Hosea 9:12–17

12 Even if they rear children,

I will bereave them of every one.

Woe to them

when I turn away from them!

13 I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre,

planted in a pleasant place.

But Ephraim will bring out

their children to the slayer.”

14 Give them, Lord—

what will you give them?

Give them wombs that miscarry

and breasts that are dry.

15 “Because of all their wickedness in Gilgal,

I hated them there.

Because of their sinful deeds,

I will drive them out of my house.

I will no longer love them;

all their leaders are rebellious.

16 Ephraim is blighted,

their root is withered,

they yield no fruit.

Even if they bear children,

I will slay their cherished offspring.”

17 My God will reject them

because they have not obeyed him;

they will be wanderers among the nations.

12 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!

13 Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place:

But Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer.

14 Give them, O Lord: what wilt thou give?

Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.

15 All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them:

For the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house,

I will love them no more:

All their princes are revolters.

16 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.

17 My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him:

And they shall be wanderers among the nations.

12 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.

13 I have watched Israel become as beautiful as Tyre.

But now Israel will bring out her children for slaughter.”

14 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.

15 The Lord says, “All their wickedness began at Gilgal;

there I began to hate them.

I will drive them from my land

because of their evil actions.

I will love them no more

because all their leaders are rebels.

16 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.”

17 My God will reject the people of Israel

because they will not listen or obey.

They will be wanderers,

homeless among the nations.

12 Though they bring up their children,

Yet I will bereave them to the last man.

Yes, woe to them when I depart from them!

13 Just as I saw Ephraim like Tyre, planted in a pleasant place,

So Ephraim will bring out his children to the murderer.”

14 Give them, O Lord—

What will You give?

Give them a miscarrying womb

And dry breasts!

15 “All their wickedness is in Gilgal,

For there I hated them.

Because of the evil of their deeds

I will drive them from My house;

I will love them no more.

All their princes are rebellious.

16 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.”

17 My God will cast them away,

Because they did not obey Him;

And they shall be wanderers among the nations.

12 But even if the Israelites bring up children,

I will take them all away.

How terrible it will be for them

when I go away from them!

13 I have seen Israel, like Tyre,

given a pleasant place.

But the people of Israel will soon bring out

their children to be killed.”

14 Lord, give them what they should have.

What will you give them?

Make their women unable to have children;

give them dried-up breasts that cannot feed their babies.

15 “The Israelites were very wicked in Gilgal,

so I have hated them there.

Because of the sinful things they have done,

I will force them to leave my land.

I will no longer love them;

their leaders have turned against me.

16 Israel is beaten down;

its root is dying, and it has no fruit.

If they have more children,

I will kill the children they love.”

17 God will reject them,

because they have not obeyed him;

they will wander among the nations.

12 Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, so that not a man shall be left: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them! 13 Ephraim, like as I have seen Tyre, is planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim shall bring out his children to the slayer. 14 Give them, O Jehovah—what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts. 15 All their wickedness is in Gilgal; for there I hated them: because of the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of my house; I will love them no more; all their princes are revolters. 16 Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay the beloved fruit of their womb. 17 My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him; and they shall be wanderers among the nations.

12 For even should they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that not a man remain: for woe also to them when I shall have departed from them! 13 Ephraim, as I saw him, was a Tyre planted in a beautiful place; but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the slayer. 14 Give them, Jehovah—what wilt thou give? —give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts. 15 All their wickedness is in Gilgal; for there I hated them: because of the wickedness of their doings, I will drive them out of my house, I will love them no more: all their princes are rebellious. 16 Ephraim is smitten: their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit; yea, though they should bring forth, yet will I slay the beloved fruit of their womb. 17 My God hath rejected them, because they hearkened not unto him; and they shall be wanderers among the nations.

12 Even if they bring up children, 

I will take those children away before they grow up. 

Yes, how horrible it will be for them when I leave them. 

13 I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre, planted in a pleasant place. 

But the people of Ephraim will bring out their children 

to be killed.” 

14 Lord, give them what they deserve. 

Make the women miscarry, 

or else make them unable to nurse their babies. 

