Hosea 9:11

11 Ephraim's glory [is] like a bird; it will fly away-- no birth, no pregnancy, and no conception.

Hosea 9:11 Meaning and Commentary

Hosea 9:11

[As for] Ephraim, their glory shall flee away like a bird,
&c.] That is, suddenly, swiftly, and irrecoverably, and never return more; which some understand of God their glory, and of his departure from them, as in ( Hosea 9:12 ) ; others of their wealth and riches, and whatever was glorious and valuable among them, which should fly away from them in a moment, when taken and carried captive; rather their numerous posterity, in which they were very fruitful, according to their name, and in which they gloried, as children are the glory of their parents, ( Proverbs 17:6 ) ; which sense agrees with what follows, and which explains the manner of their fleeing away, and the periods of it: from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception;
that is, some of them, as soon as they were born; others while in the womb, being abortives; or, however, when they should, or as soon as they did, come from thence; and others, as soon as conceived, never come to any thing; or not conceived at all, as Kimchi interprets it, the women being barren.

Hosea 9:11 In-Context

9 {They deeply corrupted themselves} as [in] the days of Gibeah; he will remember their sin, he will punish their sins.

10 Like the grapes in the wilderness, I found Israel. Like early ripened fruit on the fig tree in the first season, I saw your ancestors. They themselves came [to] Baal Peor, and they consecrated themselves to shame. And they became detestable things, like {the thing they love}.

11 Ephraim's glory [is] like a bird; it will fly away-- no birth, no pregnancy, and no conception.

12 Even though they bring up their children, I will bereave them before maturity. Woe to them indeed, when I depart from them!

13 Ephraim, as I see [it], [is] like a palm in a meadow; but Ephraim must bring out his children to the slayer.