Hosea 13:13

The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he [is] an unwise son; for he should not stay long in [the place of] the breaking forth of children.

The sorrows {H2256} of a travailing woman {H3205} shall come {H935} upon him: he is an unwise {H2450} son {H1121}; for he should not stay {H5975} long {H6256} in the place of the breaking forth {H4866} of children {H1121}.

The pain of being born will come to him; but he is an unwise son. The time has come; and he shouldn't delay, there at the mouth of the womb.

Labor pains come upon him, but he is an unwise son. When the time arrives, he fails to present himself at the opening of the womb.

The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he is an unwise son; for it is time he should not tarry in the place of the breaking forth of children.

Commentary

Context of Hosea 13:13

Hosea, the prophet of God's steadfast love and Israel's unfaithfulness, delivers a stern message of impending judgment to the Northern Kingdom (Ephraim) in chapter 13. Despite God's past care and deliverance, Israel continually turned to idolatry and rebellion. This chapter details the severe consequences of their spiritual apostasy, portraying God's wrath and their inevitable downfall, often using vivid, even shocking, metaphors to underscore the gravity of their sin and its repercussions.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Inevitable Judgment: The phrase "The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him" powerfully conveys the sudden, intense, and unavoidable nature of the divine judgment awaiting Israel. This vivid imagery, also found in passages like Isaiah 13:8, depicts sudden, unavoidable, and intense pain, signifying that Israel's suffering is a direct, agonizing consequence of their actions.
  • Spiritual Folly: Israel is described as an "unwise son" (Hebrew: ben lo chakam, literally 'son not wise'). This highlights their profound spiritual foolishness, not merely a lack of intellect, but a stubborn refusal to acknowledge God's warnings, repent, and turn back to Him. Their actions demonstrate a deep-seated spiritual ignorance and rebellion, akin to the foolishness described in Proverbs 1:7, where the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.
  • Missed Opportunity for Deliverance: The most poignant part of the verse, "for he should not stay long in [the place of] the breaking forth of children," uses a metaphor from childbirth. The "breaking forth" (Hebrew: mashber) refers to the critical moment of delivery, the very point of birth. An "unwise son" fails to emerge from this perilous stage, indicating a refusal to embrace deliverance or repentance. It’s as if they remain stuck in the birth canal, leading to spiritual death rather than new life or salvation, a failure to heed God’s call to reason together and repent.

Linguistic Insights

The term "unwise son" points to a moral and spiritual deficiency. It's not about intellectual capacity but about a failure to act with discernment concerning God's will and their own spiritual well-being. The Hebrew word mashber for "breaking forth" or "birthstool" vividly portrays a moment of intense crisis and potential breakthrough. Israel's tragic flaw was their inability or unwillingness to move through this critical point, delaying repentance until it was too late, thus sealing their fate.

Practical Application

Hosea 13:13 serves as a timeless warning against spiritual procrastination and stubbornness. Just as a child must emerge from the womb at the appointed time, there are critical moments in our spiritual lives when God calls for a decisive response. Delaying obedience, ignoring warnings, or refusing to repent can lead to dire and unavoidable consequences. The verse underscores the importance of seizing opportunities for spiritual growth and deliverance, heeding God's call, and embracing wisdom over folly to avoid unnecessary pain and missed blessings.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Isaiah 37:3

    And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day [is] a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and [there is] not strength to bring forth.

  • Isaiah 13:8

    And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces [shall be as] flames.

  • Micah 4:9

    Now why dost thou cry out aloud? [is there] no king in thee? is thy counsellor perished? for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail.

  • Micah 4:10

    Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go [even] to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the LORD shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies.

  • 2 Kings 19:3

    And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day [is] a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and [there is] not strength to bring forth.

  • Isaiah 26:17

    Like as a woman with child, [that] draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, [and] crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD.

  • Psalms 48:6

    Fear took hold upon them there, [and] pain, as of a woman in travail.
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