TRV
See on the biblical-era map
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Hosea 9:11–17. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
In the foregoing verses we saw the sin of Israel derived from their fathers; here we see the punishment of Israel derived to their children; for, as death entered by sin at first, so it is still entailed with it. We may observe, in these verses,
I.The sin of Ephraim. Some expressions are here which describe that.
1.They did not hearken to God (Hos 9:17); they did not give attention to the voice either of his word or of his rod; they did not believe what he said, nor would they be ruled by him. He told them their duty, their interest, their danger, but they regarded him not; all he said to them by his words and by his prophets was to them as a tale that is told; and then no wonder that we hear,
2.Of the wickedness of their doings (Hos 9:15), the downright malice that was in their sins; they were not infirmities, but daring presumptions. How can those but do wickedly who will not hearken to the word of God, that would teach and persuade them to do well? And no wonder that there were wicked doings among them when,
3.Their worship was corrupt (Hos 9:15): All their wickedness is in Gilgal, which was a place infamous for idolatry, as appears, Hos 4:15; Hos 12:11; Amo 4:4; Amo 5:5. It is probable that the idolaters chose that place for their head-quarters because it had been famous in other ages for solemn transactions between God and Israel, as Jos 5:2, Jos 5:10; Sa1 10:8; Sa1 11:15. There, where the source of idolatry was, whence it spread through the kingdom, there it might be said that all their wickedness was, for all other wickedness owed its origin to that. Corruptions in worship make way for corruptions in morals. The mother of harlots is the mother of all other abominations, Rev 17:5. The learned Grotius conjectures that there is a mystical sense here. Golgotha in Syriac is the same with Gilgal in Hebrew, and therefore he thinks this may have reference to the putting of Christ to death at Golgotha, which was the greatest sin of the Jewish nation, and of which it might truly be said, All their wickedness was summed up in that. And no wonder that the people did wickedly, both in worship and conversation, when 4. All their princes were revolters; the whole succession of the kings of the ten tribes did evil in the sight of the Lord, or all the set of judges and magistrates at this time were wicked; they turned aside to sinful ways and persisted in those ways.
II.The displeasure of God against Ephraim for sin.
This is variously expressed here, to show what a provocation sin is to the pure eyes of his glory, and how odious it makes the sinner to him.
1.He departs from them, Hos 9:12. When they revolt from him, and withdraw from their allegiance to him, how can they expect but that he should depart from them and withdraw both his protection and his bounty? And well may his threatening be enforced as it is, and made terrible: Woe also unto them when I depart from them! Note, Those are in a woeful condition indeed whom God has forsaken. Our weal or woe depends upon the gracious presence of God with us; and, if he goes, all weal goes with him and all woes come upon us. God has forsaken him; persecute and take him. Saul knew this when he laid such an emphasis upon this part of his complaint, The Philistines make war against me, and God has departed from me. Nay, he does not only depart from them, but,
2.He hates them. In Gilgal, where all their wickedness is, there I hated them. There, where the abominations of sin are committed, there God abominates the sinners. In Gilgal he had bestowed many tokens of his favour upon their ancestors, but now that is the place where he hates them for their base ingratitude. Nay, he not only hates them, but,
3.He will love them no more, will never take them into his favour again; the breach between God and Israel is wide as the sea, which cannot be healed. This agrees with what he had said, (Hos 1:6, Hos 1:7), I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel, the ten tribes.
4.He will discard them, and have no more to do with them: For the wickedness of their doings, I will drive them out of my house. He will no longer own them as his, or as belonging to his family in the world; he will turn them out of doors as unfaithful tenants that pay him no rent, as unprofitable servants that do him neither credit nor work. Note, Those that profane God's house can expect no other than to be expelled his house, and no longer suffered to be either lodgers in it or retainers to it. Nay, he will not only drive them out of his house, but,
5.He will drive them far enough (Hos 9:17): My God will cast them away, not only out of his house, but out of his sight; he will quite abandon and reject them; they shall be cast-aways. God said that he would drive them out of his house, and here the prophet seconds it, as one that knew his Master's mind very well: My God will cast them away. See with what comfort and pleasure he calls God his God. Note, When others disown God, and are disowned by him, it is a very great satisfaction to good people that they can call God their God, can cheerfully own him and see themselves owned by him - all revolters, all ruined, yet God is my God.