15 “All Ephraim’s wickedness began in Gilgal; I hated the people there. 

I will force them out of my temple because of their wickedness, 

and I won’t love them anymore. 

All their officials are rebellious. 

16 “The people of Ephraim are like sick plants. 

Their roots are dried up. 

They have no fruit. 

Even if they were to have children, 

I would kill their dear children.” 

17 My God will reject them 

because they refused to listen to him. 

They will wander among the nations. 

12 Even if they raise children,

I will bereave them of each one.

Yes, woe to them when I depart from them!

13 I have seen Ephraim like Tyre,

planted in a meadow,

so Ephraim will bring out his children

to the executioner.

14 Give them, Lord—

What should You give?

Give them a womb that miscarries

and breasts that are dry!

15 All their evil appears at Gilgal,

for there I came to hate them.

I will drive them from My house

because of their evil, wicked actions.

I will no longer love them;

all their leaders are rebellious.

16 Ephraim is struck down;

their roots are withered;

they cannot bear fruit.

Even if they bear children,

I will kill the precious offspring of their wombs.

17 My God will reject them

because they have not listened to Him;

they will become wanderers among the nations.

12 Even if they bring up children,

I will bereave them until no one is left.

Woe to them indeed

when I depart from them!

13 Once I saw Ephraim as a young palm planted in a lovely meadow,

but now Ephraim must lead out his children for slaughter.

14 Give them, O Lord—

what will you give?

Give them a miscarrying womb

and dry breasts.

15 Every evil of theirs began at Gilgal;

there I came to hate them.

Because of the wickedness of their deeds

I will drive them out of my house.

I will love them no more;

all their officials are rebels.

16 Ephraim is stricken,

their root is dried up,

they shall bear no fruit.

Even though they give birth,

I will kill the cherished offspring of their womb.

17 Because they have not listened to him,

my God will reject them;

they shall become wanderers among the nations.

12 Even though they bring up their children,

I will bereave them before maturity.

Woe to them indeed,

when I depart from them!

13 Ephraim, as I see it,

is like a palm in a meadow;

but Ephraim must bring out

his children to the slayer.

14 Give them, O Yahweh—

what will you give them?

Give them a miscarrying womb

and dry breasts.

15 Every evil of theirs began at Gilgal,

so I began to hate them there;

because of the evil of their deeds

I will drive them out from my house.

I will love them no more;

all their officials are rebels.

16 Ephraim is stricken,

their root is dried up,

they shall not bear fruit.

Even if they give birth,

I will kill the cherished offspring of their womb.

17 My God will reject them

because they did not listen to him,

and they will be wanderers among the nations.

12 But suppose they do have children.

Then I will kill every one of them.

How terrible it will be for them

when I turn away from them!”

13 Tyre is planted in a pleasant place.

And so is Ephraim.

But the Assyrians will kill

Ephraim’s children.

14 Lord, what should you do to Ephraim’s people?

Give them women whose babies die before they are born.

Give them women whose breasts don’t have any milk.

15 The Lord says,

“My people did many evil things in Gilgal.

That is why I hated them there.

They committed many sins.

So I will drive them out of my land.

I will not love them anymore.

All of their leaders refuse to obey me.

16 Ephraim is like a worthless plant.

Its roots are dried up.

It does not produce any fruit.

Suppose Ephraim’s people have children.

Then I will kill the children they love so much.”

17 My God will turn his back on his people.

They have not obeyed him.

So they will wander among other nations.

12 Though they bring up their children,

Yet I will bereave them until not a man is left.

Yes, woe to them indeed when I depart from them!

13 Ephraim, as I have seen,

Is planted in a pleasant meadow like Tyre;

But Ephraim will bring out his children for slaughter.

14 Give them, O Lord—what will You give?

Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.

15 All their evil is at Gilgal;

Indeed, I came to hate them there!

Because of the wickedness of their deeds

I will drive them out of My house!

I will love them no more;

All their princes are rebels.

16 Ephraim is stricken, their root is dried up,

They will bear no fruit.

Even though they bear children,

I will slay the precious ones of their womb.

17 My God will cast them away

Because they have not listened to Him;

And they will be wanderers among the nations.