11:2a
But the more I called Israel, the farther they departed from Me: There is a textual issue concerning the pronouns in this clause.
(1) The LXX has “As I called/recalled them, so they went from me.” For example:
But the more I summoned them, the farther they departed from me. (NET Bible)
(2) The Masoretic Text has “they called them so they went from before them.” For example:
As they called them, so they went from them. (King James Version)
It is recommended that you follow option (1) along with most versions. It makes good sense in the context of 11:1b and is supported by the Syriac translation. Option (2) also has good support from commentaries and the Vulgate. However, the unspecified referents of the pronouns they and “them” make the clause ambiguous and the meaning obscure.
But: The contrast between 11:1 and 11:2 is implied in both options, though many versions do not make it explicit. The Berean Standard Bible and some other versions make it explicit by adding the word But to introduce this contrast. Use a natural way in your language to indicate this contrast.
the more I called Israel, the farther they departed from Me: This clause compares the LORD’s call to the people’s response. Every time the LORD called them, their response was to withdraw from him. The words the more…the farther indicate this comparison. Here are some other ways to translate this comparison:
Every time I called them, they went farther away from me.
-or-
But the more I called to him, the more he turned away from me. (Good News Translation)
Express this comparison in a natural way in your own language.
called: This is the same word as in 11:1 and may have the same meaning. See called in 11:1b. However, here the word may indicate calls in addition to the call out of Egypt in 11:1. The meaning may include the sense of “guide” or “instruct.”
they departed from Me: This clause means that they deserted him to seek other gods instead of him.
11:2b–c
Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:
2b
They sacrificed to the Baals
2c and burned incense to carved images.
They sacrificed to the Baals and burned incense to carved images: These parallel lines further explain the meaning of the statement “they departed from Me” in 11:2a. The people did not respond when the LORD called them to worship and obey him. They turned away from him to worship idols instead. The words sacrificed and burned incense frequently occur in parallel lines such as here. They describe two aspects of worship. The words translated as Baals and carved images are two ways to describe idols.
burned incense: See the note on 2:13a “the days of the Baals when she burned incense to them.”
General Comment on 11:2b–c
In some languages, it may be more natural to reorder and/or combine the parallel parts in these two lines. For example:
They never stopped offering incense and sacrifices to the idols of Baal. (Contemporary English Version)
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