Hosea 9:11

¶ [As for] Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception.

As for Ephraim {H669}, their glory {H3519} shall fly away {H5774} like a bird {H5775}, from the birth {H3205}, and from the womb {H990}, and from the conception {H2032}.

The glory of Efrayim will fly away like a bird - no birth, no pregnancy, no conception.

Ephraim’s glory will fly away like a bird, with no birth, no pregnancy, and no conception.

As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird: there shall be no birth, and none with child, and no conception.

Hosea 9:11 delivers a stark prophecy concerning Ephraim, representing the Northern Kingdom of Israel. It vividly describes the devastating consequences of their unfaithfulness to God, particularly highlighting the complete and utter loss of their future.

Context

The prophet Hosea consistently rebukes Israel for their widespread idolatry, spiritual prostitution, and reliance on foreign alliances rather than the Lord. Chapter 9, in particular, details the impending divine judgment, including exile, famine, and the cessation of religious festivals. This verse specifically targets the future of Ephraim, highlighting the ultimate loss of their vitality and hope. Their "glory" was their prosperity, their numerous population, and their perceived strength—all of which were gifts from God that they misused and for which they were now facing severe repercussions. The phrase 'Ephraim is joined to idols' (Hosea 4:17) encapsulates their spiritual state, leading to this severe judgment.

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment and Consequences: The verse powerfully illustrates God's severe judgment against a people who persistently turned away from Him. Their actions led directly to the removal of blessings and a future filled with despair rather than hope.
  • Loss of Posterity and Future: The repetition "from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception" emphasizes a complete and utter cessation of future generations. This is a profound curse in ancient Near Eastern culture, signifying the end of a family line and national hope, echoing the warnings found in Deuteronomy 28:18 concerning the fruit of the body.
  • Transience of Worldly Glory: Ephraim's "glory" was fleeting and entirely dependent on God's favor. When that favor was withdrawn due to their sin, their perceived strength and prosperity vanished swiftly, much like a bird quickly disappears from sight.

Linguistic Insights

  • The Hebrew word for "glory" (כָּבוֹד, kavod) often denotes honor, abundance, wealth, and a large population—all aspects of Israel's strength and prosperity that were now threatened.
  • The vivid metaphor "shall fly away like a bird" (יִדַּד כַּצִּפּוֹר, yiddad katzzippor) suggests a swift, irreversible, and perhaps even unnoticed departure. It implies fragility and vulnerability, contrasting sharply with their former perceived might. This imagery is similar to the departure of God's glory from the temple in Ezekiel.
  • The triple emphasis "from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception" (מִלֵּדָה וּמִבֶּטֶן וּמֵהֵרָיוֹן, milledah umibbeten umehrayon) is a rhetorical device highlighting totality. It means no children will be born, nor conceived, nor even be in the womb—a complete eradication of any future generations, signifying the ultimate judgment on their national continuity.

Practical Application

Hosea 9:11 serves as a solemn warning that true prosperity, national strength, and future hope are ultimately dependent on a right relationship with God. When a nation or individual persistently turns away from divine principles and embraces idolatry or unfaithfulness, even perceived strengths can quickly diminish or vanish. This verse reminds us that our "glory" or achievements are fragile if not built on a foundation of faithfulness to the Lord. The focus should always be on seeking God's kingdom and righteousness, knowing that all else is added, as taught by Jesus in Matthew 6:33.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Hosea 10:5

    The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Bethaven: for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests thereof [that] rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, because it is departed from it.

  • Deuteronomy 28:18

    Cursed [shall be] the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.

  • Hosea 4:7

    As they were increased, so they sinned against me: [therefore] will I change their glory into shame.

  • Hosea 9:14

    Give them, O LORD: what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.

  • Genesis 41:52

    And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.

  • Psalms 58:8

    As a snail [which] melteth, let [every one of them] pass away: [like] the untimely birth of a woman, [that] they may not see the sun.

  • Genesis 49:22

    ¶ Joseph [is] a fruitful bough, [even] a fruitful bough by a well; [whose] branches run over the wall:

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