Bible Strands
Hosea 9:14
Give them, O LORD—what will You give? Give them wombs that miscarry and breasts that dry up!
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The prophet addresses Yahweh directly, invoking reproductive failure upon Ephraim/Israel as a direct response to their rebellion and the wickedness displayed at Gilgal.
The words — The Hebrew root תּן (ten) appears twice as an imperative "give," followed by רֶ֣חֶם (Re.chem) meaning "a womb" and מַשְׁכִּ֔יל (mash.Kil) meaning "[which] miscarry," paired with שָׁדַ֖יִם (sha.Da.yim) for "breasts."
The thread — This imagery of withheld fertility runs parallel to Jesus’ warning in Luke 23:29 about future barrenness, the distress described in Luke 21:23, and Paul’s observation in 1 Corinthians 7:26 that present crises make remaining as one is advisable.
Why it lands — The text states that covenant rebellion triggers the withdrawal of life-sustaining blessings, which interpreters infer as God actively withholding future hope rather than passively allowing tragedy.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Give them, O Lord: what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.
Cross-references
- Luke 23:29 Look, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore, and breasts that never nursed!’
- Luke 21:23 How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers! For there will be great distress upon the land and wrath against this people.
- 1 Corinthians 7:26 Because of the present crisis, I think it is good for a man to remain as he is.
- Job 21:10 Their bulls breed without fail; their cows bear calves and do not miscarry.
- Hosea 9:11 Ephraim’s glory will fly away like a bird, with no birth, no pregnancy, and no conception.
- Hosea 9:13 I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre, planted in a meadow. But Ephraim will bring out his children for slaughter.
- Hosea 9:16 Ephraim is struck down; their root is withered; they cannot bear fruit. Even if they bear children, I will slay the darlings of their wombs.
- Matthew 24:19 How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers!
- Mark 13:17 How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers!