Hosea 9:14
"Give them, O LORD: what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts."

Commentary

Gill's Exposition

Give them, O Lord: what wilt thou give them?.... The prophet foreseeing the butchery and destruction of their children, his heart ached for them; and, to show his tender affection for this people, was desirous of putting up a supplication for them; but was at a loss what to ask, their sins were so many, and so aggravated, and the decree gone forth for their destruction: or,

"give them what thou wilt give them" (l); so Jarchi, Kimchi, and Abarbinel, what thou hast threatened before to give them, Hos 9:11 ; do not give them to be butchered and murdered before the eyes of their parents by their enemies; but rather let them die in the womb, or as soon as born; so it follows: give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts; the latter being a sign of the former, as physicians observe; or the words may be rendered disjunctively, give them one, or the other; that is, to the wives of the people of Israel, if they conceive, let them miscarry, prove abortive, rather than bring forth children to be destroyed in such a cruel manner by murderers; or if they bear them to the birth, and bring them forth, let their breasts be dried up, and afford no milk for their nourishment; and so die for lack of it, rather than fall into the hands of their merciless enemies: thus, of two evils, the prophet chooses and prays for the least. Some interpret this as a prediction of what would be, or an imprecation of it; but it rather seems a pathetic wish, flowing from the tender affection of the prophet, judging such a case to be preferable to the former; see Luk 23:29 ; though the other sense seems best to agree with what follows, and which is favoured by the Targum, "give thou, O Lord, the recompence of their works; give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.'' (l) "da eis quod daturus es", Junius & Tremellius, Vatablus, Grotius; "da illis id quod dabis", Schmidt.

Source: Gill's Exposition (Public Domain)

Hebrew Word Studies (9 words)

H5414 נָתַן
Definition:

19 + often; Old Hebrewנתןיֿהוproper name, masculine Lzb327; Late Hebrew = Biblical Hebrew; Phoenicianיתן,נתןin proper nameמתנת, etc., Lzb292; Lzb327; AssyriannadânuDlHWB 450(rarelyittanIdib.488); Zinj 19 + often; Old Hebrewנתןיֿהוproper name, masculine Lzb327; Late Hebrew = Biblical Hebrew; Phoenicianיתן,נתןin proper nameמתנת, etc., Lzb292; Lzb327; AssyriannadânuDlHWB 450(rarelyittanIdib.488); Zinj

Possible Meanings:
  • give (semantic_range)
H3068 יְהוָֹה
Definition:

7;Leviticus 24:11יהוהwas regarded as anomen ineffabile(see Philode Vita Mosis iii. 519, 529), called by the Jewsהַשֵּׁםand by the Samaritansשׁימא. The pronunciationJehovahwas unknown until 1520, when 7;Leviticus 24:11יהוהwas regarded as anomen ineffabile(see Philode Vita Mosis iii. 519, 529), called by the Jewsהַשֵּׁםand by the Samaritansשׁימא. The pronunciationJehovahwas unknown until 1520, when

Possible Meanings:
  • Yahweh (semantic_range)
  • the one bringing into being (semantic_range)
  • life-giver (semantic_range)
H4100 מָה
Definition:

43;Joshua 22:16;Judges 8:1),מַהֿ,מַהּ,מֶה,מַּ(Exodus 4:2;Isaiah 3:15;Malachi 1:13;1 Chronicles 15:13; 2Chronicles 30:3),מָ(only inמָהֵםEzekiel 8:6Kt., Qr.מָה הֵם) — on the distinction in the use of th 43;Joshua 22:16;Judges 8:1),מַהֿ,מַהּ,מֶה,מַּ(Exodus 4:2;Isaiah 3:15;Malachi 1:13;1 Chronicles 15:13; 2Chronicles 30:3),מָ(only inמָהֵםEzekiel 8:6Kt., Qr.מָה הֵם) — on the distinction in the use of th

Possible Meanings:
  • what? (semantic_range)
H5414 נָתַן
Definition:

19 + often; Old Hebrewנתןיֿהוproper name, masculine Lzb327; Late Hebrew = Biblical Hebrew; Phoenicianיתן,נתןin proper nameמתנת, etc., Lzb292; Lzb327; AssyriannadânuDlHWB 450(rarelyittanIdib.488); Zinj 19 + often; Old Hebrewנתןיֿהוproper name, masculine Lzb327; Late Hebrew = Biblical Hebrew; Phoenicianיתן,נתןin proper nameמתנת, etc., Lzb292; Lzb327; AssyriannadânuDlHWB 450(rarelyittanIdib.488); Zinj

Possible Meanings:
  • give (semantic_range)
H5414 נָתַן
Definition:

19 + often; Old Hebrewנתןיֿהוproper name, masculine Lzb327; Late Hebrew = Biblical Hebrew; Phoenicianיתן,נתןin proper nameמתנת, etc., Lzb292; Lzb327; AssyriannadânuDlHWB 450(rarelyittanIdib.488); Zinj 19 + often; Old Hebrewנתןיֿהוproper name, masculine Lzb327; Late Hebrew = Biblical Hebrew; Phoenicianיתן,נתןin proper nameמתנת, etc., Lzb292; Lzb327; AssyriannadânuDlHWB 450(rarelyittanIdib.488); Zinj

Possible Meanings:
  • give (semantic_range)
H7358 רֶחֶם
Definition:

because the womb shelters the helpless, rechem becomes a window into the heart of God, whose compassion protects and nurtures His people.Literary Distribution• Torah: Concentrated in legislation on th because the womb shelters the helpless, rechem becomes a window into the heart of God, whose compassion protects and nurtures His people.Literary Distribution• Torah: Concentrated in legislation on th

Possible Meanings:
  • carrion-vulture (semantic_range)
H7921 שָׁכֹל
Definition:

14(E)if I am bereaved, I am bereaved(of father, expressing resignation; onכָ֑לְsee Ges§ 29u);Imperfect1singularאֶשְׁכַּלGenesis 27:45(E), with accusative of personbe bereavedof you both (of mother); 3 14(E)if I am bereaved, I am bereaved(of father, expressing resignation; onכָ֑לְsee Ges§ 29u);Imperfect1singularאֶשְׁכַּלGenesis 27:45(E), with accusative of personbe bereavedof you both (of mother); 3

Possible Meanings:
  • consider (semantic_range)
  • contemplate (semantic_range)
H7699 שַׁד
Definition:

Or shod {shode}; probably fromshuwd(in its original sense) contracted; the breast of a woman or animal (as bulging) -- breast, pap, teat.see HEBREWshuwdBrown-Driver-Briggs[שַׁד]noun masculineHosea 9:1 Or shod {shode}; probably fromshuwd(in its original sense) contracted; the breast of a woman or animal (as bulging) -- breast, pap, teat.see HEBREWshuwdBrown-Driver-Briggs[שַׁד]noun masculineHosea 9:1

H6784 צָמַק
Definition:

3צְמִיקִין, forיְבֵשִׁים); —QalParticiple activepluralשָׁדַיִם צֹמְקִיםHosea 9:14shrivelling breasts (of women; ""רֶחֶם מַשְׁכִּיל).Topical LexiconRoot Idea and ImageryThe verb embodies the picture of 3צְמִיקִין, forיְבֵשִׁים); —QalParticiple activepluralשָׁדַיִם צֹמְקִיםHosea 9:14shrivelling breasts (of women; ""רֶחֶם מַשְׁכִּיל).Topical LexiconRoot Idea and ImageryThe verb embodies the picture of

Possible Meanings:
  • dry up (semantic_range)

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