Hosea 9:10–16

Grapes in the Wilderness

¹⁰I found Israel like ^agrapes in the wilderness;

I saw your fathers as the ^bearliest fruit on the fig tree in its first season.

But they came to ^cBaal-peor and devoted themselves to ^1dshame,

And they became as ^edetestable as that which they loved.

¹¹As for Ephraim, their ^aglory will fly away like a bird—

No birth, no pregnancy, and no conception!

¹²Though they bring up their children,

Yet I will bereave them ¹until not a man is left.

Surely, ^awoe to them indeed when I depart from them!

¹³Ephraim, as I have seen,

Is planted in a pasture like ^aTyre;

But Ephraim will bring out his children for killing.

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

Give them a ^1amiscarrying womb and dry breasts.

¹⁵All their evil is at ^aGilgal;

Indeed, I came to hate them there!

Because of the ^bevil of their deeds

I will drive them out of My house!

I will love them no more;

All their princes are ^crebels.

^16aEphraim is stricken; their root is dried up;

They will bear ^bno fruit.

Even though they bear children,

I will put to death the ^cdesirable ones of their womb.