Did Israel really offer human sacrifices? (Hosea 13:2)
Context: The Lord’s Anger Against Israel
13 When Ephraim spoke, people trembled;
he was exalted in Israel.
But he became guilty of Baal worship and died.
2 Now they sin more and more;
they make idols for themselves from their silver,
cleverly fashioned images,
all of them the work of craftsmen.
It is said of these people,
“They offer human sacrifices!
They kiss calf-idols!”
Hosea 13:2
ESV - 2 And now they sin more and more, and make for themselves metal images, idols skillfully made of their silver, all of them the work of craftsmen. It is said of them, "Those who offer human sacrifice kiss calves!
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Asked September 22 2019
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Jack Gutknecht
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Tim Maas
There appears to be considerable disagreement among varying translations as to how the Hebrew words in this verse should be rendered, as indicated on the website http://www.biblehub.com. The last sentence of verse 2 is more commonly expressed along the lines of "Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves!", rather than "They offer human sacrifices! They kiss calf-idols!" (Of course, adoring and offering animal sacrifices to idols are already grievous offenses, without even the necessity of considering the sacrificing of humans.) Commentaries on the verse refer to the interpretation of it as describing the practice of human sacrifice as "unwarrantable supposition".
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