Hosea 9:13

13 Ephraim, as I saw, was a Tyre, founded in beauty: and Ephraim shall bring out his children to the murderer.

Hosea 9:13 Meaning and Commentary

Hosea 9:13

Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, [is] planted in a pleasant place,
&c.] That is, either as the city of Tyre, a very famous city in Phoenicia, was situated in a very pleasant place by the sea, and abounded in wealth and riches, and was well fortified, and seemed secure from all danger, and from all enemies; so Ephraim or the ten tribes, the kingdom of Israel, were in like circumstances, equal to Tyre, as the Targum paraphrases it, in prosperity and plenty; yet as the prophet in the vision of prophecy saw that Tyre, notwithstanding all its advantages by power and wealth, by art and nature, would be destroyed, first by Nebuchadnezzar, and then by Alexander; so by the same prophetic spirit he saw that Ephraim or the ten tribes, notwithstanding their present prosperity, and the safety and security they thought themselves in, yet should be given up to ruin and destruction by the hand of the Assyrians; or it may be rendered thus, "Ephraim as", or "when I saw it, unto Tyre" F11; reaching unto that place, and bordering upon it, as part of the ten tribes did; I saw it, I observed it, took a survey of it, and I perceived it was "planted in a pleasant place"; like a tree planted in a fruitful soil, well rooted, and in a flourishing condition; so were they, abounding with all good things, and having a numerous offspring; from all which they promised themselves much happiness for ages to come: but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer;
to sacrifice them to Moloch, as some; so the Targum,

``they of the house of Ephraim have sinned in slaying their children to the service of idols;''
with which Jarchi agrees; but rather the sense is, with Kimchi, and others, when their enemies shall come against them, as the Assyrian army, they shall go out with their sons to fight with them, and these shall be destroyed and murdered by them; it will be like leading lambs to the slaughter to be butchered and devoured by them.
FOOTNOTES:

F11 (rwul ytyar rvak) "quando vidi usque ad Tyrum", Schmidt.

Hosea 9:13 In-Context

11 As for Ephraim, their glory hath flown away like bird from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception.
12 And though they should bring up their children, I will make them without children among men: yea, and woe to them, when I shall depart from them.
13 Ephraim, as I saw, was a Tyre, founded in beauty: and Ephraim shall bring out his children to the murderer.
14 Give them, O Lord. What wilt thou give them? Give them a womb without children, and dry breasts.
15 All their wickedness is in Galgal, for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their devices I will cast them forth out of my house: I will love them no more, all their princes are revolters.
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