness, and in compassion.
וארשתיך לי באמונה וידעת את־יהוה׃ ס כב 22 And I will betroth thee unto Me in faithfulness; and thou shalt know Yehovah. {P}
והיה ׀ ביום ההוא אענה נאם־יהוה אענה את־השמים והם יענו את־הארץ׃ כג 23 And it shall come to pass in that day, I will respond, saith Yehovah, I will respond to the heavens, and they shall respond to the earth;
והארץ תענה את־הדגן ואת־התירוש ואת־היצהר והם יענו את־יזרעאל׃ כד 24 And the earth shall respond to the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall respond to Jezreel.
וזרעתיה לי בארץ ורחמתי את־לא רחמה ואמרתי ללא־עמי עמי־אתה והוא יאמר אלהי׃ פ כה 25 And I will sow her unto Me in the land; and I will have compassion upon her that had not obtained compassion; and I will say to them that were not My people: 'Thou art My people'; and they shall say: 'Thou art my God.' {P}



Chapter 3

ויאמר יהוה אלי עוד לך אהב־אשה אהבת רע ומנאפת כאהבת יהוה את־בני ישראל והם פנים אל־אלהים אחרים ואהבי אשישי ענבים׃ א 1 And Yehovah said unto me: 'Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend and an adulteress, even as Yehovah loveth the children of Israel, though they turn unto other gods, and love cakes of raisins.
ואכרה לי בחמשה עשר כסף וחמר שערים ולתך שערים׃ ב 2 So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver and a homer of barley, and a half-homer of barley;
ואמר אליה ימים רבים תשבי לי לא תזני ולא תהיי לאיש וגם־אני אליך׃ ג 3 and I said unto her: 'Thou shalt sit solitary for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be any man's wife; nor will I be thine.'
כי ׀ ימים רבים ישבו בני ישראל אין מלך ואין שר ואין זבח ואין מצבה ואין אפוד ותרפים׃ ד 4 For the children of Israel shall sit solitary many days without king, and without prince, and without sacrifice, and without pillar, and without ephod or teraphim;
אחר ישבו בני ישראל ובקשו את־יהוה אלהיהם ואת דוד מלכם ופחדו אל־יהוה ואל־טובו באחרית הימים׃ פ ה 5 afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek Yehovah their God, and David their king; and shall come trembling unto Yehovah and to His goodness in the end of days. {P}

Chapter 4

שמעו דבר־יהוה בני ישראל כי ריב ליהוה עם־יושבי הארץ כי אין־אמת ואין־חסד ואין־דעת אלהים בארץ׃ א 1 Hear the word of Yehovah, ye children of Israel! for Yehovah hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.
אלה וכחש ורצח וגנב ונאף פרצו ודמים בדמים נגעו׃ ב 2 Swearing and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery! they break all bounds, and blood toucheth blood.
על־כן ׀ תאבל הארץ ואמלל כל־יושב בה בחית השדה ובעוף השמים וגם־דגי הים יאספו׃ ג 3 Therefore doth the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein doth languish, with the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also are taken away.
אך איש אל־ירב ואל־יוכח איש ועמך כמריבי כהן׃ ד 4 Yet let no man strive, neither let any man reprove; for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.
וכשלת היום וכשל גם־נביא עמך לילה ודמיתי אמך׃ ה 5 Therefore shalt thou stumble in the day, and the prophet also shall stumble with thee in the night; and I will destroy thy mother.
נדמו עמי מבלי הדעת כי־אתה הדעת מאסת ואמאסאך מכהן לי ותשכח תורת אלהיך אשכח בניך גם־אני׃ ו 6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to Me; seeing thou hast forgotten the Torah of thy God, I also will forget thy children.
כרבם כן חטאו־לי כבודם בקלון אמיר׃ ז 7 The more they were increased, the more they sinned against Me; I will change their glory into shame.
חטאת עמי יאכלו ואל־עונם ישאו נפשו׃ ח 8 They feed on the sin of My people, and set their heart on their iniquity.
והיה כעם ככהן ופקדתי עליו דרכיו ומעלליו אשיב לו׃ ט 9 And it is like people, like priest; and I will punish him for his ways, and will recompense him his doings.
ואכלו ולא ישבעו הזנו ולא יפרצו כי־את־יהוה עזבו לשמר׃ י 10 And they shall eat, and not have enough, they shall commit harlotry, and shall not increase; because they have left off to take heed to Yehovah.
זנות ויין ותירוש יקח־לב׃ יא 11 Harlotry, wine, and new wine take away the heart.
עמי בעצו ישאל ומקלו יגיד לו כי רוח זנונים התעה ויזנו מתחת אלהיהם׃ יב 12 My people ask counsel at their stock, and their staff declareth unto them; for the spirit of harlotry hath caused them to err, and they have gone astray from under their God.
על־ראשי ההרים יזבחו ועל־הגבעות יקטרו תחת אלון ולבנה ואלה כי טוב צלה על־כן תזנינה בנותיכם וכלותיכם תנאפנה׃ יג 13 They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and offer upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and terebinths, because the shadow thereof is good; therefore your daughters commit harlotry, and your daughters-in-law commit adultery.
לא־אפקוד על־בנותיכם כי תזנינה ועל־כלותיכם כי תנאפנה כי־הם עם־הזנות יפרדו ועם־הקדשות יזבחו ועם לא־יבין ילבט׃ יד 14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit harlotry, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery; for they themselves consort with lewd women, and they sacrifice with harlots; and the people that is without understanding is distraught.
אם־זנה אתה ישראל אל־יאשם יהודה ואל־תבאו הגלגל ואל־תעלו בית און ואל־תשבעו חי־יהוה׃ יה 15 Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah become guilty; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Beth-aven, nor swear: 'As Yehovah liveth.'
כי כפרה סררה סרר ישראל עתה ירעם יהוה ככבש במרחב׃ יו 16 For Israel is stubborn like a stubborn heifer; now shall Yehovah feed them as a lamb in a large place?
חבור עצבים אפרים הנח־לו׃ יז 17 Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone.
סר סבאם הזנה הזנו אהבו הבו קלון מגניה׃ יח 18 When their carouse is over, they take to harlotry; her rulers deeply love dishonour.
צרר רוח אותה בכנפיה ויבשו מזבחותם ס יט 19 The wind hath bound her up in her skirts; and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices. {P}



