# General Information:

Hosea is speaking about Israel.

# and a king—what could he do for us?

The people wills say that their kings could not have helped them. AT: "Even if we had a king now, he could not help us." (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]])

# They speak empty words

Here "empty words" refers to lies. AT: "They speak lies" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]])

# So justice springs up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field

What they people called justice in their laws and legal decisions is spoken of as if it were a plant sprouting up. AT: "So their decisions are not just; instead, they are harmful" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field

Their lies and injustice spread throughout their nation and harm everyone like poisonous plants. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-simile]])

# translationWords

* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/king]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/fear]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/yahweh]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/word]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/covenant]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/oath]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/justice]]