Hosea 9:10-17

10 I found Israel like ¹grapes in the wilderness; I saw your forefathers as the ²earliest fruit on the fig tree in its first season. But they came to ³Baal-peor and devoted themselves to ⁴shame, And they became as ⁵detestable as that which they loved.

11 As for Ephraim, their ⁶glory will fly away like a bird - No birth, no pregnancy and no conception!

12 Though * they bring up their children, Yet I will bereave them until not a man is left. Yes, ⁷woe to them indeed when I depart from them!

13 Ephraim, as I have seen, Is planted in a pleasant meadow like ⁸Tyre; But Ephraim will bring out his children for slaughter.

14 Give them, O LORD -what will You give? Give them a ⁹miscarrying womb and dry breasts.

15 All their evil is at ¹⁰Gilgal; Indeed, I came to hate them there! Because of the ¹¹wickedness of their deeds I will drive them out of My house! I will love them no more; All their princes are ¹²rebels.

16 ¹³Ephraim is stricken, their root is dried up, They will bear ¹⁴no fruit. Even though they bear children, I will slay the ¹⁵precious ones of their womb.

17 My God will cast them away Because they have ¹⁶not listened to Him; And they will be ¹⁷wanderers among the nations.

Hosea 9:10-17 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO HOSEA 9

This chapter is an address to Israel or the ten tribes, and contains either a new sermon, or is a very considerable part of the former upon the same subject, the sins and punishment of that people. It begins with an instruction to them, not to rejoice in their prosperity, as others did; since it would soon be at an end, because of their idolatry, which was everywhere committed, and for which they expected a reward of temporal good things, Ho 9:1; but, on the contrary, they are threatened with famine, with want both of corn and wine, Ho 9:2; and with an ejection out of their land into foreign countries; where they should be obliged to eat things unclean by their law, Ho 9:3; and where their sacrifices and solemnities should be no more attended to, Ho 9:4,5; yea, where their carcasses should fall and be buried, while their own country and houses lay waste and desolate, Ho 9:6; for, whatsoever their foolish and mad prophets said to the contrary, who pretended to be with God, and know his will, and were a snare to them that gave heed unto them, and brought hatred on them, the time of their punishment would certainly come, Ho 9:7,8; and their iniquities would be remembered and visited; seeing their corruptions were deep, like those that appeared in Gibeah, in the days of old, Ho 9:9; they acting the same ungrateful part their fathers had done, of whom they were a degenerate offspring, Ho 9:10; wherefore for these, and other offences mentioned, they are threatened with being bereaved of their children, and drove out of their land, to wander among the nations, Ho 9:11-17.

Cross References

• 1. Micah 7:1
• 2. Jeremiah 24:2
• 3. Numbers 25:1-5; Psalms 106:28, 29
• 4. Jeremiah 11:13; Hosea 4:18
• 5. Psalms 115:8; Ezekiel 20:8
• 6. Hosea 4:7; Hosea 10:5
• 7. Deuteronomy 31:17; Hosea 7:13
• 8. Ezekiel 26:1-21
• 9. Hosea 9:11
• 10. Hosea 4:15; Hosea 12:11
• 11. Hosea 4:9; Hosea 7:2; Hosea 12:2
• 12. Isaiah 1:23; Hosea 5:2
• 13. Hosea 5:11
• 14. Hosea 8:7
• 15. Ezekiel 24:21
• 16. Hosea 4:10
• 17. Hosea 7:13

Footnotes

• [a] I.e. Baal
• [b] Lit "without a man"