III.The fruit of this displeasure, in the cutting off and abandoning of their posterity, which is the judgment here threatened again and again. Observe here,
1.How numerous Ephraim seemed likely to be. The name Ephraim is derived from fruitfulness, Gen 41:51. Joseph is a fruitful bough, Gen 49:22. And Moses's blessing foretold the ten thousands of Ephraim, Deu 33:17. This was his glory, Hos 9:11. For this he seemed designed by him that appoints the bounds of men's habitation; for Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place, to encourage his increase, which one may expect as from a tree planted by the river's side. Ephraim is as strong and rich as ever Tyre was, and as proud and secure. The Chaldee paraphrase gives this sense of it, The congregation of Israel, while they observed the law, was like to Tyrus in prosperity and security.
2.How few Ephraim should be (Hos 9:11): Their glory shall fly away like a bird; their children shall be taken away and the hopes of their families cut off. All their glory shall fly as an eagle towards heaven, swiftly and irrecoverably. Note, Worldly glory is glory that will fly away; but those that have their God their glory have in him an unfading everlasting glory. Ephraim has been as a fruitful tree. But now Ephraim is smitten, is blasted; their root is dried up; they shall bear no fruit, Hos 9:16. If the root be dried, the branch must wither of course. Observe,
(1.)God's threatening this judgment of the destroying of their children.
[1.]They shall perish of themselves by the immediate hand of God (Hos 9:11): They shall fly away from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception. Some of their children shall die as soon as they are born; the cradle shall be presently turned into a coffin. Others of them shall be still-born, or the womb shall be their grave, and their death there their mothers' death too. Of others their mothers shall miscarry almost as soon as they have conceived, and they shall be as untimely fruit. See how easily God can, and how justly we are sure he might, root out the whole race of mankind, that degenerate, guilty, obnoxious race, and blot out the name of it from under heaven; it is but doing as he does by Ephraim here, writing them all childless, making all their glory to fly away from the birth, the womb, and the conception, drying up their root, that they bear no fruit, and their business is done in a few years.
[2.]They shall perish by the hand of their enemies; they shall die violent deaths (Hos 9:12): "Though they bring up their children to some maturity, though they escape the diseases and deaths which the infant age is liable to, and are thought to be reared past danger, yet will I bereave them (Hos 9:12), by one judgment or other, so that there shall not be a man left to build up their families and bear up their name." Again (Hos 9:13), Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer. The mothers shall travail with pain to bear their children, and a great deal of care, and pains, and cost shall be bestowed upon the nursing of them, and when a cruel enemy comes and puts all to the word, young and old, without mercy, then they seem but as lambs that were all this while fed for the slaughter. Note, It is a great alloy to the comfort parents have in their children that they know not what they have brought them forth and brought them up for, perhaps for the murderer, or, which is worse, to be themselves the plagues of their generation. It is threatened again (Hos 9:16), Though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb, those children that they are most fond of. Note, The parents' love is no security to the children's lives; nay, sometimes death is commissioned to take the darlings of the family and leave the burdens of it. When sentence was passed upon Israel in the wilderness, that they should all perish there, this mercy was mixed with the wrath, that their children should nevertheless enter into that rest which they through unbelief could not enter into. But this is a total and final rejection; even their children shall be cut off, and the land shall escheat to the crown, ob defectum sanguinis - shall be lost for want of heirs. The Chaldee-paraphrase, and many of the rabbin, by the murderers to whom the children were brought forth, understand those that sacrificed their children to Moloch, a sin which was its own punishment, which showed the parents void of bowels and justly left them void of blessings.
[3.]Those few that escape and remain shall be dispersed (Hos 9:17): They shall be wanderers among the nations; so the remains of the Jews are at this day, and there is no place in the world where they are a distinct nation.
(2.)The prophet's prayer relating to it (Hos 9:14): Give them, O Lord! what wilt thou give? What shall I ask for a people thus doomed to destruction? It is this; since the decree has gone forth, that they must either die from the womb or be brought forth for the murderer, of the two let them rather die from the womb. Rather let them have no children than have them to be made miserable; for the same reason, when a total ruin was coming on the Jewish nation, Christ said, Blessed is the womb that never bore and the paps that never gave suck, Luk 23:29. "Give therefore a miscarrying womb and dry breasts; for it is better to fall into the hands of the Lord, whose mercies are great, than into the hands of man." Note, Those that are childless may with this reconcile themselves to the will of God herein, that the time may come when, if they were not so, they would wish they had been so.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
God is not ashamed to take flesh from such members, for he framed these very members. Who tells us this? The Lord said to Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you. Before you were born I dedicated you.” If in fashioning me, therefore, he touched them and was not ashamed, was he ashamed in forming for himself the holy flesh, the veil of his Godhead? It is God who even now creates the babes in the womb, as it is written in Job, “Did you not pour me out as milk, and thicken me like cheese? With skin and flesh you clothed me, with bones and sinews knit me together.” There is nothing corrupt in the human bodily frame unless one defiles it with adulteries and wantonness. He who formed Adam formed Eve also; and male and female were fashioned by the divine hands. None of the members of the body, as fashioned from the beginning, is corrupt. Let all heretics be silent who slander their bodies, or rather him who formed them. But let us be mindful of Paul’s words: “Do you not know that your members are the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you?” Again, the prophet has foretold in the person of Jesus, “my flesh is from them.”
