God’s Word Translation
Hosea 9:16
16“The people of Ephraim are like sick plants. Their roots are dried up. They have no fruit. Even if they were to have children, I would kill their dear children.”
Hosea 9:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb.
- New International Version (NIV)Ephraim is blighted, their root is withered, they yield no fruit. Even if they bear children, I will slay their cherished offspring.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Ephraim is stricken; their root is dried up; they shall bear no fruit. Even though they give birth, I will put their beloved children to death.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Ephraim is stricken, Their root is dried up; They shall bear no fruit. Yes, were they to bear children, I would kill the darlings of their womb.”
Context of Hosea 9:16
14Lord, give them what they deserve. Make the women miscarry, or else make them unable to nurse their babies. 15“All Ephraim’s wickedness began in Gilgal; I hated the people there. I will force them out of my temple because of their wickedness, and I won’t love them anymore. All their officials are rebellious. “The people of Ephraim are like sick plants. Their roots are dried up. They have no fruit. Even if they were to have children, I would kill their dear children.” 17My God will reject them because they refused to listen to him. They will wander among the nations.
Read all of Hosea 9Hosea 9:16 word by word
הֻכָּ֣ה אֶפְרַ֔יִם שָׁרְשָׁ֥ם יָבֵ֖שׁ פְּרִ֣י בַֽל יַעֲשׂ֑וּן גַּ֚ם כִּ֣י יֵֽלֵד֔וּן וְהֵמַתִּ֖י מַחֲמַדֵּ֥י בִטְנָֽם׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Ephraimאֶפְרַ֫יִם'ephrayim · EphraimH669
- is smittenנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- their rootשֹׁ֫רֶשׁsheresh · rootH8328
- is dried upיָבֵשׁyâbêsh · to witherH3001
- they shall bearעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
- no fruitפְּרִיperîy · fruitH6529
- yea, though they bring forthיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205
- yet will I slayמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- the belovedמַחְמָדmachmâd · desireH4261
- of their wombבֶּ֫טֶןbeţen · belly: wombH990
Cross-references for Hosea 9:16
- Hosea 9:11“Ephraim’s glory will fly away like a bird. There will be no more pregnancies, births, or babies.
- Job 18:16His roots dry up under him. His branches wither over him.
- Isaiah 5:24As flames burn up straw and dry grass shrivels in flames, so their roots will rot, and their blossoms will blow away like dust. They have rejected the teachings of the Lord of Armies and have despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
- Isaiah 40:24They have hardly been planted. They have hardly been sown. They have hardly taken root in the ground. Then he blows on them and they wither, and a windstorm sweeps them away like straw.
- Malachi 4:1“Certainly the day is coming! It will burn like a furnace. All arrogant people and all evildoers will be ⌞like⌟ straw. The day that is coming will burn them up completely,” says the Lord of Armies. “It won’t leave a single root or branch.
- Ezekiel 24:21‘Tell the nation of Israel, “This is what the Almighty Lord says: I’m going to dishonor my holy place. You brag that my holy place gives you strength. It’s the thing you love the most. It’s your hearts’ desire. So the sons and daughters that you left behind will die in battle.
Commentaries on Hosea 9:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Ephraim is smitten - The thing being determined, it is considered as already done. Their root is dried up - They shall never more be a kingdom. And they never had any political form from their captivity by the Assyrians to the present day. Yea, though they bring forth - See the note on Hosea 9:11-12; (note).Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-17Verses 11-17 . God departs from a people, or from a person, when he withdraws his goodness and mercy from them; and when the Lord is departed, what can the creature do? Even though, for the present, good things seem to remain, yet the blessing is gone if God is gone. Even the children should perish with the parents. The Divine wrath dries up the root, and withers the fruit of all comforts; and the scattered Jews daily warn us to beware, lest we neglect or…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. The figures "root," "fruit," are suggested by the word "Ephraim," that is, fruitful (see on Ho 9:11, 12). "Smitten," namely, with a blight (Psa 102:4).Read the comment
Topics related to Hosea 9:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Hosea 9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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