AV:O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.
NKJV:O Israel, you are destroyed,
But your help is from Me.
HCSB:I will destroy you, Israel;
you have no help but Me.
ESV:He destroys you, O Israel,
for you are against me, against your helper.
ASV (NASB is essentially the same):
It is thy destruction, O Israel, that thou art against me, against thy help.
NIV:“You are destroyed, Israel,
because you are against me, against your helper.
NKJV:O Israel, you are destroyed,
But your help is from Me.
HCSB:I will destroy you, Israel;
you have no help but Me.
ESV:He destroys you, O Israel,
for you are against me, against your helper.
ASV (NASB is essentially the same):
It is thy destruction, O Israel, that thou art against me, against thy help.
NIV:“You are destroyed, Israel,
because you are against me, against your helper.
While all these renderings convey that idea that Israel and destruction are related, and that God is their help, there is quite a difference between them in matters of detail:
1. Is Israel already destroyed or to be destroyed?
2. Who is destroying Israel (or is this unspecified)?
3. Is the verse teaching that in spite of Israel's situation they can look to God for help? Or is the verse teacing that their situation is (or will be) so bad because they have rejected their help?
(Obviously both of those points could be true, and the HCSB seems to drive a middle way between them.)
2. Who is destroying Israel (or is this unspecified)?
3. Is the verse teaching that in spite of Israel's situation they can look to God for help? Or is the verse teacing that their situation is (or will be) so bad because they have rejected their help?
(Obviously both of those points could be true, and the HCSB seems to drive a middle way between them.)
So overall, which is the best rendition of the verse? (Adding a version I don't have listed is quite fine.)