Chapter 5

שמעו־זאת הכהנים והקשיבו ׀ בית ישראל ובית המלך האזינו כי לכם המשפט כי־פח הייתם למצפה ורשת פרושה על־תבור׃ א 1 Hear this, O ye priests, and attend, ye house of Israel, and give ear, O house of the king, for unto you pertaineth the judgment; for ye have been a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor.
ושחטה שטים העמיקו ואני מוסר לכלם׃ ב 2 And they that fall away are gone deep in making slaughter; and I am rejected of them all.
אני ידעתי אפרים וישראל לא־נכחד ממני כי עתה הזנית אפרים נטמא ישראל׃ ג 3 I, even I, know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from Me; for now, O Ephraim, thou hast committed harlotry, Israel is defiled.
לא יתנו מעלליהם לשוב אל־אלהיהם כי רוח זנונים בקרבם ואת־יהוה לא ידעו׃ ד 4 Their doings will not suffer them to return unto their God; for the spirit of harlotry is within them, and they know not Yehovah.
וענה גאון־ישראל בפניו וישראל ואפרים יכשלו בעונם כשל גם־יהודה עמם׃ ה 5 But the pride of Israel shall testify to his face; and Israel and Ephraim shall stumble in their iniquity, Judah also shall stumble with them.
בצאנם ובבקרם ילכו לבקש את־יהוה ולא ימצאו חלץ מהם׃ ו 6 With their flocks and with their herds they shall go to seek Yehovah, but they shall not find Him; He hath withdrawn Himself from them.
ביהוה בגדו כי־בנים זרים ילדו עתה יאכלם חדש את־חלקיהם׃ ס ז 7 They have dealt treacherously against Yehovah, for they have begotten strange children; now shall the new moon devour them with their portions. {S}
תקעו שופר בגבעה חצצרה ברמה הריעו בית און אחריך בנימין׃ ח 8 Blow ye the horn in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah; sound an alarm at Beth-aven: 'Behind thee, O Benjamin!'
אפרים לשמה תהיה ביום תוכחה בשבטי ישראל הודעתי נאמנה׃ ט 9 Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke; among the tribes of Israel do I make known that which shall surely be.
היו שרי יהודה כמסיגי גבול עליהם אשפוך כמים עברתי׃ י 10 The princes of Judah are like them that remove the landmark; I will pour out My wrath upon them like water.
עשוק אפרים רצוץ משפט כי הואיל הלך אחרי־צו׃ יא 11 Oppressed is Ephraim, crushed in his right; because he willingly walked after filth.
ואני כעש לאפרים וכרקב לבית יהודה׃ יב 12 Therefore am I unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.
וירא אפרים את־חליו ויהודה את־מזרו וילך אפרים אל־אשור וישלח אל־מלך ירב והוא לא יוכל לרפא לכם ולא־יגהה מכם מזור׃ יג 13 And when Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound, Ephraim went to Assyria, and sent to King Contentious; but he is not able to heal you, neither shall he cure you of your wound.
כי אנכי כשחל לאפרים וככפיר לבית יהודה אני אני אטרף ואלך אשא ואין מציל׃ יד 14 For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah; I, even I, will tear and go away, I will take away, and there shall be none to deliver.
אלך אשובה אל־מקומי עד אשר־יאשמו ובקשו פני בצר להם ישחרנני׃ יה 15 I will go and return to My place, till they acknowledge their guilt, and seek My face; in their trouble they will seek Me earnestly:

Chapter 6

לכו ונשובה אל־יהוה כי הוא טרף וירפאנו יך ויחבשנו׃ א 1 'Come, and let us return unto Yehovah; for He hath torn, and He will heal us, He hath smitten, and He will bind us up.
יחינו מימים ביום השלישי יקמנו ונחיה לפניו׃ ב 2 After two days will He revive us, on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His presence.
ונדעה נרדפה לדעת את־יהוה כשחר נכון מוצאו ויבוא כגשם לנו כמלקוש יורה ארץ׃ ג 3 And let us know, eagerly strive to know Yehovah, His going forth is sure as the morning; and He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth.'
מה אעשה־לך אפרים מה אעשה־לך יהודה וחסדכם כענן־בקר וכטל משכים הלך׃ ד 4 O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the dew that early passeth away.
על־כן חצבתי בנביאים הרגתים באמרי־פי ומשפטיך אור יצא׃ ה 5 Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of My mouth; and thy judgment goeth forth as the light.
כי חסד חפצתי ולא־זבח ודעת אלהים מעלות׃ ו 6 For I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt-offerings.
והמה כאדם עברו ברית שם בגדו בי׃ ז 7 But they like men have transgressed the covenant; there have they dealt treacherously against Me.
גלעד קרית פעלי און עקבה מדם׃ ח 8 Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, it is covered with footprints of blood.
וכחכי איש גדודים חבר כהנים דרך ירצחו־שכמה כי זמה עשו׃ ט 9 And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so doth the company of priests; they murder in the way toward Shechem; yea, they commit enormity.
בבית ישראל ראיתי שערוריה שעריריה שם זנות לאפרים נטמא ישראל׃ י 10 In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing; there harlotry is found in Ephraim, Israel is defiled.
גם־יהודה שת קציר לך בשובי שבות עמי׃ פ יא 11 Also, O Judah, there is a harvest appointed for thee! When I would turn the captivity of My people, {P}

