This is part of a series. I recommend starting with the first installment.

We started this series examining an ethical dilemma that was presented in the opening of the book of Hosea. Over several posts we explored numerous solutions that are offered by various commentators and scholars to handle the challenge. In the last post a solution was offered as the most likely, as it was the only one that seems to fit all of the available information. However, that solution requires us to accept an uncommon translation of Hosea 1:4 that is not used in modern translations.

Here are the two possible translations of the passage, with the more common one on top:

• in just a little while I will punish the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel
• in just a little while I will visit the bloodshed of Jezreel on the house of Jehu

A short overview of the second translation, which is required for the preferred solution to the dilemma, is offered in this post. It should be noted that I do not know Hebrew and am indebted to the work of other scholars in examining this solution.