« | Hosea 2 | » |
1 Say to your brother, Ammi, and to your sister, Ruhamah.
2 Plead with your mother, plead-- for she is not my wife, and I am not her husband-- that she put away her whoring from her face, and her adultery from between her breasts,
3 or I will strip her naked and expose her as in the day she was born, and make her like a wilderness, and turn her into a parched land, and kill her with thirst.
4 Upon her children also I will have no pity, because they are children of whoredom.
5 For their mother has played the whore; she who conceived them has acted shamefully. For she said, "I will go after my lovers; they give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, my oil and my drink."
6 Therefore I will hedge up her way with thorns; and I will build a wall against her, so that she cannot find her paths.
7 She shall pursue her lovers, but not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them. Then she shall say, "I will go and return to my first husband, for it was better with me then than now."
8 She did not know that it was I who gave her the grain, the wine, and the oil, and who lavished upon her silver and gold that they used for Baal.
9 Therefore I will take back my grain in its time, and my wine in its season; and I will take away my wool and my flax, which were to cover her nakedness.
10 Now I will uncover her shame in the sight of her lovers, and no one shall rescue her out of my hand.
11 I will put an end to all her mirth, her festivals, her new moons, her sabbaths, and all her appointed festivals.
12 I will lay waste her vines and her fig trees, of which she said, "These are my pay, which my lovers have given me." I will make them a forest, and the wild animals shall devour them.
13 I will punish her for the festival days of the Baals, when she offered incense to them and decked herself with her ring and jewelry, and went after her lovers, and forgot me, says the LORD.
14 Therefore, I will now allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her.
15 From there I will give her her vineyards, and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she shall respond as in the days of her youth, as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt.
16 On that day, says the LORD, you will call me, "My husband," and no longer will you call me, "My Baal."
17 For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be mentioned by name no more.
18 I will make for you a covenant on that day with the wild animals, the birds of the air, and the creeping things of the ground; and I will abolish the bow, the sword, and war from the land; and I will make you lie down in safety.
19 And I will take you for my wife forever; I will take you for my wife in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love, and in mercy.
20 I will take you for my wife in faithfulness; and you shall know the LORD.
21 On that day I will answer, says the LORD, I will answer the heavens and they shall answer the earth;
22 and the earth shall answer the grain, the wine, and the oil, and they shall answer Jezreel;
23 and I will sow him for myself in the land. And I will have pity on Lo-ruhamah, and I will say to Lo-ammi, "You are my people"; and he shall say, "You are my God."
The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) is a highly respected English translation of the Bible that was first published in 1989 by the National Council of Churches. It was developed as an update to the Revised Standard Version (RSV) of 1952, with the goal of incorporating the latest biblical scholarship and addressing changes in the English language. The NRSV is renowned for its accuracy, literary quality, and ecumenical approach, making it a preferred choice for both academic study and liturgical use across various Christian denominations.
One of the primary features of the NRSV is its commitment to being a literal, or word-for-word, translation while also ensuring that the text is clear and comprehensible for modern readers. The translation team, which included scholars from diverse religious backgrounds, aimed to produce a text that faithfully represents the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscripts. This dedication to precision and clarity makes the NRSV an excellent resource for in-depth study and theological reflection, as it strives to convey the exact meaning of the original texts.
The NRSV is also notable for its inclusive language, which seeks to reflect the diversity of the contemporary Christian community. The translators took great care to avoid gender-specific language when the original texts did not explicitly require it, making the text more inclusive and accessible to all readers. This approach has been particularly appreciated in academic and liturgical settings, where sensitivity to gender and inclusivity are important considerations. The NRSV’s attention to inclusive language helps ensure that all readers can see themselves reflected in the biblical narrative.
Despite its many strengths, the NRSV has faced some criticism, particularly from those who prefer more traditional translations. Critics argue that the use of inclusive language can sometimes lead to interpretations that differ from the original intent of the texts. Additionally, some conservative scholars and readers feel that the NRSV’s ecumenical approach may result in compromises on certain theological nuances. Nonetheless, the New Revised Standard Version remains a highly valued translation, widely used in churches, seminaries, and universities for its scholarly rigor, literary excellence, and commitment to inclusivity.