"Ephraim has flown away like a bird: their glory from birth and from the womb and from conception. Even if they bring up their children, I will make them childless in men. But woe to them when I depart from them. Ephraim, as I saw, was founded in Tyre in beauty, and Ephraim will bring their sons to the slayer." LXX: "Ephraim has flown away like a bird: their glory is in giving birth and in births and conception: because even if they bring up their children, they will be without children among men: because woe to them, for my flesh is from them. Ephraim, as I saw, offered his children into captivity, and Ephraim, to bring his children to slaughter." There is much disagreement among interpreters on this passage. In that place where we said, "woe to them when I depart from them," the Septuagint and Theodotion translated it as "woe to them, my flesh from them." Seeking the reason for such a variation, I seem to have found this: "My flesh" is said in Hebrew "Basari;" again, if we say "my departure" or "my declination," it is said "Basori." Therefore, the Septuagint and Theodotion translated "my departure" and "my declination" as "my flesh," whereas for "Ephraim, as I saw, Tyre was," the Septuagint interpreted "θήραν," which means "hunting" or "capture," Aquila and Symmachus and Theodotion interpreted as "a very hard rock," that is, a flint, which in Hebrew is called "Sur;" but if we read "Sor," it means "Tyre." "But the Seventy interpreters, thinking from the similarity of the letters of Res and Daleth that it was not Res but Daleth, have read Sud, that is, "hunting" or "capture," from which Bethsaida is also called "the house of hunters." We have stated the diversity of interpreters; let us return to the sense. Ephraim, that is, the ten tribes, flew away like a bird into captivity and departed from their own place. And he called them birds to demonstrate their swift passage into Babylon." But if we read, "as though the glory of them had flown away like a bird," we say that their aid has departed and flown away from God. And that which follows, "from birth, and from the womb, and from conception," can be understood in two ways, so that the glory which has flown away from Ephraim also departs from their birth, from the womb, and from their conception. That is, their children shall be deserted and their posterity forsaken. Or indeed, we say that all the glory of Israel was in its multitude, and that Judah, his brother, esteemed himself greater because he ruled over ten tribes, whereas the other over two. Where the Lord speaks that even if they raise their children and gather a multitude of offspring, they will be handed over to death. And now the true burden lies with them when God departs from them. He then explains how once Ephraim was so forsaken, though he was beautiful, and so supported by God's help, that he seemed as if he were Tyre, which is surrounded by the sea, or certainly like a hardest rock, fixed on the ground, which disdains all storms and cares nothing for tornadoes and winds. But he, that is, Ephraim or Tyre, which was founded in the beauty ("Al." fullness) of the sea, will bring his sons into captivity. Many refer this chapter to the times of Azahel, who besieged Samaria and afflicted it with hunger for a long time, so that those besieged by the sword might be thought to perish more lightly than from hunger (2 Kings 6, 7, and 8). But let us say, according to the tropology, that Ephraim, that is, the heretics, as if they had gone away from the Church like a bird, and that they have all their glory in childbirth, in the womb, and in conception, if they have born many sons whom the Lord threatens, even if they have been raised and punished, not by anyone else, but by the Lord himself, because they have generated children of fornication, and woe to them when God departs from them. And he repeats that which was Ephraim: when, he says, he was in the Church, in such a way was he pounded by the waves of this world like Tyre, but yet he could withstand nothing adverse, because he had the foundation of Christ, upon which the house was built, cannot be overturned (Matt. VII). But now he brings up his sons for slaughter: that is, for the devil. And well said he brings up, that is, he makes them go outside the Church. We are able to speak evil of the sons of Ephraim, and contrary dogmas to truth, which the Lord destroys with the breath of his mouth; he does not allow them to have such children, and leaves them to eternal destruction. As for what we read in the Septuagint, 'From these, my flesh: Ephraim, how I have seen, has provided for his sons a livelihood of prey,' we understand it thus: If Christ is the head of the body, that is, the Church, all of us are members of Christ and the Church. Therefore, whoever departs from the Church tears apart the body of Christ: therefore, Ephraim was also flesh and a member of the Lord Savior. But he provided his children for hunting, and for the hunting of those about whom it is written: "Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare" (Psalm 123, 7). And he led his children out of the Church, for slaying or for wounding: so that they may be wounded by those who send burning arrows, so that they may be struck and burned together.