Chapter 7

כרפאי לישראל ונגלה עון אפרים ורעות שמרון כי פעלו שקר וגנב יבוא פשט גדוד בחוץ׃ א 1 when I would heal Israel, then is the iniquity of Ephraim uncovered, and the wickedness of Samaria, for they commit falsehood; and the thief entereth in, and the troop of robbers maketh a raid without.
ובל־יאמרו ללבבם כל־רעתם זכרתי עתה סבבום מעלליהם נגד פני היו׃ ב 2 And let them not say to their heart--I remember all their wickedness; now their own doings have beset them about, they are before My face.
ברעתם ישמחו־מלך ובכחשיהם שרים׃ ג 3 They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.
כלם מנאפים כמו תנור בערה מאפה ישבות מעיר מלוש בצק עד־חמצתו׃ ד 4 They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth to stir from the kneading of the dough until it be leavened.
יום מלכנו החלו שרים חמת מיין משך ידו את־לצצים׃ ה 5 On the day of our king the princes make him sick with the heat of wine, he stretcheth out his hand with scorners.
כי־קרבו כתנור לבם בארבם כל־הלילה ישן אפהם בקר הוא בער כאש להבה׃ ו 6 For they have made ready their heart like an oven, while they lie in wait; their baker sleepeth all the night, in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.
כלם יחמו כתנור ואכלו את־שפטיהם כל־מלכיהם נפלו אין־קרא בהם אלי׃ ז 7 They are all hot as an oven, and devour their judges; all their kings are fallen, there is none among them that calleth unto Me.
אפרים בעמים הוא יתבולל אפרים היה עגה בלי הפוכה׃ ח 8 Ephraim, he mixeth himself with the peoples; Ephraim is become a cake not turned.
אכלו זרים כחו והוא לא ידע גם־שיבה זרקה בו והוא לא ידע׃ ט 9 Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not; yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, and he knoweth it not.
וענה גאון־ישראל בפניו ולא־שבו אל־יהוה אלהיהם ולא בקשהו בכל־זאת׃ י 10 And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face; but they have not returned unto Yehovah their God, nor sought Him, for all this.
ויהי אפרים כיונה פותה אין לב מצרים קראו אשור הלכו׃ יא 11 And Ephraim is become like a silly dove, without understanding; they call unto Egypt, they go to Assyria.
כאשר ילכו אפרוש עליהם רשתי כעוף השמים אורידם איסרם כשמע לעדתם׃ ס יב 12 Even as they go, I will spread My net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their congregation hath been made to hear. {S}
אוי להם כי־נדדו ממני שד להם כי־פשעו בי ואנכי אפדם והמה דברו עלי כזבים׃ יג 13 Woe unto them! for they have strayed from Me; Destruction unto them! for they have transgressed against Me; Shall I then redeem them, seeing they have spoken lies against Me?
ולא־זעקו אלי בלבם כי יילילו על־משכבותם על־דגן ותירוש יתגוררו יסורו בי׃ יד 14 And they have not cried unto Me with their heart, though they wail upon their beds; they assemble themselves for corn and wine, they rebel against Me.
ואני יסרתי חזקתי זרועתם ואלי יחשבו־רע׃ יה 15 Though I have trained and strengthened their arms, yet do they devise evil against Me.
ישובו ׀ לא על היו כקשת רמיה יפלו בחרב שריהם מזעם לשונם זו לעגם בארץ מצרים׃ יו 16 They return, but not upwards; they are become like a deceitful bow; their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue; this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

Chapter 8

אל־חכך שפר כנשר על־בית יהוה יען עברו בריתי ועל־תורתי פשעו׃ א 1 Set the horn to thy mouth. As a vulture he cometh against the house of Yehovah; because they have transgressed My covenant, and trespassed against My Torah.
לי יזעקו אלהי ידענוך ישראל׃ ב 2 Will they cry unto Me: 'My God, we Israel know Thee'?
זנח ישראל טוב אויב ירדפו׃ ג 3 Israel hath cast off that which is good; the enemy shall pursue him.
הם המליכו ולא ממני השירו ולא ידעתי כספם וזהבם עשו להם עצבים למען יכרת׃ ד 4 They have set up kings, but not from Me, they have made princes, and I knew it not; of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off.
זנח עגלך שמרון חרה אפי בם עד־מתי לא יוכלו נקין׃ ה 5 Thy calf, O Samaria, is cast off; Mine anger is kindled against them; how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?
כי מישראל והוא חרש עשהו ולא אלהים הוא כי־שבבים יהיה עגל שמרון׃ ו 6 For from Israel is even this: the craftsman made it, and it is no God; yea, the calf of Samaria shall be broken in shivers.
כי רוח יזרעו וסופתה יקצרו קמה אין־לו צמח בלי יעשה־קמח אולי יעשה זרים יבלעהו׃ ז 7 For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind; it hath no stalk, the bud that shall yield no meal; if so be it yield, strangers shall swallow it up.
נבלע ישראל עתה היו בגוים ככלי אין־חפץ בו׃ ח 8 Israel is swallowed up; now are they become among the nations as a vessel wherein is no value.
כי־המה עלו אשור פרא בודד לו אפרים התנו אהבים ט 9 For they are gone up to Assyria, like a wild ass alone by himself; Ephraim hath hired lovers.
גם כי־יתנו בגוים עתה אקבצם ויחלו מעט ממשא מלך שרים׃ י 10 Yea, though they hire among the nations, now will I gather them up; and they begin to be minished by reason of the burden of king and princes.
כי־הרבה אפרים מזבחת לחטא היו־לו מזבחות לחטא׃ יא 11 For Ephraim hath multiplied altars to sin, yea, altars have been unto him to sin.
אֶ֨כְתָּב־ל֔וֹ אכתוב רֻבֵּ֖י רבו תּֽוֹרָתִ֑י כְּמוֹ־זָ֖ר נֶחְשָֽׁבוּ׃ יב 12 Though I write for him never so many things of My Torah, they are accounted as a stranger's.
זבחי הבהבי יזבחו בשר ויאכלו יהוה לא רצם עתה יזכר עונם ויפקד חטאותם המה מצרים ישובו׃ יג 13 As for the sacrifices that are made by fire unto Me, let them sacrifice flesh and eat it, for Yehovah accepteth them not. Now will He remember their iniquity, and punish their sins; they shall return to Egypt.
וישכח ישראל את־עשהו ויבן היכלות ויהודה הרבה ערים בצרות ושלחתי־אש בעריו ואכלה ארמנתיה׃ ס יד 14 For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and builded palaces, and Judah hath multiplied fortified cities; but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the castles thereof. {P}



