King James Version

Hosea 2:7

And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now.

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Hebrew

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In the Hebrew text this line is Hosea 2:9.

וְרִדְּפָ֤הveridfahand chaseרָדַףconjunction, verb, piel, sequential perfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “and chase”, a completed action in a sequenceH7291to run after (usually with hostile intent; figuratively (of time) gone by)chase, put to flight, follow (after, on), hunt, (be under) persecute(-ion, -or), pursue(-r).אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).מְאַהֲבֶ֨יהָ֙meahaveyhaloveאָהַבverb, piel, participle, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “love”, a verb used as a describing wordH157to have affection for (sexually or otherwise)(be-) love(-d, -ly, -r), like, friend.וְלֹֽאveloand no , -r,לֹאconjunction, particle, negative — “and no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…תַשִּׂ֣יגtasigreachנָשַׂגverb, hiphil, imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “reach”, an unfinished actionH5381to reach (literally or figuratively)ability, be able, attain (unto), (be able to, can) get, lay at, put, reach, remove, wax rich, [idiom] surely, (over-) take (hold of, on, upon).אֹתָ֔םotamobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).וּבִקְשָׁ֖תַםuviqshatamand beseechבָּקַשׁconjunction, verb, piel, sequential perfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “and beseech”, a completed action in a sequenceH1245to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive afterask, beg, beseech, desire, enquire, get, make inquisition, procure, (make) request, require, seek (for).וְלֹ֣אveloand no , -r,לֹאconjunction, particle, negative — “and no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…תִמְצָ֑אtimtsacomeמָצָאverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “come”, an unfinished actionH4672properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present[phrase] be able, befall, being, catch, [idiom] certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), [idiom] have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-) on, meet (with)…וְאָמְרָ֗הveamerahand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “and say”, a completed action in a sequenceH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…אֵלְכָ֤הelekhahcarryיָלַךְverb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “carry”, an unfinished actionH3212to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses)[idiom] again, away, bear, bring, carry (away), come (away), depart, flow, [phrase] follow(-ing), get (away, hence, him), (cause to, made) go (away, -ing, -ne, one's way, out), grow, lead (forth), let down, march, prosper, [phrase] pursue,…וְאָשׁ֨וּבָה֙veashuvahand againשׁוּבconjunction, verb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “and again”, an unfinished actionH7725to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again,…אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).אִישִׁ֣יishia certainאִישׁnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “a certain”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phra…הָֽרִאשׁ֔וֹןharishonthe firstרִאשׁוֹןdefinite article, adjective, ordinal, masculine, singular, absolute — “the first”, the ordinary formH7223first, in place, time or rank (as adjective or noun)ancestor, (that were) before(-time), beginning, eldest, first, fore(-father) (-most), former (thing), of old time, past.כִּ֣יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…ט֥וֹבtovgoodטוֹבadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “good”, the ordinary formH2896good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, [idiom] fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, [idiom] most, pleasant,…לִ֛יlitoלִ֛יpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “to”toאָ֖זazat which timeאָזadverb — “at which time”H227at that time or place; also as a conjunction, thereforebeginning, for, from, hitherto, now, of old, once, since, then, at which time, yet.מֵעָֽתָּהmeatahfrom this timeעַתָּהpreposition, adverb — “from this time”H6258at this time, whether adverb, conjunction or expletivehenceforth, now, straightway, this time, whereas.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

(2-9) And she shall run after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them, and she shall seek them, but shall not find them; then shall she say: 'I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now.'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now.

Young’s Literal Translation

And she hath pursued her lovers, And she doth not overtake them, And hath sought them, and doth not find, And she hath said: I go, and I turn back unto My first husband, For — better to me then than now.

World English Bible

She will follow after her lovers, but she won’t overtake them; and she will seek them, but won’t find them. Then she will say, ‘I will go and return to my first husband, for then it was better with me than now.’

Darby Translation

And she shall pursue after her lovers, and shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, and shall not find them: and she shall say, I will go and return to my first husband, for then was it better with me than now.

Douay-Rheims

And she shall follow after her lovers, and shall not overtake them: and she shall seek them, and shall not find, and she shall say: I will go, and return to my first husband, because it was better with me then, than now.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And she shall follow after her lovers, and shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: and she shall say, I will go, and return to my former husband; for it was better with me than now.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ καταδιώξεται τοὺς ἐραστὰς αὐτῆς, καὶ οὐ μὴ καταλάβῃ αὐτούς· καὶ ζητήσει αὐτοὺς, καὶ οὐ μὴ εὕρῃ αὐτούς· καὶ ἐρεῖ, πορεύσομαι, καὶ ἐπιστρέψω πρὸς τὸν ἄνδρα μου τὸν πρότερον, ὅτι καλῶς μοι ἦν τότε, ἢ νῦν.