Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Hosea 11:1:
Kupsabiny: “I was loving Israel when he was still a child. I called my child to come from Egypt.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “From the time Israel was a child, I loved him. I called my son from the land of Egypt. ” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “The LORD said, ‘When Israel (was) still like a child, I loved him. I caused- him -to-come-out of Egipto as my child.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “God said, ‘When the nation Israel was still a child, I showed my love. I led this child of mine to leave Egipto.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
English: “‘Before the Israeli people became a nation , I loved them like a man loves his son, and I called them out of Egypt.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.
One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a first person singular and plural pronoun (“I” and “we” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used watashi/watakushi (私) is typically used when the speaker is humble and asking for help. In these verses, where God / Jesus is referring to himself, watashi is also used but instead of the kanji writing system (私) the syllabary hiragana (わたし) is used to distinguish God from others.
Good News Translation supplies “The LORD says” at the beginning of this section in order to make clear who is speaking. Although this quote frame is not in the original text, it is clear from the context that Yahweh is speaking here. New International Version and New Living Translation use a double quote mark to begin this verse, but do not identify the speaker. This is not recommended, since it does not help the reader to gain a better understanding of the passage. If quotation marks are used, it is strongly suggested to identify the speaker in the translation.
When Israel was a child, I loved him: This line begins with the Hebrew word ki, which is sometimes an emphatic marker, but here it introduces a temporal clause, so Revised Standard Version has rendered it correctly as When. The Hebrew word for child is a generic term for “youth” without an exact indication of age. Israel was still a child when Yahweh loved him.
I loved him is literally “and I loved him.” The Hebrew waw conjunction (“and”) may be omitted here (Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation) since a temporal clause precedes it.
And out of Egypt I called my son: Most translations and commentators agree with the interpretation of the phrase out of Egypt as referring to the place from which Yahweh called the Israelites at the beginning of the Exodus. This interpretation is supported by the same expression referring to the country in 11.11 and 12.13. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh interprets this phrase as referring to the time of the Exodus, saying “Ever since Egypt” (similarly the alternative in the GNT footnote, “from the time he left Egypt”). This is a possible way of understanding the Hebrew, since the two lines of the Hebrew poetry would then be more parallel in meaning. Although either interpretation is possible, 11.11 and 12.13 make the interpretation of Revised Standard Version the more likely one.
I called my son is literally “I called to my son,” but this is a Hebrew idiom that is best rendered in English the way Revised Standard Version translates it. This line clearly refers to God calling the people of Israel to come out of Egypt. Good News Translation‘s “called him … as my son” (similarly New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) reflects a kind of adoption of Israel by Yahweh, but this is not necessary. Since this line refers to God rescuing his people from Egypt, translators should not express it merely as God naming the people as his son.
This verse is used in Matt 2.15 as a prediction of how God brought Jesus, as God’s son, back from Egypt after he escaped being killed by King Herod’s soldiers. While translators may want to be sure this verse will not conflict with Matt 2.15, it should clearly speak first of all about the people of Israel, as God’s son, being called out of Egypt at the time of the Exodus. The best solution is to be sure the translation here speaks of Israel clearly as Yahweh’s son, not one who is “like a son.”
A translation model for this verse is:
• The LORD says,
When Israel was still young, I loved him,
and from Egypt I called my son.
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 .
This section refers back to Israel’s history, as do Section 9:10–17 and Section 10:1–8. In all three sections, the LORD describes the joyful beginning of his relationship with the people of Israel and their response of betrayal against him. The earlier sections focus more on the LORD’s punishment. The people will be taken into exile. This section focuses more on his love.
The LORD speaks of his love for Israel in the past (11:1–4), warns them of their future exile and destruction (11:5–7), and assures them that in the future he will turn from his anger and show them compassion. Because of his love for them, he promises that he will bring the people back to the land of Israel (11:8–11).
Here are some other examples of section headings:
The Lord’s Love for Israel (English Standard Version) -or-
Israel Is Like a Bad Son (God’s Word)
Throughout this section, the LORD is the speaker. When he refers to himself, he uses first person pronouns (“I/me/my”) except for verse 10, which has “Yahweh” and “he.” When he refers to the people or nation of Israel, he uses “Ephraim,” “they/them,” or “he/it.” The only exceptions are in 11:8–9. There the LORD uses the pronoun “you(sg)” to speak directly to Ephraim and to Judah.
Paragraph 11:1–4
In this paragraph, the LORD describes his love and care for the nation of Israel during its early days.
11:1
This verse uses a metaphor that compares the nation of Israel to a child/son. It also compares the LORD to the loving parent of the child. The figure of speech here may refer indirectly to Exodus 4:22, 23. There it says:
22 Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son, 23 and I told you, “Let my son go, so he may worship me.”….’ ”
11:1a–b
Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:
1a When Israel was a child, I loved him,
1b and out of EgyptI called My son.
11:1a
When Israel was a child, I loved him: These clauses refer to the time when Israel became a new/young nation during the exodus from Egypt.
In some languages, it may be more natural to reverse the order of the clauses. For example:
I loved Israel when he was a child.
child: The Hebrew word for child is masculine here. It can refer to a very young boy just weaned or to an older child or young man. In 11:3, it describes a young child who is still learning to walk and needs the protection and care of his parents. Use a word in your language that refers to a young male child of that age.
loved: The Hebrew word for “love” has a broad range of meaning. In this context, it refers to the deep love, affection and loyalty that a father has for his son.
11:1b
and out of Egypt I called My son: This clause refers to Israel’s past, when the LORD delivered the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt.
Matthew 2:15 also quotes this clause. There the phrase “My son” refers to Christ.
called: In this context, the Hebrew word for called may have two meanings simultaneously:
(a) “to summon”
(b) “to name/designate”
Both meanings apply to Israel at the time when they left Egypt. On that occasion, the LORD named/adopted Israel as his son. It was also when he summoned the people of Israel to leave Egypt. For example:
And called him out of Egypt as my son. (Good News Translation)
In many languages, it may not be possible to translate both meanings simultaneously. Many versions follow meaning (a) and leave meaning (b) implied.
General Comment on 11:1
In some languages, it may not be natural to refer to a nation as a child or a son (singular). It may be necessary to use plural terms such as children or sons. For example:
The Lord says, “I have great love for the descendants of Israel, who are like my children. When they were young, I called them to leave Egypt. (Tuwali Ifugao Back Translation)
It may also be more natural to combine and/or reorder the verse parts. For example:
The LORD says, 1b “When I summoned the people of Israel to leave Egypt, 1a I loved them and chose them to be my own children.
If you use plural terms, as in the preceding examples, consider adding a footnote for the benefit of readers who may not see the connection with Matthew 2:15. Here is a suggested footnote:
In the Hebrew language, this verse refers to Israel as “child (singular)” and “my son.” See Matthew 2:15.
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