Hosea 5:2

And the revolters are profound to make slaughter The expressions used have a most un-Hebraic cast, and what can the -slaughter" refer to? There is nothing at all in the context to suggest that the slaying of sacrifices is meant (as many after St Jerome have supposed), and it is very harsh to understand it as a fresh image for the priests" abuse of their position. It is better to render (changing a Teth into a Tâv), The apostates are gone deep in corrupting (comp. Hosea 9:9). The ancient versions already found the passage obscure. The Septuagint (and similarly the Peshito) renders δ (sc. τὸ δίκτυον) οἱ ἀγρεύοντες τὴν θήραν κατέπηξαν. Possibly they had had a somewhat different text. Certainty is unattainable, and another plausible and easy emendation deserves at least a mention, from its suitableness to the context, And the pit of Shittim they have made deep. Having been a station of the camp under Moses and Joshua (Numbers 25:1; Joshua 3:1; Joshua 5:1), it is probable, though unproved, that Shittim contained one of the popular shrines or holy places.

though I have been a rebuker of them all Lit., -and I am chastisement for them all"; comp. Psalms 109:4 A.V., -I give myself unto prayer" (lit., -I am prayer"). This however is very harsh, and it is simpler to transpose two letters and render, and there is no correction for any of them.