Chapter 9

אל־תשמח ישראל ׀ אל־גיל כעמים כי זנית מעל אלהיך אהבת אתנן על כל־גרנות דגן׃ א 1 Rejoice not, O Israel, unto exultation, like the peoples, for thou hast gone astray from thy God, thou hast loved a harlot's hire upon every corn-floor.
גרן ויקב לא ירעם ותירוש יכחש בה׃ ב 2 The threshing-floor and the wine-press shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail her.
לא ישבו בארץ יהוה ושב אפרים מצרים ובאשור טמא יאכלו׃ ג 3 They shall not dwell in Yehovah's land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean food in Assyria.
לא־יסכו ליהוה ׀ יין ולא יערבו־לו זבחיהם כלחם אונים להם כל־אכליו יטמאו כי־לחמם לנפשם לא יבוא בית יהוה׃ ד 4 They shall not pour out wine-offerings to Yehovah, neither shall they be pleasing unto Him; their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners, all that eat thereof shall be polluted; for their bread shall be for their appetite, it shall not come into the house of Yehovah.
מה־תעשו ליום מועד וליום חג־יהוה׃ ה 5 What will ye do in the day of the appointed season, and in the day of the feast of Yehovah?
כי־הנה הלכו משד מצרים תקבצם מף תקברם מחמד לכספם קמוש יירשם חוח באהליהם׃ ו 6 For, lo, they are gone away from destruction, yet Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them; their precious treasures of silver, nettles shall possess them, thorns shall be in their tents.
באו ׀ ימי הפקדה באו ימי השלם ידעו ישראל אויל הנביא משגע איש הרוח על רב עונך ורבה משטמה׃ ז 7 The days of visitation are come, the days of recompense are come, Israel shall know it. The prophet is a fool, the man of the spirit is mad! For the multitude of thine iniquity, the enmity is great.
צפה אפרים עם־אלהי נביא פח יקוש על־כל־דרכיו משטמה בבית אלהיו׃ ח 8 Ephraim is a watchman with my God; as for the prophet, a fowler's snare is in all his ways, and enmity in the house of his God.
העמיקו־שחתו כימי הגבעה יזכור עונם יפקוד חטאותם׃ ס ט 9 They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah; He will remember their iniquity, He will punish their sins. {S}
כענבים במדבר מצאתי ישראל כבכורה בתאנה בראשיתה ראיתי אבותיכם המה באו בעל־פעור וינזרו לבשת ויהיו שקוצים כאהבם׃ י 10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness, I saw your fathers as the first-ripe in the fig-tree at her first season; but so soon as they came to Baal-peor, they separated themselves unto the shameful thing, and became detestable like that which they loved.
אפרים כעוף יתעופף כבודם מלדה ומבטן ומהריון׃ יא 11 As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird; there shall be no birth, and none with child, and no conception.
כי אם־יגדלו את־בניהם ושכלתים מאדם כי־גם־אוי להם בשורי מהם׃ יב 12 Yea, though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there be not a man left; yea, woe also to them when I depart from them!
אפרים כאשר־ראיתי לצור שתולה בנוה ואפרים להוציא אל־הרג בניו׃ יג 13 Ephraim, like as I have seen Tyre, is planted in a pleasant place; but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the slayer.
תן־להם יהוה מה־תתן תן־להם רחם משכיל ושדים צמקים׃ יד 14 Give them, Yehovah, whatsoever Thou wilt give; give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.
כל־רעתם בגלגל כי־שם שנאתים על רע מעלליהם מביתי אגרשם לא אוסף אהבתם כל־שריהם סררים׃ יה 15 All their wickedness is in Gilgal, for there I hated them; because of the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of My house; I will love them no more, all their princes are rebellious.
הכה אפרים שרשם יבש פרי בל־יעשון בלי גם כי ילדון והמתי מחמדי בטנם׃ ס יו 16 Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit; yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay the beloved fruit of their womb.
ימאסם אלהי כי לא שמעו לו ויהיו נדדים בגוים׃ ס יז 17 My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto Him; and they shall be wanderers among the nations. {S}



