King James Version

Hosea 12:11

Is there iniquity in Gilead? surely they are vanity: they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the fields.

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Hebrew

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In the Hebrew text this line is Hosea 12:12.

אִםimoh thatאִםconjunction — “oh that”H518used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not(and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), [phrase] but, either, [phrase] except, [phrase] more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, [phrase] save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, [phrase] surely (no more, none, not), t…גִּלְעָ֥דgiladGileadגִּלְעָדnoun, proper name — “Gilead”H1568Gilad, a region East of the Jordan; also the name of three IsraelitesGilead, Gileadite.אָ֨וֶן֙avenidolאָוֶןnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “idol”, the ordinary formH205strictly nothingness; also trouble. vanity, wickedness; specifically an idolaffliction, evil, false, idol, iniquity, mischief, mourners(-ing), naught, sorrow, unjust, unrighteous, vain, vanity, wicked(-ness). Compare H369 (אַיִן).אַךְakhonlyאַךְparticle, affirmation — “only”H389a particle of affirmation, surely; hence (by limitation) onlyalso, in any wise, at least, but, certainly, even, howbeit, nevertheless, notwithstanding, only, save, surely, of a surety, truly, verily, [phrase] wherefore, yet (but).שָׁ֣וְאshavefalseשָׁוְאnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “false”, the ordinary formH7723evil (as destructive), literally (ruin) or morally (especially guile); figuratively idolatry (as false, subjective), uselessness (as deceptive, objective; also adverbially, in vain)false(-ly), lie, lying, vain, vanity.הָי֔וּhayvbeהָיָהverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “be”, a completed actionH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.בַּגִּלְגָּ֖לbagilgalin Gilgal. See also H1019גִּלְגָּלpreposition, with the article, noun, proper name — “in Gilgal. See also H1019”H1537Gilgal, the name of three places in PalestineGilgal. See also H1019 (בֵּית הַגִּלְגָּל).שְׁוָרִ֣יםshevarimbullשׁוֹרnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “bull”, the ordinary formH7794a bullock (as a traveller)bull(-ock), cow, ox, wall (by mistake for H7791 (שׁוּר)).זִבֵּ֑חוּzibechvsacrificeזָבַחverb, piel, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “sacrifice”, a completed actionH2076to slaughter an animal (usually in sacrifice)kill, offer, (do) sacrifice, slay.גַּ֤םgamalsoגַּםparticle, affirmation — “also”H1571properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...andagain, alike, also, (so much) as (soon), both (so)...and, but, either...or, even, for all, (in) likewise (manner), moreover, nay...neither, one, then(-refore), though, what, with, yea.מִזְבְּחוֹתָם֙mizbechotamaltarמִזְבֵּחַnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “altar”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4196an altaraltar.כְּגַלִּ֔יםkegalimas heapגַּלpreposition, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “as heap”, the ordinary formH1530something rolled, i.e. a heap of stone or dung (plural ruins), by analogy, a spring of water (plural waves)billow, heap, spring, wave.עַ֖לalaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…תַּלְמֵ֥יtalmefurrowתֶּלֶםnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “furrow”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH8525a bank or terracefurrow, ridge.שָׂדָֽיsadayfieldשָׂדֶהnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “field”, the ordinary formH7704a field (as flat)country, field, ground, land, soil, [idiom] wild.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

(12-12) If Gilead be given to iniquity becoming altogether vanity, in Gilgal they sacrifice unto bullocks; yea, their altars shall be as heaps in the furrows of the field.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

Is Gilead iniquity? they are altogether false; in Gilgal they sacrifice bullocks; yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the field.

Young’s Literal Translation

Surely Gilead [is] iniquity, Only, vanity they have been, In Gilead bullocks they have sacrificed, Also their altars [are] as heaps, on the furrows of a field.

World English Bible

If Gilead is wicked, surely they are worthless. In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls. Indeed, their altars are like heaps in the furrows of the field.

Darby Translation

If Gilead is iniquity, surely they are but vanity: they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the fields.

Douay-Rheims

If Galaad be an idol, then in vain were they in Galgal offering sacrifices with bullocks: for their altars also are as heaps in the furrows of the field.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

(12-12) If Gilead be given to iniquity becoming altogether vanity, in Gilgal they sacrifice unto bullocks; yea, their altars shall be as heaps in the furrows of the field.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

If Galaad exists not, then the chiefs in Galaad when they sacrificed were false, and their altars were as heaps on the ground of the field.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Εἰ μὴ Γαλαάδ ἐστιν, ἄρα ψευδεῖς ἦσαν ἐν Γαλαὰδ ἄρχοντες θυσιάζοντες, καὶ τὰ θυσιαστήρια αὐτῶν, ὡς χελῶναι ἐπὶ χέρσον ἀγροῦ.