This verse begins with the Hebrew waw conjunction (literally “And”), which Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and many other versions omit. Here it may be rendered “So” (New Living Translation, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), since it introduces the result of the previous line.

You shall stumble by day: Because of the reference to the addressee “being a priest” in 4.6, it is best to consider these words as addressed to a priest (so Revised Standard Version), or to the figure of a single priest representing all the priests (so Good News Translation). The Hebrew pronoun for You is second person masculine singular. The translator should choose the appropriate pronoun for the receptor language. The verb stumble can be a metaphor for making awkward mistakes, but it also includes the possibility of falling down, even death. The specific idea of “falling into sin” is not likely in this context. Good News Translation makes this interpretation explicit with “you blunder on.” However, this line more likely refers to the result of the LORD’s punishment of the priests, in view of the parallel with the last line in this verse and the first line in verse 6. By day may be rendered “in full day[light]” (Bible en français courant) or “on the brightest day” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch).

The prophet also shall stumble with you by night: Prophets are also involved in this condemnation, probably because they share in failing to teach the people (4.6a). Bible en français courant renders the prophet as “your comrade, the prophet.” Good News Translation interprets the parallel expressions by day and by night as poetic devices without specific meaning and therefore combines them into “Night and day,” which emphasizes that the priests and prophets constantly repeated blunders, or that they suffered constant punishment, whether by day or by night. Because of English style Good News Translation does not repeat “blunder on” but implies that meaning with “do no better.” The translator should consider whether the receptor language prefers repetition in this context.

Translators must be careful how they render the word prophet. The primary role of the Old Testament prophet was to speak God’s message to the people of his own day. They were not God’s ambassadors or representatives who could negotiate on God’s behalf. Too often translators have wanted to render prophet as “future teller” or “seer”; but even when the prophets did speak of the future, it was in the context of delivering the word that God had given them. “God’s spokesman” is therefore a better rendering. Most translators working on Hosea will have already struggled with prophet in the New Testament, and they may be able to use the same term in this book.

And I will destroy your mother: Is your mother the priest’s parent, or is she a metaphor for Israel? It would be typical of prophetic language for both to be implied. The “children” of 4.6 seem to be real, not figurative, and so the mother may more likely be a real person, rather than a figure for all mothers in Israel. Bible en français courant sees the mother as a real person by rendering this line as “I will subjugate your own mother to eternal silence.” It is also possible that the mother represents the preceding generation, while the “children” represent the next generation. If so, then God says he will harm the whole family line of the priests. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch makes this explicit by saying “I will overthrow you along with your whole family line.” However, the language of chapters 1–3 may have an influence on this section, where Gomer, as wife and mother, represented Israel. Furthermore, “My people” in 4.6 occurs in parallel with your mother, suggesting that this identifies her. And so many scholars believe that the mother represents Israel. Therefore translators may wish to follow Good News Translation, which says “Israel, your mother.” The Tagalog common language version is similar with “Israel, who serves as your mother.” In considering a textual problem in this clause, Hebrew Old Testament Text Project prefers to follow the traditional Hebrew text, taking the figurative interpretation as satisfying many of the problems scholars have raised (a {B} decision).

A translation model for this verse is:

• So you will fall in broad daylight,
and the prophet will fall by night,
I will destroy your mother Israel.

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 .