Chapter 10

גפן בוקק ישראל פרי ישוה־לו כרב לפריו הרבה למזבחות כטוב לארצו היטיבו מצבות׃ א 1 Israel was a luxuriant vine, which put forth fruit freely: as his fruit increased, he increased his altars; the more goodly his land was, the more goodly were his pillars.
חלק לבם עתה יאשמו הוא יערף מזבחותם ישדד מצבותם׃ ב 2 Their heart is divided; now shall they bear their guilt; He will break down their altars, He will spoil their pillars.
כי עתה יאמרו אין מלך לנו כי לא יראנו את־יהוה והמלך מה־יעשה־לנו׃ ג 3 Surely now shall they say: 'We have no king; for we feared not Yehovah; and the king, what can he do for us?'
דברו דברים אלות שוא כרת ברית ופרח כראש משפט על תלמי שדי׃ ד 4 They speak words, they swear falsely, they make covenants; thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.
לעגלות בית און יגורו שכן שמרון כי־אבל עליו עמו וכמריו עליו יגילו על־כבודו כי־גלה ממנו׃ ה 5 The inhabitants of Samaria shall be in dread for the calves of Beth-aven; for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests thereof shall tremble for it, for its glory, because it is departed from it.
גם־אותו לאשור יובל מנחה למלך ירב בשנה אפרים יקח ויבוש ישראל מעצתו׃ ו 6 It also shall be carried unto Assyria, for a present to King Contentious; Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.
נדמה שמרון מלכה כקצף על־פני־מים׃ ז 7 As for Samaria, her king is cut off, as foam upon the water.
ונשמדו במות און חטאת ישראל קוץ ודרדר יעלה על־מזבחותם ואמרו להרים כסונו ולגבעות נפלו עלינו׃ ס ח 8 The high places also of Aven shall be destroyed, even the sin of Israel. The thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains: 'Cover us', and to the hills: 'Fall on us.' {P}
מימי הגבעה חטאת ישראל שם עמדו לא־תשיגם בגבעה מלחמה על־בני עלוה׃ ט 9 From the days of Gibeah thou hast sinned, O Israel; there they stood; no battle was to overtake them in Gibeah, nor the children of arrogancy.
באותי ואסרם ואספו עליהם עמים באסרם לשתי עונתם עינתם׃ י 10 When it is My desire, I will chastise them; and the peoples shall be gathered against them, when they are yoked to their two rings.
ואפרים עגלה מלמדה אהבתי לדוש ואני עברתי על־טוב צוארה ארכיב אפרים יחרוש יהודה ישדד־לו יעקב׃ יא 11 And Ephraim is a heifer well broken, that loveth to thresh, and I have passed over upon her fair neck; I will make Ephraim to ride, Judah shall plow, Jacob shall break his clods.
זרעו לכם לצדקה קצרו לפי־חסד נירו לכם ניר ועת לדרוש את־יהוה עד־יבוא וירה צדק לכם׃ יב 12 Sow to yourselves according to righteousness, reap according to mercy, break up your fallow ground; for it is time to seek Yehovah, till He come and cause righteousness to rain upon you.
חרשתם־רשע עולתה קצרתם אכלתם פרי־כחש כי־בטחת בדרכך ברב גבוריך׃ יג 13 Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity, ye have eaten the fruit of lies; for thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men.
וקאם שאון בעמך וכל־מבצריך יושד כשד שלמן בית ארבאל ביום מלחמה אם על־בנים רטשה׃ יד 14 Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy hosts, and all thy fortresses shall be spoiled, as Shalman spoiled Beth-arbel in the day of battle; the mother was dashed in pieces with her children.
ככה עשה לכם בית־אל מפני רעת רעתכם בשחר נדמה נדמה מלך ישראל׃ יה 15 So hath Beth-el done unto you because of your great wickedness; at daybreak is the king of Israel utterly cut off.



Chapter 11

כי נער ישראל ואהבהו וממצרים קראתי לבני׃ א 1 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son.
קראו להם כן הלכו מפניהם לבעלים יזבחו ולפסלים יקטרון׃ ב 2 The more they called them, the more they went from them; they sacrificed unto the Baalim, and offered to graven images.
ואנכי תרגלתי לאפרים קחם על־זרועתיו ולא ידעו כי רפאתים׃ ג 3 And I, I taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.
בחבלי אדם אמשכם בעבתות אהבה ואהיה להם כמרימי על על לחיהם ואט אליו אוכיל׃ ד 4 I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love; and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I fed them gently.
לא ישוב אל־ארץ מצרים ואשור הוא מלכו כי מאנו לשוב׃ ה 5 He shall not return into the land of Egypt, but the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to return.
וחלה חרב בעריו וכלתה בדיו ואכלה ממעצותיהם׃ ו 6 And the sword shall fall upon his cities, and shall consume his bars, and devour them, because of their own counsels.
ועמי תלואים למשובתי ואל־על יקראהו יחד לא ירומם׃ ז 7 And My people are in suspense about returning to Me; and though they call them upwards, none at all will lift himself up.
איך אתנך אפרים אמגנך ישראל איך אתנך כאדמה אשימך כצבאים נהפך עלי לבי יחד נכמרו נחומי׃ ח 8 How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? How shall I surrender thee, Israel? How shall I make thee as Admah? How shall I set thee as Zeboim? My heart is turned within Me, My compassions are kindled together.
לא אעשה חרון אפי לא אשוב לשחת אפרים כי אל אנכי ולא־איש בקרבך קדוש ולא אבוא בעיר׃ ט 9 I will not execute the fierceness of Mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim; for I am God, and not man, the Holy One in the midst of thee; and I will not come in fury.
אחרי יהוה ילכו כאריה ישאג כי־הוא ישאג ויחרדו בנים מים׃ י 10 They shall walk after Yehovah, who shall roar like a lion; for He shall roar, and the children shall come trembling from the west.
יחרדו כצפור ממצרים וכיונה מארץ אשור והושבתים על־בתיהם נאם־יהוה׃ ס יא 11 They shall come trembling as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria; and I will make them to dwell in their houses, saith Yehovah. {S}



