13:11a–b

Notice the parallel lines that are similar in meaning:

11a So in My anger I gave you a king,

11b and in My wrath I took him away.

So in My anger I gave you a king, and in My wrath I took him away: There are two main ways to interpret the identity of the king to which this clause refers:

(1) The clause refers to the series of kings of Israel starting in the past and continuing in the time of Hosea. For example:

I give you kings in my ire, and take them away in My wrath. (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)

(2) The clause refers to king Saul, the first king of Israel. See 1 Samuel 8. For example:

I gave you a king in my anger, and I took him away in my wrath. (New Revised Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most commentaries. It also follows a standard use of the imperfect verb form and better fits the context of 13:10.

king: The word, king, is singular. However, it may have a collective sense (“kings”). This is indicated by the immediate context of 13:10, which pertains to the situation in Hosea’s time.

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