Hosea 9 12

Hosea 9:12 kjv

Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them!

Hosea 9:12 nkjv

Though they bring up their children, Yet I will bereave them to the last man. Yes, woe to them when I depart from them!

Hosea 9:12 niv

Even if they rear children, I will bereave them of every one. Woe to them when I turn away from them!

Hosea 9:12 esv

Even if they bring up children, I will bereave them till none is left. Woe to them when I depart from them!

Hosea 9:12 nlt

Even if you do have children who grow up,
I will take them from you.
It will be a terrible day when I turn away
and leave you alone.

Hosea 9 verses

Hosea 9 12 meaning

Hosea 9:12 declares a severe divine judgment upon apostate Israel. Despite any efforts they might make to raise their children, God unequivocally states He will actively cause them to lose these offspring, leading to their complete annihilation, such that no descendants will remain. The verse climaxes with a pronouncement of profound distress and lamentation, attributing Israel's utter downfall to God's ultimate act of withdrawing His protective and gracious presence from them due to their unfaithfulness.

Hosea 9 12 Context

Hosea 9:12 is situated within a broader chapter of pronouncements of judgment against the northern kingdom of Israel, specifically Ephraim, due to their pervasive apostasy, idolatry, and reliance on foreign alliances instead of God. Chapter 9 immediately follows Hosea's condemnation of Israel for sowing wind and reaping the whirlwind, signifying the destructive consequences of their unfaithfulness (Hos 8:7). Verses 10-11 specifically mention Israel's initial dedication at Baal-peor, equating it to whoring, and their subsequent spiritual barrenness, losing both birth and pregnancy. Verse 12 builds upon this by emphasizing that even if children were conceived and born, God's judgment would ensure their removal, bringing total desolation. Historically, this prophecy foretells the coming Assyrian invasion and the eventual exile of the northern kingdom in 722 BC, during which such horrific events like child-loss and national annihilation would be realized. Culturally, children were the promise of a future and a sign of divine blessing (Ps 127:3). God's threat to "bereave" them directly challenges the fertility promises of Baal worship, showing Yahweh's ultimate sovereignty over life and death.

Hosea 9 12 Word analysis

• "Though they bring up" (וְכִי֩ יְגַדְּל֨וּ, wə-ḵī yə-ḡad-dəlū): From the root גדל (gadal), meaning "to be great," "grow," "make great," or "bring up." The concessive "though" indicates that despite any parental effort, nurture, or the children growing into maturity, the outcome will still be thwarted. It implies the futility of their human efforts in the face of divine judgment.
• "their children" (בָּנִ֜ים, bā-nīm): Literally "sons," but generally encompassing all offspring or descendants. This highlights the focus on the continuity of the family and nation, which God directly threatens. Children represent the future and heritage.
• "yet I will bereave them" (וְשִׁכַּלְתִּ֖ים, wə-šik-kaltīm): From the root שכל (shakal), which in Piel (intensive) form means "to cause childlessness," "bereave," or "make miscarry." This is a strong, active verb signifying God's direct and intentional intervention to take away their children, not a passive happening. It can include death in war, disease, or even spiritual separation leading to barrenness.
• "so that not a man shall be left" (אֵ֣ין אָדָ֔ם מִֽיּוֹתֵ֥ר, ʾên ʾā-ḏām mi-yō-ṯêr): Literally "there is no man left." Adam (אדם) refers to "human being" or "man." This phrase signifies complete eradication, total depopulation, and the cessation of the lineage, emphasizing absolute destruction and a future without an heir or survivor.
• "Yes, woe also to them" (וְא֣וֹי לָהֶ֗ם, wə-ʾōy lā-hem): "Woe" (אוֹי, ʾōy) is an exclamation of deep lamentation, sorrow, or condemnation. It's a pronouncement of inevitable and severe suffering and judgment, frequently used in prophetic literature to mark dire consequences for sin (e.g., Isa 5:8-23). It adds an emotional weight to the pronouncement, signaling God's distress and judgment.
• "when I depart from them!" (בְּסֻרִ֥י מֵהֶֽם, bə-su-rī mê-hem): From the root סור (sûr), meaning "to turn aside," "depart," or "remove." This is the ultimate and most severe judgment. God's departure signifies the removal of His protective hand, His blessings, and His presence. Without God's active presence and favor, Israel is utterly exposed and vulnerable to destruction (cf. Deut 31:17; Judg 10:13-14). It points to the spiritual core of their plight – they sought other gods, and now their true God withdraws.

Hosea 9 12 Bonus section

• Covenantal Retribution: This verse is a direct echo and fulfillment of the covenant curses outlined in Deuteronomy 28, particularly those related to the loss of children and God forsaking His people due to unfaithfulness (Deut 28:18, 32, 62; 31:17).
• Polemic against Baal: In Hosea's time, the worship of Baal was primarily a fertility cult. Israel worshipped Baal hoping for agricultural prosperity and numerous offspring. By directly stating that He, Yahweh, would cause them to lose their children even if they were born, God asserts His absolute supremacy over Baal, demonstrating Baal's powerlessness to grant or protect life.
• Ultimate Judgment: God's "departure" is the ultimate expression of judgment, worse than any physical hardship. It signifies a profound spiritual abandonment, leaving the nation utterly devoid of divine grace and defense, an "open door" for destruction by external foes like Assyria. This spiritual state of being "given over" can be seen reflected in New Testament contexts (e.g., Rom 1:24, 26, 28) where God abandons those who refuse to acknowledge Him.
• Irreversibility: The language "not a man shall be left" implies a judgment so comprehensive and irreversible for the generation under prophetic condemnation that it seals their national doom for that period, leading to the Assyrian exile.

Hosea 9 12 Commentary

Hosea 9:12 powerfully articulates the severity of God's judgment against Israel's pervasive idolatry and apostasy. The verse reveals God's active hand in reversing the fundamental covenant blessing of fruitfulness, turning it into a curse of bereavement. Even if they somehow managed to raise children, God would ensure their complete disappearance, demonstrating His sovereignty over life and the nation's future. The pronouncement "woe also to them when I depart from them!" encapsulates the gravest consequence imaginable for a covenant people: the withdrawal of God's sustaining, protective, and blessed presence. This departure is not capricious; it is the ultimate result of Israel repeatedly turning away from Him. When God, the source of life and blessing, withdraws, desolation, and destruction inevitably follow, leaving the people utterly vulnerable and without hope.