Hosea 13:14 "_____" (is) hidden from my eyes."

[Terry Sampson]

Question: What is hidden from eyesight?

• In the Greek Septuaginta version of Hosea 13:14, "παράκλησις" (i.e. imploration, hortation, solace:—comfort, consolation, exhortation, intreaty) is hidden from eyesight.
• In a Sefaria dictionary entry for נֹחַם , repentance or sorrow is hidden.
• In the Sefaria translation of the verse, revenge is hidden.
  • 

 

[dybmh]

The English translation of the Me'Am Loez published by moznaim ( a sephardic lidino commentary ) offers two different translations for the word.

One translation is "regret". The other translation is "consolation"

If the word is translated as regret, the commentary says that "[G-d] will not reconsider. [G-d] will not change [His] decree that calls for your destruction. Regret will be hidden from [G-d's] eyes". So that would imply that there is no path for Teshuvah.

If the word is translated as consolation the commentary says that "when [G-d] spoke of the impending plagues you did not heed my words, and so death will afflict you. "Consolation" -- whatever you relied on to bring you consolation -- "will be hidden from [G-d's] eyes" there will be no peace for you.... [G-d] will cut you off."

Also, it looks like Rashi interprets this word for you, and according to the Mikraos Gidolos: IbnEzra, Redak, Abarnbanel, and "all exegates" agree with Rashi:

"Remorse shall be hidden from My eyes: Heb. נֹחַם. I will not regret this evil. נֹחֵם is an expression of regret (נִחוּם) , and the “mem” is a radical like the “mem” of נֹעַם, pleasantness, for the accent is on the first syllable, and the “heth” is vowelized with a “pattah.” Were it an expression of resting (נָח) , with the “mem” serving as a suffix denoting the plural, the accent would be under the “heth,” and it would be vowelized with a “kamatz” [like כֹּחָם their strength; רוּחָם, their spirit.]"

 

[dybmh]

In the Sefaria translation of the verse, revenge is hidden

Sefaria is great for a lot of things. But, for the english translation of the Tanach it uses the JPS. The JPS is free, that's why a lot of online resources use it. It's not a very good translation, IMO. It's just in the public domain... You were right to ask about it because the JPS translation of this verse doesn't fit the other commentaries at all. I would call it a minority opinion.

 

[dybmh]

The Da'ath Sofrim translates the word as consolation... here's the explanation provided:

"Consolation will be hidden from My eyes. Here, too, the prophecy refers to visitation of punishment at this time; that G-d will not relent regarding evil. Again, to make this known did not require expressions. However, the words refer not only to the sense of regret, but also the sense of consolation. The decree will not be annulled, but it is also true that G-d will not be comforted if Israel is in distress."

 

[rosends]

The Judaica Press translation (from chabad.org) reads " I will decree the grave upon you. Remorse shall be hidden from My eyes."

 

[dybmh]

Here's what the JPS commentary says:

"Lit. “Satisfaction (for this meaning of nḥm see Deut. 32.36; Isa. 1.24) shall be hidden from My eyes.”

So , yeah.. I'm not sure where the words "Revenge shall be far from My thoughts" comes from. It's an odd rendering of the Hebrew...

 

[Tumah]

The Malbi"m has an interesting approach to this word. He explains that the word means "to move to the opposite thought/feeling". This explains why the word has different meanings in different contexts. So moving from sorrow to happiness, or moving from wanting to create people to not wanting to have created people (a la Genesis) are both cases of moving to the opposite side and the word is used.

In this case, he seems to interpret it as referring to both G-d and the people: it's the thing that would have caused G-d to rescind the decree which he explains here as the regret and repentance of the people.

I don't really know where Sefaria is getting their translation of this verse from, honestly. It doesn't really fit with any of the commentaries.

 

[rosends]

Sefaria is great for a lot of things. But, for the english translation of the Tanach it uses the JPS. The JPS is free, that's why a lot of online resources use it. It's not a very good translation, IMO. It's just in the public domain... You were right to ask about it because the JPS translation of this verse doesn't fit the other commentaries at all. I would call it a minority opinion.

What is interesting is that Sefaria uses the JPS 1985 update which seems to be alone in that translation. It also uses "far from my thoughts" which is a decidedly poetic interpretation of the Hebrew phrase.

 

[Terry Sampson]

What is interesting is that Sefaria uses the JPS 1985 update which seems to be alone in that translation.

So I noticed.
What if ...
Given the theme of the whole book of Hosea, that I understand to be HaShem's disappointment with Ephraim and Israel, verse 14 opens with two questions:

• Shall I, who can, rescue them from the power of Sheol?
• Shall I, who can, redeem them from Death?

And having considered doing so, He calls on Sheol and Death to do their thing, saying:

• Death, bring on your punishments;
• Sheol, bring on your stings;
• This no time for consolation. I can do that later.

May I understand verse 14 to be saying that without abusing the Hebrew words as they stand now?

 

[rosends]

So I noticed.
What if ...
Given the theme of the whole book of Hosea, that I understand to be HaShem's disappointment with Ephraim and Israel, verse 14 opens with two questions:

• Shall I, who can, rescue them from the power of Sheol?
• Shall I, who can, redeem them from Death?

And having considered doing so, He calls on Sheol and Death to do their thing, saying:

• Death, bring on your punishments;
• Sheol, bring on your stings;
• This no time for consolation. I can do that later.

May I understand verse 14 to be saying that without abusing the Hebrew words as they stand now?

Take a look at the Judaica Press translation of the latter part of the verse

"I will be your words of death; I will decree the grave upon you. Remorse shall be hidden from My eyes."

In general tenor, this is not too far from your understanding of the same part of the verse.

 

[Terry Sampson]

Thanks for the Judaica Press tip. This version ties in better than anything I've seen. Regarding

Remorse shall be hidden from My eyes

The "remorse" is HaShem's and it's "hidden" in order not to interfere with His decree, no?

 

[rosends]

Thanks for the Judaica Press tip. This version ties in better than anything I've seen. Regarding

The "remorse" is HaShem's and it's "hidden" in order not to interfere with His decree, no?

Because they don't repent, Hashem will not let his mind change.

 

[Terry Sampson]

Hashem will not let his mind change.

Got it. Thank you.

 

[dybmh]

I could be wrong but, it looks like chapter 13 is important to confirm Hosea's status as a prophet.

 

[Jake1001]

Sefaria is great for a lot of things. But, for the english translation of the Tanach it uses the JPS. The JPS is free, that's why a lot of online resources use it. It's not a very good translation, IMO. It's just in the public domain... You were right to ask about it because the JPS translation of this verse doesn't fit the other commentaries at all. I would call it a minority opinion.

I like JPS.