1tnHeb “A horn unto your gums!”; NAB “A trumpet to your lips!”
2tn Or perhaps “A vulture.” Some identify the species indicated by the Hebrew term נֶשֶׁר (nesher) as the griffon vulture (cf. NEB, NRSV).
3tnHeb “my covenant” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV); TEV “the covenant I made with them.”
4tnHeb “but without me”; NCV “without asking my permission”; CEV “without consulting me.”
5tnHeb “but I did not know”; NRSV “but without my knowledge.”
6tnHeb “in order to be cut off.” The text gives the impression that they made the idols for this purpose, but the language is ironic and sarcastic, bringing out the futility of their efforts. One could paraphrase, “they made idols…but only so that they might be destroyed.” Though they had other plans for the idols, God’s judgment would bring their intentions to naught.
7tnHeb “How long will they be able to be free from punishment?” This rhetorical question affirms that Israel will not survive much longer until God punishes it.
8tn Or “has hired herself out to lovers”; cf. NIV “has sold herself to lovers.”
9tn Or “they have hired themselves out to lovers”; cf. NASB “they hire allies among the nations.”
10tn The Piel stem of קָבַץ (qavats) is often used in a positive sense, meaning “to regather” a dispersed people (HALOT 1063 s.v. קבץ 3.a; BDB 868 s.v. קָבַץ 1.α). However, in Hosea 8:10 it is used in a negative sense, meaning “to assemble (people) for judgment” (e.g., Ezek 20:34; Hos 9:6; HALOT 1063 s.v. 3.e.i). Cf. JPS “I will hold them fast” (in judgment, see the parallel in 9:6).
11tn The vav consecutive + preterite וַיָּחֵלּוּ (vayyakhellu, Hiphil preterite 3rd person common plural from חָלַל, khalal, “to begin”]) denotes temporal subordination to the preceding clause: “then…” (so NLT); cf. TEV, CEV “Soon.”
12tnHeb “a king of princes” (cf. KJV, NASB); TEV “the emperor of Assyria.”
13tnHeb “foreign” or “alien”; NASB, NRSV “as a strange thing.”
14tnHeb “does not accept them”; the referent (their sacrifices) has been specified in the translation for clarity.