Hosea 9 14

Hosea 9:14 kjv

Give them, O LORD: what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.

Hosea 9:14 nkjv

Give them, O LORD? What will You give? Give them a miscarrying womb And dry breasts!

Hosea 9:14 niv

Give them, LORD? what will you give them? Give them wombs that miscarry and breasts that are dry.

Hosea 9:14 esv

Give them, O LORD ? what will you give? Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.

Hosea 9:14 nlt

O LORD, what should I request for your people?
I will ask for wombs that don't give birth
and breasts that give no milk.

Hosea 9 verses

Hosea 9 14 meaning

Hosea 9:14 is a poignant and severe prophetic prayer or imprecation voiced by the prophet against Israel, also referred to as Ephraim, due to their profound and persistent idolatry and unfaithfulness to the covenant God. The verse is a request for a devastating form of divine judgment: reproductive failure. The plea for "a miscarrying womb and dry breasts" symbolizes the complete cessation of future generations, an eradication of their national lineage, and an end to their capacity to procreate. This vivid and harsh petition reflects the ultimate and comprehensive consequences of Israel's egregious sin and represents a decisive judgment that cuts off the very hope of national continuation.

Hosea 9 14 Context

Hosea 9 is a chapter brimming with declarations of judgment against the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Ephraim). Immediately preceding verse 14, God announces that Israel should not rejoice (v. 1) for their idolatry will lead them to exile (v. 3). Their harvests, a sign of blessing, will cease, and they will mourn without wine (v. 2). Their sacrifices will be unacceptable (v. 4), and they will seek guidance in vain (v. 7).

Verses 10-13 detail Israel's initial apostasy at Baal Peor, setting a pattern for subsequent unfaithfulness. The glory of Ephraim (Israel) is described as "flying away like a bird" (v. 11), with "no birth, no pregnancy, no conception" (v. 11). Even if children were born, God would bereave them, highlighting a loss of national future (v. 12). Verse 13 specifically laments that Ephraim, once a proud and numerous people, is destined for ruin. Against this backdrop of intense spiritual harlotry, rejection of God's law, and impending desolation, the prophet Hosea voices the specific and severe imprecation of verse 14, seeking a judgment that targets the very perpetuation of the nation. The historical context is pre-exilic Israel, a time of internal decay and external threats, primarily from Assyria, which ultimately conquered the Northern Kingdom. Culturally, children and a large lineage were seen as a primary blessing from God and a guarantor of a nation's future. Thus, the curse on fertility was catastrophic.

Hosea 9 14 Word analysis

• Give them (תֵּן לָהֶם - ten lahem): An imperative verb, "give," addressed to the Lord. The pronoun "them" refers to the people of Israel/Ephraim, already condemned for their severe spiritual unfaithfulness described earlier in the chapter.
• O Lord (יְהוָה - YHWH): The personal, covenant name of God. This indicates a direct, earnest appeal to the supreme divine authority, who holds ultimate power over life and death, blessing and curse.
• what wilt Thou give? (מַה תִּתֵּן - mah titten): A rhetorical question. This is not a request for information but an expression of profound lament, distress, or even an agonized affirmation of the coming, inevitable, and terrible judgment that the prophet recognizes as proportionate to Israel's sin. It highlights the weight of divine wrath.
• give them (תֵּן לָהֶם - ten lahem): The repetition of the imperative "give them" serves to reinforce the directness and intensity of the plea, moving from a general lament to a highly specific and devastating petition.
• a miscarrying womb (רֶחֶם מַשְׁכִּיל - rechem maskil):
  • Rechem (רֶחֶם): Means "womb, matrix." It is the very seat of life and generation.
  • Maskil (מַשְׁכִּיל): A participle from the verb shakal (שָׁכַל), meaning "to miscarry, suffer abortion, be childless, bereave." This signifies a womb that conceives but fails to bring a child to term, or that continuously miscarries. It implies a cruel cycle of failed hope and constant sorrow.
• and dry breasts (וְשָׁדַיִם צֹמְקִים - v'shadaiyim tsomekim):
  • Shadaiyim (שָׁדַיִם): "Breasts." These symbolize nourishment, sustenance, and the ability of a mother to care for her offspring.
  • Tsomekim (צֹמְקִים): A participle from the verb tsamak (צָמַק), meaning "to dry up, shrivel." This depicts a complete absence of milk. Even if a child were miraculously born, it would lack vital nourishment, leading to death.

Words-group analysis:

• "Give them, O Lord, what wilt Thou give? give them...": The immediate double "give them," punctuated by the agonizing rhetorical question, emphasizes the prophet's profound plea for an extraordinary judgment. It frames the specific request that follows as the dire but necessary answer to Israel's deep-seated corruption.
• "...a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.": These two distinct but complementary curses paint a comprehensive picture of national extinction. The "miscarrying womb" targets the beginning of life, preventing a successful birth and the continuation of the family line. The "dry breasts" target the sustainability of life, ensuring that even if a child somehow survived birth, it would not endure. Together, they signify a total, absolute, and unmerciful judgment against Israel's capacity for procreation, symbolizing the ultimate end of their national hope and identity due to their forsaking God. It's not just a general lack of children, but a vivid and cruel failure at the fundamental process of life-giving and nurturing.

Hosea 9 14 Bonus section

• The imprecation here intensifies the general curses outlined in the Pentateuch (e.g., Deut 28) concerning covenant disobedience. It is specific, visceral, and targets the core of familial and national perpetuity, not just economic or military well-being.
• The rhetorical "what wilt Thou give?" could reflect a moment of profound internal struggle or agony within the prophet, contemplating the extreme nature of the judgment God must bring, yet recognizing its inevitability and righteousness in light of Israel's unwavering sin.
• This verse provides a powerful prophetic image illustrating how God's judgment can be both physically devastating and symbolically profound, communicating a comprehensive termination of the covenant relationship as far as the nation's future existence is concerned.

Hosea 9 14 Commentary

Hosea 9:14 is a chilling expression of divine judgment, channeled through the prophet, reflecting God's righteous wrath against Israel's pervasive idolatry and covenant infidelity. The prophet's urgent prayer "Give them, O Lord, what wilt Thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts" is an imprecation for total reproductive failure. This imagery directly attacks the foundational cultural value of children as a sign of blessing and guarantor of national survival. A "miscarrying womb" implies repeated, devastating failure in the birthing process, causing persistent sorrow and hopelessness rather than simple barrenness. "Dry breasts" ensure that any life that might precariously begin cannot be sustained, sealing the fate of the unborn and the future generation. This twin curse underscores the absolute nature of the impending judgment, signaling the complete eradication of Israel's national identity and an end to their covenant lineage. It starkly illustrates the dire consequences of persistently rejecting God's love and breaking the covenant, leading to a termination of their future as a distinct people.