Chapter 12

סבבני בכחש אפרים ובמרמה בית ישראל ויהודה עד רד עם־אל ועם־קדושים נאמן׃ א 1 Ephraim compasseth Me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit; and Judah is yet wayward towards God, and towards the Holy One who is faithful.
אפרים רעה רוח ורדף קדים כל־היום כזב ושד ירבה וברית עם־אשור יכרתו ושמן למצרים יובל׃ ב 2 Ephraim striveth after wind, and followeth after the east wind; all the day he multiplieth lies and desolation; and they make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried into Egypt.
וריב ליהוה עם־יהודה ולפקד על־יעקב כדרכיו כמעלליו ישיב לו׃ ג 3 Yehovah hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways, according to his doings will He recompense him.
בבטן עקב את־אחיו ובאונו שרה את־אלהים׃ ד 4 In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and by his strength he strove with a godlike being;
וישר אל־מלאך ויכל בכה ויתחנן־לו בית־אל ימצאנו ושם ידבר עמנו׃ ה 5 So he strove with an angel, and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication unto him; at Beth-el he would find him, and there he would speak with us;
ויהוה אלהי הצבאות יהוה זכרו׃ ו 6 But Yehovah, the God of hosts, Yehovah is His name.
ואתה באלהיך תשוב חסד ומשפט שמר וקוה אל־אלהיך תמיד׃ ז 7 Therefore turn thou to thy God; keep mercy and justice, and wait for thy God continually.
כנען בידו מאזני מרמה לעשק אהב׃ ח 8 As for the trafficker, the balances of deceit are in his hand. He loveth to oppress.
ויאמר אפרים אך עשרתי מצאתי און לי כל־יגיעי לא ימצאו־לי עון אשר־חטא׃ ט 9 And Ephraim said: 'Surely I am become rich, I have found me wealth; in all my labours they shall find in me no iniquity that were sin.'
ואנכי יהוה אלהיך מארץ מצרים עד אושיבך באהלים כימי מועד׃ י 10 But I am Yehovah thy God from the land of Egypt; I will yet again make thee to dwell in tents, as in the days of the appointed season.
ודברתי על־הנביאים ואנכי חזון הרביתי וביד הנביאים אדמה׃ יא 11 I have also spoken unto the prophets, and I have multiplied visions; and by the ministry of the prophets have I used similitudes.
אם־גלעד און אך־שוא היו בגלגל שורים זבחו גם מזבחותם כגלים על תלמי שדי׃ יב 12 If Gilead be given to iniquity becoming altogether vanity, in Gilgal they sacrifice unto bullocks; yea, their altars shall be as heaps in the furrows of the field.
ויברח יעקב שדה ארם ויעבד ישראל באשה ובאשה שמר׃ יג 13 And Jacob fled into the field of Aram, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.
ובנביא העלה יהוה את־ישראל ממצרים ובנביא נשמר׃ יד 14 And by a prophet Yehovah brought Israel up out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he kept.
הכעיס אפרים תמרורים ודמיו עליו יטוש וחרפתו ישיב לו אדניו׃ יה 15 Ephraim hath provoked most bitterly; therefore shall his blood be cast upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him.

Chapter 13

כדבר אפרים רתת נשא הוא בישראל ויאשם בבעל וימת׃ א 1 When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he became guilty through Baal, he died.
ועתה ׀ יוספו לחטא ויעשו להם מסכה מכספם כתבונם עצבים מעשה חרשים כלה להם הם אמרים זבחי אדם עגלים ישקון׃ ב 2 And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, according to their own understanding, even idols, all of them the work of the craftsmen; of them they say: 'They that sacrifice men kiss calves.'
לכן יהיו כענן־בקר וכטל משכים הלך כמץ יסער מגרן וכעשן מארבה׃ ג 3 Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the dew that early passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with the wind out of the threshing-floor, and as the smoke out of the window.
ואנכי יהוה אלהיך מארץ מצרים ואלהים זולתי לא תדע ומושיע אין בלתי׃ ד 4 Yet I am Yehovah thy God from the land of Egypt; and thou knowest no God but Me, and beside Me there is no saviour.
אני ידעתיך במדבר בארץ תלאבות׃ ה 5 I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought.
כמרעיתם וישבעו שבעו וירם לבם על־כן שכחוני׃ ו 6 When they were fed, they became full, they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten Me.
ואהי להם כמו־שחל כנמר על־דרך אשור׃ ז 7 Therefore am I become unto them as a lion; as a leopard will I watch by the way;
אפגשם כדב שכול ואקרע סגור לבם ואכלם שם כלביא חית השדה תבקעם׃ ח 8 I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and will rend the enclosure of their heart; and there will I devour them like a lioness; the wild beast shall tear them.
שחתך ישראל כי־בי בעזרך׃ ט 9 It is thy destruction, O Israel, that thou art against Me, against thy help.
אהי מלכך אפוא ויושיעך בכל־עריך ושפטיך אשר אמרת תנה־לי מלך ושרים׃ י 10 Ho, now, thy king, that he may save thee in all thy cities! and thy judges, of whom thou saidst: 'Give me a king and princes!'
אתן־לך מלך באפי ואקח בעברתי׃ ס יא 11 I give thee a king in Mine anger, and take him away in My wrath. {P}
צרור עון אפרים צפונה חטאתו׃ יב 12 The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is laid up in store.
חבלי יולדה יבאו לו הוא־בן לא חכם כי־עת לא־יעמד במשבר בנים׃ יג 13 The throes of a travailing woman shall come upon him; he is an unwise son; for it is time he should not tarry in the place of the breaking forth of children.
מיד שאול אפדם ממות אגאלם אהי דבריך מות אהי קטבך שאול נחם יסתר מעיני׃ יד 14 Shall I ransom them from the power of the nether-world? Shall I redeem them from death? Ho, thy plagues, O death! Ho, thy destruction, O nether-world! Repentance be hid from Mine eyes!
כי הוא בן אחים יפריא יבוא קדים רוח יהוה ממדבר עלה ויבוש מקורו ויחרב מעינו הוא ישסה אוצר כל־כלי חמדה׃ יה 15 For though he be fruitful among the reed-plants, an east wind shall come, the wind of Yehovah coming up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up; he shall spoil the treasure of all precious vessels.