Continue studying Hosea 9:12 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
Summary
Hosea 9:12 pronounces a severe divine judgment against the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) due to their persistent idolatry and unfaithfulness. Despite their efforts to raise and multiply their offspring, God declares He will strip them of their children, leaving no one, thereby ending their lineage and national future. The verse culminates in a dire pronouncement of "woe" upon them, signifying the ultimate catastrophe: the withdrawal of God's protective and life-sustaining presence from their midst.
Context
Literary Context
Hosea 9:12 is embedded within a larger prophetic oracle of judgment against Israel (Ephraim) that spans chapters 9 and 10. Following earlier chapters that detail Israel's spiritual adultery, unfaithfulness, and reliance on foreign alliances instead of Yahweh, this section vividly describes the impending national catastrophe. Chapter 9 begins with a condemnation of their idolatrous festivals and a prophecy of exile, famine, and barrenness. Verse 12 specifically intensifies this judgment by focusing on the loss of children, a direct consequence of their sin, and the ultimate horror of God's withdrawal, which underscores the severity of their covenant breach. It serves as a climactic declaration of the utter desolation awaiting a people who have forsaken their God.
Historical & Cultural Context
The prophecy of Hosea is set during the tumultuous final decades of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, prior to its fall to Assyria in 722 BCE. This period was marked by political instability, assassinations of kings, and a pronounced spiritual decline. Israel had embraced the idolatrous practices of Baal worship and engaged in syncretism, blending Yahweh worship with pagan rites. Culturally, children and numerous offspring were considered the greatest blessing and a sign of divine favor, ensuring the continuation of the family line and national identity. Conversely, childlessness or the loss of children was a profound curse and a source of immense shame and sorrow. The threat of God's departure was particularly terrifying for a nation whose very existence and prosperity were predicated on His covenant presence and protection, as experienced in the exodus and the giving of the Law.
Key Themes
Hosea 9:12 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in the book of Hosea. Firstly, it highlights the theme of Divine Judgment as a direct consequence of Israel's unfaithfulness, particularly their spiritual harlotry and idolatry, which are central to the prophetic message of Hosea. The phrase "yet will I bereave them" emphasizes God's active role in bringing about this calamity, not as arbitrary punishment but as righteous retribution for their covenant violations (Hosea 4:1-3). Secondly, it underscores the theme of Loss of Posterity and National Ruin, as the destruction of their lineage through the loss of children was the ultimate undoing of their future and a reversal of the Abrahamic blessing of multiplication (Genesis 12:2). Finally, the verse climaxes with the theme of The Absence of God's Presence as the ultimate "woe." This withdrawal of divine favor and protection signifies utter desolation and vulnerability, reminding Israel that true security and blessing reside only in their relationship with Yahweh (Exodus 33:15).
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This word, from H1431, means "to be (causatively make) large," "to grow up," "to nourish," or "to promote." In this context, it refers to the human effort and hope involved in raising children, nurturing them to maturity, and ensuring the continuation of the family and nation. The irony is poignant: despite their diligent efforts to "bring up" their children, God's judgment will render these efforts futile.
This primitive root means "to miscarry," "to suffer abortion," or "to bereave (literally or figuratively)." It conveys the profound sorrow and loss associated with the death of children or being made childless. This is not merely a natural disaster but a direct, active, and devastating act of divine judgment, stripping away the very future and hope of the nation.
This word means "to turn off," "to remove," "to withdraw," or "to turn aside." In Hosea 9:12, it signifies God's deliberate and complete withdrawal of His protective presence, favor, and blessing from Israel. This "departure" is presented as the ultimate "woe," far more catastrophic than any physical loss, as God's presence was the source of their life, identity, and security.
Verse Breakdown
"Though they bring up their children,"
This opening clause acknowledges the natural human desire and effort to raise families and ensure posterity. It highlights the investment of time, love, and resources that parents pour into their offspring, emphasizing the profound tragedy of what is to follow. It sets up the stark contrast between human endeavor and divine decree.
"yet will I bereave them, [that there shall] not [be] a man [left]:"
This is the core of God's judgment. The "I" is emphatic, underscoring divine agency. God Himself will actively cause them to lose their children, to be made childless. The phrase "not be a man left" signifies total desolation, implying not just the loss of young children but the complete eradication of their male lineage, leading to the utter demise of the nation's future and identity.
"yea, woe also to them when I depart from them!"
