When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound: These two lines are parallel in form, showing that both the northern and southern kingdoms experienced similar problems, so Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch combines them, saying “When they both saw how badly they turned out.” Sickness is a generic term, wound is specific. The Hebrew word for wound implies a festering sore. It can also be translated as “ulcer” or “boil.” It is the kind of wound in which there is pus that must be squeezed out (as in Isa 1.6). These metaphors are somewhat different from the similes in 5.12 (“moth” and “dry rot”) but clearly related (see the comments there). These metaphors refer to the same political, social, and spiritual sickness as in 5.12, something that Assyria cannot cure (line five). Bible en français courant avoids changing from the figures in 5.12 to new figures by using some nonfigurative language here: “Ephraim recognized its malady and Judah the seriousness of its case.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible is similar but interprets wound as an “ulcer” equivalent to the “dry rot” of 5.12. If the translation aims at maintaining the poetic structures of the source language, we recommend the use of the metaphors.

Then Ephraim went to Assyria and sent to the great king: These two parallel lines speak only of Ephraim, although the second person plural pronouns in the next two lines seem to imply that Judah looked for help in the same place, namely Assyria (see 2 Kgs 16.7, where Judah also looks for help from Assyria). Bijbel in Gewone Taal makes this explicit by saying “they asked for help from Assyria. They sent envoys to the great king.” Since Assyria and the great king are parallel counterparts, it may be assumed that they are nearly synonymous. Therefore the verbs went and sent probably refer to the same event, namely, sending government representatives with a request for help. Bible en français courant says “Then Ephraim turned to Assyria, he sent a mission to the Great King.”

The Hebrew expression for the great king is translated “king Jareb” by King James Version, but the name “Jareb” is otherwise unknown, so it is better not to render it as a proper noun. The Hebrew is literally as “a king that will contend” (Revised Standard Version footnote), but scholars point out that this is more likely an Aramaic expression that Hosea uses here, and the reference is then to the Assyrian emperor as the great king. It is, of course, possible that the author is using a play on words that would sound like a sarcastic reference to the oppressive emperor as one who contends. However, the primary meaning for translators should still be “the great king” (so Hebrew Old Testament Text Project).

But he is not able to cure you or heal your wound: These two lines continue the metaphors of sickness and wounds. The Assyrian emperor is unable to cure Ephraim and Judah. God has been speaking about Ephraim and Judah each in the third person singular in the previous four lines, but now he switches to the second person plural. The Hebrew pronouns for you and your are plural. Although in these two lines Ephraim and Judah are not mentioned, cure you refers to healing Ephraim’s problem, and heal your wound refers to Judah’s problem. Good News Translation uses the third person plural pronouns “them” and “their.” These pronouns in Good News Translation can be understood as referring to Ephraim (Israel), not including Judah, since Judah is not explicitly mentioned in lines three and four. However, mentioning the wound, which was Judah’s, implies that Judah is also in view here. The next verse also confirms Judah’s involvement.

A translation model for this verse is:

• Ephraim realized its sickness,
and Judah saw its festering wound.
They turned to Assyria
and asked the great king for help.
But he cannot cure them,
he cannot heal their wound.

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 .