Chapter 14

תאשם שמרון כי מרתה באלהיה בחרב יפלו עלליהם ירטשו והריותיו יבקעו׃ פ א 1 Samaria shall bear her guilt, for she hath rebelled against her God; they shall fall by the sword; their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up. {P}
שובה ישראל עד יהוה אלהיך כי כשלת בעונך׃ ב 2 Return, O Israel, unto Yehovah thy God; for thou hast stumbled in thine iniquity.
קחו עמכם דברים ושובו אל־יהוה אמרו אליו כל־תשא עון וקח־טוב ונשלמה פרים שפתינו׃ ג 3 Take with you words, and return unto Yehovah; say unto Him: 'Forgive all iniquity, and accept that which is good; so will we render for bullocks the offering of our lips.
אשור ׀ לא יושיענו על־סוס לא נרכב ולא־נאמר עוד אלהינו למעשה ידינו אשר־בך ירחם יתום׃ ד 4 Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses; neither will we call any more the work of our hands our gods; for in Thee the fatherless findeth mercy.'
ארפא משובתם אהבם נדבה כי שב אפי ממנו׃ ה 5 I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for Mine anger is turned away from him.
אהיה כטל לישראל יפרח כשושנה ויך שרשיו כלבנון׃ ו 6 I will be as the dew unto Israel; he shall blossom as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.
ילכו ינקותיו ויהי כזית הודו וריח לו כלבנון׃ ז 7 His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive-tree, and his fragrance as Lebanon.
ישבו ישבי בצלו יחיו דגן ויפרחו כגפן זכרו כיין לבנון׃ ס ח 8 They that dwell under his shadow shall again make corn to grow, and shall blossom as the vine; the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.
אפרים מה־לי עוד לעצבים אני עניתי ואשורנו אני כברוש רענן ממני פריך נמצא׃ ט 9 Ephraim [shall say]: 'What have I to do any more with idols?' As for Me, I respond and look on him; I am like a leafy cypress-tree; from Me is thy fruit found.
מי חכם ויבן אלה נבון וידעם כי־ישרים דרכי יהוה וצדקים ילכו בם ופשעים יכשלו בם׃ י 10 Whoso is wise, let him understand these things, whoso is prudent, let him know them. For the ways of Yehovah are right, and the just do walk in them; but transgressors do stumble therein. {P}


Tanakh
Book of Hosea, Chapter:   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14


TRANSLATION / PUBLICATION NOTES:
Tanakh (Hebrew Scriptures) :
Leningrad Codex Based Tanakh (aka Hebrew Scriptures) derived from:
"Electronic" Leningrad Codex obtained from www.tanach.us

Source for the Westminster Leningrad Codex (WLC) — Groves Center:
Maintained by the J.Alan Groves Center For Advanced Biblical Research.

(WLC) Unicode Conversion to Hebrew Font Encoding For Web Pages:
Written In C++ Programming Language
By Robert M. Pill
Copyright © 2005–2023 By Robert M. Pill, All Rights Reserved.

QEREKETIV
(What is Read —What is Written) :

Qere and Ketiv, from the Aramaic qere or q're, קְרֵי‎ ("[what is] read") and ketiv, or ketib, kethib, kethibh, kethiv, כְּתִיב‎ ("[what is] written"), also known as "keri uchesiv" or "keri uchetiv," refers to a system for marking differences between what is written in the consonantal text of the Hebrew Bible, as preserved by scribal tradition, and what is read. In such situations, the Qere is the technical orthographic device used to indicate the pronunciation of the words in the Masoretic text of the Hebrew language scriptures (Tanakh), while the Ketiv indicates their written form, as inherited from tradition.
SOURCE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qere_and_Ketiv

Q. What is the Qere and Ketiv and how does it relate to the Masoretes?
( see: http://jbtc.org/v08/Graves2003.html )


For PDF Of Above Link Click This Line!

A. Qere and Ketiv are orthographic devices that were used by the Masoretes,
i.e., Jewish scribes from the 6-10th centuries.

Qere means, "what is read," and ketiv means, "what is written".

It is found in existing Masoretic manuscripts dating to the 9th and 10th centuries, CE.

There are several forms of Qere / Ketiv, including:
ordinary, vowel, omitted, added, euphemistic, split, and qere perpetuum.

The ketiv that is most relevant is the vowel qere. In this case, the consonants are unchanged,
but different vowel signs are added and only the qere, i.e., what is read, is vocalized. ...

I Challenge The Rabbinic QEREKETIV System!
In January 2022, beginning with the "Accented" (Full Trop and Vowels), rendering I chose to repair defects in the html encodings which occurred with my mechanical conversion of the unicode multi-wide encoding from http://tanach.us. I also decided to rearrange the QereKetiv "system" with what I consider was the Masoretic intent in the first place!
The New KETIVqere Hebrew Rendering (ACCENTS)!
Thus, this current version uses the Ketiv, what is written, as the predominant rendering, while making the Qere, what the "rabbis" have commanded as Must Be Read instead, to be a minimalist secondary format (much as rabbis appear to have intended the Ketiv to be!).
One of the reasons I decided to take on this new rendering effort is that in my efforts to understand the nature of the rabbinic QereKetiv system I have not truly found a satisfactory explanation of why the "Qere" should always take precedence over the "Ketiv" in reading the Tanakh.

In fact, as I understand it, rabbinic "scribes", in examining the actual Aleppo and Leningrad Codices, appear to have taken upon themselves to adding the consonant only Qere in the margins upon the original manuscripts, where, in their "infinite wisdom" they have presumed themselves to be the greater authority!

Moreover, as rabbinic sources seem to indicate that the "Ketiv" should never be uttered, I have found instances, such as in Exodus 21:8, where I believe the "Qere" is blatantly INCORRECT — and that the "Ketiv" should be the preferred "reading", as if the Masoretes actually knew what they were doing all along!