This final clause intensifies the judgment, identifying the ultimate calamity. "Woe" (Hebrew, 'ôwy') is an exclamation of deep lament and impending doom. The greatest "woe" is not merely the loss of children, but the withdrawal of God's presence. For Israel, whose covenant identity and prosperity were tied to God dwelling among them, His departure meant the removal of His protection, blessing, and life-giving power, leaving them utterly vulnerable to their enemies and spiritual decay.
Literary Devices
Hosea 9:12 employs several powerful literary devices to convey the gravity of God's judgment. Irony is prominent, as Israel's efforts to "bring up their children" – a natural and hopeful act of continuity – are met with God's promise to "bereave them." This stark contrast highlights the futility of human endeavors when they are in opposition to divine will. Hyperbole is used in the phrase "not be a man left," emphasizing the totality and severity of the judgment, suggesting a complete eradication of their lineage, far beyond typical warfare casualties. The exclamation "woe" functions as an interjection of lament and a pronouncement of doom, drawing the reader into the emotional weight of the impending disaster. Finally, the concept of God "departing" from them embodies anthropomorphism, attributing human action (leaving) to God, thereby making His withdrawal feel intensely personal and devastating, signifying the ultimate breach in the covenant relationship.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Hosea 9:12 profoundly illustrates the severe consequences of covenant unfaithfulness and idolatry. It underscores God's absolute sovereignty in judgment, demonstrating that He is not merely a passive observer but an active participant in the history of His people, holding them accountable for their actions. The loss of children, a reversal of the foundational Abrahamic blessing of multiplication, signifies the undoing of Israel's national identity and future, directly linking their spiritual rebellion to existential ruin. Ultimately, the verse reveals that the greatest catastrophe for a people is the withdrawal of God's life-giving presence, emphasizing that true security, blessing, and identity are found only in an obedient relationship with Him.
Reflection and Application
Hosea 9:12 serves as a sobering reminder that God's holiness demands a response of faithfulness from His people. For believers today, it underscores the profound seriousness of spiritual idolatry—anything that replaces God as the ultimate object of our worship, trust, and affection. Just as Israel sought security in foreign alliances and pagan gods, we too can be tempted to place our hope in wealth, career, relationships, or even our children, rather than in the Lord. This verse challenges us to examine our loyalties, urging us to recognize that our ultimate security and blessing derive solely from God's presence and favor. The "woe" of God's departure is a stark warning against a casual or nominal faith; it calls us to cultivate a vibrant, authentic, and obedient relationship with Him, understanding that His presence is our greatest treasure and His absence, the ultimate calamity. It also reminds us of the generational impact of our spiritual choices, calling us to live faithfully for the sake of those who will come after us.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "not be a man left" truly imply in this context?
The phrase "not be a man left" (Hebrew, 'âdâm') signifies a complete and utter desolation, extending beyond mere military defeat or typical casualties. In ancient Israelite culture, the continuation of the family line, particularly through male offspring, was paramount for identity, inheritance, and national survival. Therefore, this phrase implies the total cessation of their lineage, the eradication of their future as a distinct people, and the undoing of the Abrahamic promise of countless descendants. It suggests a judgment so severe that it would leave no one to carry on the name or the nation, leading to national extinction.
How does God "depart" from His people, and what does that mean for us today?
In the Old Testament, God's "departure" (Hebrew, çûyr') from His people signified the withdrawal of His protective presence, His favor, His blessings, and His active intervention on their behalf. It did not mean God ceased to exist or to be sovereign, but rather that He removed His special covenantal presence that secured their well-being and prosperity. For Israel, this meant vulnerability to enemies, famine, exile, and spiritual barrenness. For believers today, while God's Spirit indwells us in the New Covenant, the principle remains: persistent unfaithfulness, idolatry, and rebellion can lead to a sense of God's withdrawal in terms of His active blessing, guidance, and the manifest experience of His presence, leaving us vulnerable to spiritual and practical consequences. It underscores the vital importance of maintaining a close, obedient relationship with Him.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Hosea 9:12, with its stark pronouncement of judgment, finds its ultimate reversal and fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The "woe" of God's departure, the ultimate calamity for Israel, is precisely what Christ came to abolish. Through His incarnation, God did not "depart" but rather dwelt among us, making His presence eternally accessible. The threat of "no man left" and the "bereavement" of children, signifying the end of a lineage and a future, is overcome by Christ, who is the firstborn from the dead and the head of a new spiritual family. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus became the true Israel, and in Him, believers are adopted as children of God, not subject to the curse of barrenness or loss, but promised an eternal inheritance. The ultimate "woe" was borne by Christ on the cross, as He experienced the profound separation from the Father so that we might never have to, ensuring that God's presence, rather than His departure, is our eternal portion.