Hosea 9:11

11 Ephraim's greatness and glory will be gone. It will fly away like a bird. Women will no longer have children. They will not be able to get pregnant.

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 You have sunk very deep into sin, just as our people did at Gibeah long ago. God will remember the evil things you have done. He will punish you for your sins.

10 The LORD says, "When I first found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert. When I saw your people long ago, it was like seeing the early fruit on a fig tree. But then they went to Baal Peor. There they gave themselves to that shameful god Baal. They became as evil as the god they loved.

11 Ephraim's greatness and glory will be gone. It will fly away like a bird. Women will no longer have children. They will not be able to get pregnant.

12 But suppose they do have children. Then I will kill every one of them. How terrible it will be for them when I turn away from them!"

13 Tyre is planted in a pleasant place. And so is Ephraim. But the Assyrians will kill Ephraim's children.