In my own regular reading (Stone Edition Tanakh, Koren Publications Tanakh), my preference has been to read the "Ketiv" (what is written) and pretty much minimize the "Qere"! This is not easy to do because the predominant Qere is rendered as if it is the normative form, and the Ketiv follows, typically within brackets, as if it is the offensive variant (Stone Edition Tanakh)! In the Koren Publications Tanakh, the "Ketiv" is what is rendered in the margin, while the "Qere" is found in the regular text! Obviously, normal reading will typically ignore what the Masoretes wrote, the "Ketiv"!

As of January, 2022, and going forward, I intend to render the rabbinic additions of Qere in their current KETIVqere form found in the accented version. I consider this as to convey the intent of the Masoretes. However, I acknowledge that rabbis (talmudists) have expended much effort to obscure the written Torah as part of their regular practice; as they appear, to me, to view themselves collectively as אֱלֹהִ֔ים  Elohim. That is, I believe that those talmudists (rabbis), consider themselves collectively to be God!!! They certainly demand that their edicts (tachanot) are followed as if they are divinely inspired law!

If you find this of interest, please view the page on KETIVQERE Variants


The Jewish Publication Society of America "The Holy Scriptures According To The Masoretic Text (JPS 1917)" is in the public domain, and may be freely copied.

Notable Modifications
To The JPS 1917 Based English Scripture
In The-Iconoclast.org's Hebrew–English Tanakh:

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS!
In The-Iconoclast.org Modified Version Of the JPS 1917 Text, The Verse numbering has been altered to match the corresponding verses in the original Hebrew Scriptures of the actual Leningrad Codex for "The Ten Commandments" in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5!

For More Information Regarding 'The Ten Commandments', See the Page, Comparing The Ten Commandments Exodus 20 & Deuteronomy 5 In The Leningrad Codex

The Name יְהֹוָה  Yehovah
"Yehovah", The Name Of G-d In The Hebrew Scripures ('YHVH' י  'Yud', ה  'He', ו  'Vav', ה  'He', aka Tetragamaton) Is Used Instead of "LORD" (note: ALL CAPITAL LETTERS) As Found In The Original JPS 1917 Tanakh.

For More Information Regarding 'The Name', See the Page, The Name יְהֹוָה  [Yehovah] In The Aleppo And Leningrad Codices.

In Converting "LORD" to "Yehovah", I Counted A Total Of 5,553 Occurrences In The JPS 1917 Tanakh!

הָאָדֹ֥ן ׀ יְהוָֽה  ha Adon Yehovah
The Hebrew Phrase הָאָדֹ֥ן ׀ יְהוָֽה  Occurs In Only Two Places, In Exodus 23:17 and 34:23. In Those Cases, I Have Changed The Translation Wording From "Lord GOD" To "Lord GOD [ha Adon Yehovah]".

אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהֹוִֽה  Adonai Yehovi
Typically Translated As "Lord GOD", It Is A Much Less Common Form Of The Divine Name, יְהֹוָה  [Yehovah].

This Form אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהֹוִֽה  Is, Nevertheless, Quite Important In Understanding Pronounciation For The Divine Name, Especially Since The Hebrew Form For It Has NOT Undergone The Intense Scrutiny Of rabbinic Censorship As Has "Yehovah". Accordingly, The Hebrew Text For This Form Of 'The Name' Typically HAS NOT BEEN ALTERED In Jewish Publications That Actually Keep The Vowel Pointers From The Masoretic Text!

In Converting "Lord GOD" to "Lord GOD [Adonai Yehovi]", I Counted A Total Of 284 Occurrences In The JPS 1917 Tanakh. Of All Of Its Occurrences, The Fully Voweled Form Of The Hebrew אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהֹוִֽה  Appears 31 Times, And The Non–Fully Voweled Form אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה  (The Same Hebrew Letters, Minus Just The One 'Oh' Sounding Character, "The Holem", Which Follows The First 'He' In ( י  'Yud', ה  'He', ו  'Vav', ה  'He' ), Make Up All Other Occurrences.

תורה  Torah
The Word "Law" (Capital and lower case), As Found In The JPS 1917, Has Been Changed To "Torah" Where The Base Hebrew Letters תורה  Correspond To The Matching Verse In The Leningrad Codex (Masoretic Text)!

In Converting "Law" to "Torah", I Counted A Total Of 223 Occurrences In The JPS 1917 Tanakh!

Yerushalam, Yerush'lem and Yerushalayim

יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם  "Yerushalam"
The Word "Jerusalem" (the name of capital city in ancient Israel), As Found In The JPS 1917, Has Been Changed To Its Transliterated Equivalent, "Yerushalam" (note the 'am' ending), In All Places Where It Corresponds To [ יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם  ] In The Hebrew Text.
יְרוּשְׁלֶֽם  "Yerush'lem"
A Rare, Second Transliterated Form, "Yerush'lem" (note the 'em' ending), Has Been Changed From "Jerusalem" Where The Hebrew Letters Spell Out The Aramaic Form [ יְרוּשְׁלֶֽם  ] Found In Aramaic Parts Of Daniel And Ezra.
ירוּשָׁלַ֙יִם֙  "Yerushalayim"
The Extremely Rare, Third Transliterated Form, "Yerushalayim" (note the 'ayim' ending), Has Been Changed From The JPS 1917 "Jerusalem" To Correspond To The Hebrew [ ירוּשָׁלַ֙יִם֙  ].

Noteworthy Is That This Rarest Form Appears In Only Four (4) Places In The Entire Hebrew Scriptures, Yet, It Is The Most Common Pronunciation For The Name Of The Ancient City! Its Four (Out Of Over 600) Appearances Are:
1) Jeremiah 26:18, 2) Esther 2:6, 3) I Chronicles 3:5, and 4) II Chronicles 25:1.

In Converting "Jerusalem" To Its Transliterated Equivalents, I Counted A Total Of 625 Occurrences In The JPS 1917 Tanakh!

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