We suggest that this verse be written as a separate paragraph, as in Good News Translation, Jerusalem Bible, Bible en français courant, Bible de Jérusalem, and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch. It has a unique structure, although placed in continuity with the preceding verses of this chapter. Up to this point in the chapter the prophet has addressed Israel/Ephraim only. The last reference to Judah is in 6.11. In this verse Israel and Judah are parallel to each other, and the condemnation here applies to them both.

For renders the Hebrew waw conjunction, but Good News Translation and most other versions leave it untranslated, which we recommend in this context.

Israel has forgotten his Maker, and built palaces: The condemnation of Israel for forgetting God is also found in 2.13 and 13.6. It was no sin that Israel built palaces, but that it had forgotten his Maker at the same time made it wrong. The fact that these two things are positioned next to each other seems to suggest that Israel was more interested in self-glorification through building palaces, than in God his Maker. God is also called the Maker of Israel in Isa 45.11; 51.13. His Maker means God formed the nation of Israel. The Hebrew word for palaces can also mean “temple,” especially the innermost part of a temple. However, in the dialect of northern Israel it seems to refer primarily to palaces, that is, the dwellings of the king and the other leaders, which were the best buildings. The “great houses” Amos speaks of in 3.15 and 6.11 are not called palaces but would function in a similar manner.

And Judah has multiplied fortified cities: The Hebrew root for multiplied occurred earlier in 8.11-12, thus tying this central statement to the rest of chapter 8. The building of fortified cities in Judah may refer to building done by King Uzziah (781–740 B.C.), mentioned in 2 Chr 26.6, 9-10. Fortified cities had high walls built around them to defend them and to protect the inhabitants from attack. The Hebrew term for fortified means “cut off, inaccessible,” so no army could penetrate the cities’ defenses.

But I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour his strongholds: This judgment of burning the cities and the strongholds probably refers to both Judah and Israel. The pronoun I refers to the LORD. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch makes this clear by saying “I, the LORD.” It may not be possible to say I will send a fire upon his cities in many languages. If so, translators may say “I will put their cities on fire” (Bible en français courant) or “I will make their cities go up in flames” (De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling). In the parallel line it shall devour his strongholds, a figure of speech may be used if it exists in the receptor language, for example, “flames will eat their fortresses.”

The Hebrew term for strongholds is similar in meaning to the word for palaces, and here it seems to be used synonymously. This term emphasizes the fortified state of the palaces that were just mentioned.

A translation model for this verse is:

• Israel has forgotten its Maker,
while building palaces for itself.
Judah has built many reinforced cities.
But I will put their cities on fire,
their fortified palaces will be eaten by flames.

Quoted with permission from Dorn, Louis & van Steenbergen, Gerrit. A Handbook on Hosea. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2020. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .