Focused Passage

Hosea 9:10-17

No Harvest Joy for a People Under Covenant Judgment

The chapter moves from the prohibition of false harvest joy, to the announcement of exile and polluted worship, to the rejection of the prophet's warning, to historical comparison with Baal Peor and Gibeah, and finally to the terrifying fruitlessness of Ephraim under divine rejection.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness. I saw your fathers as the firstfruits of the fig tree in its first season. But they went to Baal-peor, and consecrated themselves to Shame; so they became as detestable as the thing they loved.

11 Ephraim’s glory will fly away like a bird, with no birth, no pregnancy, and no conception.

12 Even if they raise their children, I will bereave them of each one. Yes, woe be to them when I turn away from them!

13 I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre, planted in a meadow. But Ephraim will bring out his children for slaughter.

14 Give them, O LORD—what will You give? Give them wombs that miscarry and breasts that dry up!

15 All their evil appears at Gilgal, for there I hated them. I will drive them from My house for the wickedness of their deeds. I will no longer love them; all their leaders are rebellious.

16 Ephraim is struck down; their root is withered; they cannot bear fruit. Even if they bear children, I will slay the darlings of their wombs.

17 My God will reject them because they have not obeyed Him; and they shall be wanderers among the nations.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 10

Original words

I found מָצָ֙אתִי֙ H4672 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular like grapes כַּעֲנָבִ֣ים H6025 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine plural in the wilderness בַּמִּדְבָּ֗ר H4057 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular I saw רָאִ֖יתִי H7200 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular your fathers אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם H1 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural as the firstfruits כְּבִכּוּרָ֤ה H1063 Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singular of the fig tree בִתְאֵנָה֙ H8384 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular in its first season בְּרֵ֣אשִׁיתָ֔הּ H7225 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular But they הֵ֜מָּה H1992 Pronoun - third person masculine plural went בָּ֣אוּ H935 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural vvv בַֽעַל־ H1187 Preposition to Baal-peor פְּע֗וֹר H1187 Noun - proper - feminine singular and consecrated וַיִּנָּֽזְרוּ֙ H5144 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural themselves to Shame לַבֹּ֔שֶׁת H1322 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singular so they became וַיִּהְי֥וּ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural as detestable שִׁקּוּצִ֖ים H8251 Noun - masculine plural as the thing they loved כְּאָהֳבָֽם׃ H157 Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural
Verse 11

Original words

Ephraim’s אֶפְרַ֕יִם H669 Noun - proper - masculine singular glory כְּבוֹדָ֑ם H3519 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural will fly away יִתְעוֹפֵ֣ף H5774 Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singular like a bird כָּע֖וֹף H5775 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular with no birth מִלֵּדָ֥ה H3205 Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular no pregnancy וּמִבֶּ֖טֶן H990 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular and no conception וּמֵהֵרָיֽוֹן׃ H2032 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 12

Original words

Even כִּ֤י H3588 Conjunction if אִם־ H518 Conjunction they raise יְגַדְּלוּ֙ H1431 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker their children בְּנֵיהֶ֔ם H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural I will bereave them וְשִׁכַּלְתִּ֖ים H7921 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine plural of each one מֵֽאָדָ֑ם H120 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular Yes כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction . . . גַם־ H1571 Conjunction woe [be] א֥וֹי H188 Interjection to them לָהֶ֖ם Preposition | third person masculine plural when I turn away בְּשׂוּרִ֥י H5493 Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | first person common singular from them מֵהֶֽם׃ Preposition-m | Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Verse 13

Original words

I have seen רָאִ֥יתִי H7200 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular Ephraim אֶפְרַ֛יִם H669 Noun - proper - masculine singular like כַּאֲשֶׁר־ H834 Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative Tyre לְצ֖וֹר H6865 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - feminine singular planted שְׁתוּלָ֣ה H8362 Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular in a meadow בְנָוֶ֑ה H5116 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular But Ephraim וְאֶפְרַ֕יִם H669 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular will bring out לְהוֹצִ֥יא H3318 Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct his children בָּנָֽיו׃ H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular אֶל־ אֶל־ H413 Preposition for slaughter הֹרֵ֖ג H2026 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Verse 14

Original words

Give תֵּן־ H5414 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular them לָהֶ֥ם Preposition | third person masculine plural O LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular what מַה־ H4100 Interrogative will You give תִּתֵּ֑ן H5414 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Give תֵּן־ H5414 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular them לָהֶם֙ Preposition | third person masculine plural wombs רֶ֣חֶם H7358 Noun - masculine singular that miscarry מַשְׁכִּ֔יל H7921 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular and breasts וְשָׁדַ֖יִם H7699 Conjunctive waw | Noun - md that dry up צֹמְקִֽים׃ H6784 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Verse 15

Original words

All כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct their evil רָעָתָ֤ם H7451 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural appears at Gilgal בַּגִּלְגָּל֙ H1537 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular for כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction there שָׁ֣ם H8033 Adverb I hated them שְׂנֵאתִ֔ים H8130 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine plural I will drive them אֲגָרְשֵׁ֑ם H1644 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine plural from My house מִבֵּיתִ֖י H1004 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular for עַ֚ל H5921 Preposition the wickedness רֹ֣עַ H7455 Noun - masculine singular construct of their deeds מַֽעַלְלֵיהֶ֔ם H4611 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural I will no לֹ֤א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle longer אוֹסֵף֙ H3254 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Jussive - first person common singular love them אַהֲבָתָ֔ם H160 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct their leaders שָׂרֵיהֶ֖ם H8269 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural are rebellious סֹרְרִֽים׃ H5637 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Verse 16

Original words

Ephraim אֶפְרַ֔יִם H669 Noun - proper - masculine singular is struck down הֻכָּ֣ה H5221 Verb - Hofal - Perfect - third person masculine singular their root שָׁרְשָׁ֥ם H8328 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural is withered יָבֵ֖שׁ H3001 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular they cannot bear יַעֲשׂ֑וּן H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nun fruit פְּרִ֣י H6529 Noun - masculine singular . . . בְלִי H1097 Adverb Even גַּ֚ם H1571 Conjunction if כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction they bear children יֵֽלֵד֔וּן H3205 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nun I will slay וְהֵמַתִּ֖י H4191 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular the darlings מַחֲמַדֵּ֥י H4261 Noun - masculine plural construct of their wombs בִטְנָֽם׃ס H990 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Verse 17

Original words

My God אֱלֹהַ֔י H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular will reject them יִמְאָסֵ֣ם H3988 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural because כִּ֛י H3588 Conjunction they have not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle obeyed שָׁמְע֖וּ H8085 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Him ל֑וֹ Preposition | third person masculine singular and they shall be וְיִהְי֥וּ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural wanderers נֹדְדִ֖ים H5074 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural among the nations בַּגּוֹיִֽם׃ס H1471 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.