Hosea 9:16 kjv
Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb.
Hosea 9:16 nkjv
Ephraim is stricken, Their root is dried up; They shall bear no fruit. Yes, were they to bear children, I would kill the darlings of their womb."
Hosea 9:16 niv
Ephraim is blighted, their root is withered, they yield no fruit. Even if they bear children, I will slay their cherished offspring."
Hosea 9:16 esv
Ephraim is stricken; their root is dried up; they shall bear no fruit. Even though they give birth, I will put their beloved children to death.
Hosea 9:16 nlt
The people of Israel are struck down.
Their roots are dried up,
and they will bear no more fruit.
And if they give birth,
I will slaughter their beloved children."
Hosea 9 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Hosea 9:16 | Ephraim is smitten; their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit. | Hosea 9:16 (main) |
| Deuteronomy 28:64 | And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people... | Consequence of disobedience |
| Jeremiah 17:6 | For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh... | Fruitlessness |
| Isaiah 5:6 | And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns... | Divine judgment, barrenness |
| Jeremiah 24:10 | And I will cast them into another land, as this day. | Exile, scattering |
| Hosea 4:6 | My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge... | Consequences of ignorance |
| Hosea 13:8 | I will meet them as a bear bereaved of her whelps... | Divine judgment |
| Matthew 13:12 | For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. | Spiritual barrenness |
| John 15:6 | If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. | Spiritual unfruitfulness |
| Galatians 5:22-23 | But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance. | Spiritual fruitfulness |
| Romans 11:22 | Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. | Severity and goodness |
| Isaiah 1:2-3 | Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. | Rejection of God's care |
| Jeremiah 11:15 | What hath my beloved to do in mine house, seeing she hath wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee, when thou doest evil. | Idolatry's corruption |
| Ezekiel 16:33 | How thou hast loved lovers, and hast given them the hire of a harlot, even to every one that passed by, hast thou given thyself. | Spiritual adultery |
| Revelation 17:16 | And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. | Divine judgment on apostasy |
| 2 Corinthians 3:5 | Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God. | Reliance on God |
| James 1:17 | Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. | God as source of goodness |
| 1 Peter 2:4-5 | To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house... | Spiritual house |
| Hebrews 12:29 | For our God is a consuming fire. | God's wrath |
| Hosea 5:15 | I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early. | God's withdrawal |
Hosea 9 verses
Hosea 9 16 Meaning
Ephraim’s descendants will be loved by God and will again become fruitful, but because of their rejection of Him, they will face His wrath, leading to death and destruction as a consequence of their idolatry and disobedience. This verse describes the consequences of Israel's apostasy.
Hosea 9 16 Context
Hosea 9 is a lamentation over Israel's impending destruction due to their idolatry and unfaithfulness to God. The chapter vividly portrays the consequences of their sins, emphasizing their spiritual barrenness and the judgment they will face. This verse specifically addresses the northern kingdom of Israel (Ephraim), foretelling their devastating downfall. Historically, this prophecy was given during a time of intense idolatry and political instability for Israel, leading up to the Assyrian conquest.
Hosea 9 16 Word Analysis
- "Ephraim is smitten":
- Ephraim: (Hebrew: אֶפְרַיִם, 'ephrayim) - The dominant tribe of the northern kingdom of Israel, often used metonymically for the entire kingdom.
- "is smitten": (Hebrew: נָכּה, nakhah) - Struck, afflicted, wounded. It signifies a severe blow or defeat, indicating God's judgment has been enacted against them.
- "their root is dried up":
- "root": (Hebrew: שֹׁרֶשׁ, shoresh) - Refers to the source of life, stability, and sustenance. In a spiritual sense, it signifies their foundation in God, which they have abandoned. This imagery conveys a loss of vital support, leading to inevitable death.
- "is dried up": (Hebrew: יָבֵשׁ, yavesh) - To become dry, withered, parched. This indicates a complete depletion of life-giving resources, leading to infertility and eventual death.
- "they shall bear no fruit":
- "bear": (Hebrew: עָשָׂה, asah) - To produce, to make, to bring forth. In this context, it refers to offspring and to the good works and obedience that should result from a relationship with God.
- "no fruit": (Hebrew: פְּרִי, peri) - Fruit, offspring, product, result. It signifies a complete lack of the expected outcome, be it biological continuation or spiritual prosperity. This reinforces the consequence of their severed connection to God, the source of all fruitfulness.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "Ephraim is smitten; their root is dried up": This powerful juxtaposition connects direct affliction with a fundamental loss of vitality. The smiting is the external consequence, while the dried root is the internal cause and precursor to further desolation. Their connection to the divine life source has been severed.
- "they shall bear no fruit": This is the direct result of the preceding conditions. Without nourishment from the "root," no fruit can be produced. This encompasses a loss of future generations and any positive impact or spiritual growth. It's a statement of total desolation and judgment.
Hosea 9 16 Bonus Section
The concept of barrenness as a divine judgment is a recurring theme throughout Scripture, often signifying God's displeasure with sin and unfaithfulness. This verse echoes the consequences described for Israel’s historical sins and parallels spiritual unfruitfulness described in the New Testament for those who abandon their faith or live in sin. The prophecy points to the ultimate consequence of severing the "root" in God, leading to spiritual death and separation from His presence. This serves as a reminder that true fruitfulness and life flow only from a divinely sustained relationship.
Hosea 9 16 Commentary
Hosea 9:16 pronounces a dire fate upon Ephraim, symbolizing the spiritual and national death resulting from their deep-seated rebellion against God. The "smitten" state refers to immediate and devastating judgments, likely alluding to military defeats and oppressions. The image of a dried-up root is a profound metaphor for their severed connection to God, who is the source of all life and spiritual vitality. Just as a plant without a functioning root system cannot sustain itself or produce fruit, Israel, having abandoned its covenant relationship with God, becomes barren. This barrenness signifies not only a lack of prosperity and offspring but also an inability to produce righteous deeds or contribute positively to God's kingdom. It's a consequence of their spiritual adultery and idolatry, which have leached the life out of them. The verse serves as a solemn warning about the inescapable outcome of rejecting the divine source of life and faithfulness.