Yet: Since the text has only the common Hebrew conjunction at the beginning of this verse, it is possible to leave it untranslated as in Good News Translation and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh. However, in some languages it may be necessary to show more specifically the relationship of this verse to the preceding one. This may be done by beginning “They did [all] this even though….”

Warned: Revised English Bible translates this verb as “solemnly charged.” Since the warning from the LORD preceded the actions of the people of Israel and Judah, which were also in the past, many languages will require a verb form like the past perfect of Good News Translation: “had sent … to warn.”

Every prophet and every seer: There is no conjunction and in the Hebrew, but Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensiais probably correct in suggesting that the Hebrew letter waw at the end of the Hebrew word for prophet (literally “his prophet” in Hebrew) should be moved to the beginning of the next word so that the waw becomes a conjunction. The words prophet and seer are intended to be taken as synonyms. The Hebrew word translated seer is found in 2 Sam 24.11, where it is used as parallel with prophet. The meanings of the two terms overlap and almost certainly speak of the same people. The word seer focuses on the fact that the person has seen a vision of some kind.

Good News Translation omits the repeated adjective every, but there seems to be no legitimate reason for doing so. Translators are therefore advised to avoid dropping the adjective, which serves to add emphasis to the passage.

Turn from your evil ways …: The only places where prophets are recorded as having said something like this warning are in Jeremiah (7.3, 5; 18.11) and Ezekiel (33.11). Since both of these prophets appeared several years after the time of King Hoshea, commentators see this as a statement that does not fit historically in terms of time. But according to Deut 18.18, Moses is the model for all future prophets.

Regarding the words commandments, statutes and law, see the comments on 1 Kgs 2.3.

Your fathers in this context refers to “your ancestors” (Good News Translation).

Which I sent to you: The Hebrew verb rendered sent is a general verb used in reference to sending people and things, including messages. In this context other renderings include “that I transmitted to you” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) and “which I handed on to you” (Good News Translation).

The direct quotation in this verse might also be made indirect in many languages. It is unlikely that these exact words were communicated to every prophet and seer in Israel and Judah. A possible indirect speech model might be the following:

• … had warned Israel and Judah to abandon their evil ways and to obey his commands. Those commands are contained in the Law which the LORD gave to their ancestors and which was handed on to them by all of the prophets, the servants of the LORD.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .