The Aramaic Bible

The Aramaic Bible · the Prophets

Targum Jonathan on the Prophets Hosea · chapter 7

Aramaic public domain · English where it exists, else the Bible (BSB)
What is the Aramaic Bible?

After the exile, most Jews spoke Aramaic, not Hebrew, so in the synagogue each Scripture reading was followed by an Aramaic translation read aloud, so ordinary people could follow. Those translations are the Aramaic Bible. Scholars call them the Targums.

Why it’s worth reading: a Targum doesn’t just translate, it quietly explains as it goes. So it’s a window into how the first Jewish readers actually understood a passage. Famously, the Aramaic of Isaiah 53 names the servant “the Messiah” outright.

Hebrew, Greek & the Aramaic Bible, when to use each →

Tap any Aramaic word to trace it to its Jastrow dictionary entry.

  1. :

    When I heal Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim will be exposed, as well as the crimes of Samaria. For they practice deceit and thieves break in; bandits raid in the streets.

  2. :

    But they fail to consider in their hearts that I remember all their evil. Now their deeds are all around them; they are before My face.

  3. :

    They delight the king with their evil, and the princes with their lies.

  4. :

    They are all adulterers, like an oven heated by a baker who needs not stoke the fire from the kneading to the rising of the dough.

  5. :

    The princes are inflamed with wine on the day of our king; so he joins hands with those who mock him.

  6. :

    For they prepare their heart like an oven while they lie in wait; all night their anger smolders; in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.

  7. :

    All of them are hot as an oven, and they devour their rulers. All their kings fall; not one of them calls upon Me.

  8. :

    Ephraim mixes with the nations; Ephraim is an unturned cake.

  9. :

    Foreigners consume his strength, but he does not notice. Even his hair is streaked with gray, but he does not know.

  10. :

    Israel’s arrogance testifies against them, yet they do not return to the LORD their God; despite all this, they do not seek Him.

  11. :

    So Ephraim has become like a silly, senseless dove — calling out to Egypt, then turning to Assyria.

  12. :

    As they go, I will spread My net over them; I will bring them down like birds of the air. I will chastise them when I hear them flocking together.

  13. :

    Woe to them, for they have strayed from Me! Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against Me! Though I would redeem them, they speak lies against Me.

  14. :

    They do not cry out to Me from their hearts when they wail upon their beds. They slash themselves for grain and new wine, but turn away from Me.

  15. :

    Although I trained and strengthened their arms, they plot evil against Me.

  16. :

    They turn, but not to the Most High; they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword for the cursing of their tongue; for this they will be ridiculed in the land of Egypt.

Aramaic. Targum Jonathan to the Prophets, Aramaic: 'Mikraot Gedolot' (public domain), served by the Sefaria v3 API (sefaria.org)

English. The Masoretic verse (Berean Standard Bible, public domain), shown for reference, Targum Jonathan is the ancient Aramaic rendering of this verse.

We show the license-cleared original Aramaic and an established English translation, each Aramaic word traceable to a public-domain lexicon. We never machine-translate a primary text.

Targum Jonathan Hosea 7: word by word · Bubble Bible