Hosea 9:16
"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."

Commentary

Gill's Exposition

Ephraim is smitten,.... The people of the ten tribes, the kingdom of Israel, who had been like a tree planted in a pleasant place, Hos 9:13 ; and were in very flourishing circumstances in the times of Jeroboam the second; but now were like a tree smitten with thunder and lightning, or hail stones, and beat to pieces; or with the heat of the sun, or with blasting winds, or by worms; as in

the succeeding reigns, by the judgments of God upon them; by civil wars, conspiracies, and murders among themselves; and by the exactions of Pul and depredations of Tiglathpileser kings of Assyria; and quickly would be smitten again; the present being put for the future, because of the certainty of it, as usual in prophetic writings; or be utterly destroyed by Shalmaneser, and be no more a kingdom: their root is dried up; like the root of a tree that has no sap and moisture in it, and can communicate none to the body and branches of the tree, which in course must die. This may be understood of their king, princes, nobles, and chief men, the support and strength of the nations; and of parents and heads of families, cut off by one judgment or another: they shall bear no fruit; as a tree thus smitten, and its root dried up, cannot; so neither, this being their case, there would be none to beget, nor any to bear children, and bring them forth; called the fruit of the womb, in allusion to the fruit of trees: yea, though they bring forth; though some of them should be spared, women with their husbands, and should procreate children: yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb; their children they should bring forth, on whom their affections were strongly set; and the rather, as they were but few, and from whom they had raised expectations of building up their families; even these the Lord would stay, or suffer to be slain, either by the sword of the enemy, or by famine, or by pestilence, or by some disease or another; so that there should be no hope of a future posterity, at least of no great number of them.

Source: Gill's Exposition (Public Domain)

Hebrew Word Studies (14 words)

H5221 נָכָה
Definition:

15and he shall be smitten[struck by weapon in battle]and die.Pu`alPerfect3feminine singularנֻכָּ֑תָהExodus 9:31; 3pluralנֻכּוּExodus 9:32(J), bothbe smitten downby the hail.Hiph`il482Perfect3masculine 15and he shall be smitten[struck by weapon in battle]and die.Pu`alPerfect3feminine singularנֻכָּ֑תָהExodus 9:31; 3pluralנֻכּוּExodus 9:32(J), bothbe smitten downby the hail.Hiph`il482Perfect3masculine

Possible Meanings:
  • smitten ones (semantic_range)
H0669 אֶפְרַיִם
Definition:

52 connected withהִפְרָה, Hiph`il ofפרה, compareפראHiph`ilHosea 13:15).12nd son of JosephGenesis 41:52;Genesis 46:20; reckoned among sons of Jacob, blessed by him, and given preference over ManassehGe 52 connected withהִפְרָה, Hiph`il ofפרה, compareפראHiph`ilHosea 13:15).12nd son of JosephGenesis 41:52;Genesis 46:20; reckoned among sons of Jacob, blessed by him, and given preference over ManassehGe

Possible Meanings:
  • Ephraim (semantic_range)
H8328 שֶׁרֶשׁ
Definition:

17root; —׳שׁabsoluteDeuteronomy 29:17+, constructIsaiah 11:10+; suffixשָׁרְשִׁיJob 29:19, etc.; plural constructשָׁרְשֵׁיJob 13:27(see below)Job 36: suffixשָֽׁרָשָׁיוAmos 2:9+,שָֽׁרָשֶׁיהָEzekiel 17:7 17root; —׳שׁabsoluteDeuteronomy 29:17+, constructIsaiah 11:10+; suffixשָׁרְשִׁיJob 29:19, etc.; plural constructשָׁרְשֵׁיJob 13:27(see below)Job 36: suffixשָֽׁרָשָׁיוAmos 2:9+,שָֽׁרָשֶׁיהָEzekiel 17:7

H3001 יָבֵשׁ
Definition:

58t.;וְיָבֵשׁconsecutiveIsaiah 19:5+ 4 t.; 3 feminine singularיָ˜בְשָׁהGenesis 8:14; 3pluralיָ˜בְשׁוּJeremiah 23:102t.;יָבֵ֑שׁוּJeremiah 50:382t.;Imperfect3masculine singularיִבַשׁIsaiah 19:7;יִיבָ֑שׁ 58t.;וְיָבֵשׁconsecutiveIsaiah 19:5+ 4 t.; 3 feminine singularיָ˜בְשָׁהGenesis 8:14; 3pluralיָ˜בְשׁוּJeremiah 23:102t.;יָבֵ֑שׁוּJeremiah 50:382t.;Imperfect3masculine singularיִבַשׁIsaiah 19:7;יִיבָ֑שׁ

Possible Meanings:
  • Jabesh of Gilead (semantic_range)
H6529 פְרִי
Definition:

9fruit; — absolute׳פHosea 9:16+,מֶּ֑רִיJeremiah 12:12+; especially constructמְּרִיGenesis 4:3+; suffixמִּרְיִיProverbs 8:19,מֶּרְיְךָHosea 14:9,מִּרְיוֺGenesis 3:6+,וּפֶרְיְכֶםEzekiel 36:8,מְּרִיהֶםAm 9fruit; — absolute׳פHosea 9:16+,מֶּ֑רִיJeremiah 12:12+; especially constructמְּרִיGenesis 4:3+; suffixמִּרְיִיProverbs 8:19,מֶּרְיְךָHosea 14:9,מִּרְיוֺGenesis 3:6+,וּפֶרְיְכֶםEzekiel 36:8,מְּרִיהֶםAm

Possible Meanings:
  • fruit of the ground (semantic_range)
  • offspring (semantic_range)
H1097 בְּלִי
Definition:

17שַׁחַת בְּלִיpit of destruction (ofSh®°ôl).2defect, failure, henceadverb of negation(compareאֶפֶס), chiefly poetic forלֹא,אֵין: —a.with finite vb. rare and only once in prose,Genesis 31:20(E)עַלבְּֿ 17שַׁחַת בְּלִיpit of destruction (ofSh®°ôl).2defect, failure, henceadverb of negation(compareאֶפֶס), chiefly poetic forלֹא,אֵין: —a.with finite vb. rare and only once in prose,Genesis 31:20(E)עַלבְּֿ

Possible Meanings:
  • wearing out (semantic_range)
H1077 בַּל
Definition:

e.g. CISi. 165, 15בל יכןלכהןshallnotbe for the priest; :3, 3בל עתי= before my time) a poetic synonym ofלֹא, of comparatively rare occurrence,Hosea 7:2;Hosea 9:16(Qr)Isaiah 14:21;Isaiah 35:9;Isaiah 43: e.g. CISi. 165, 15בל יכןלכהןshallnotbe for the priest; :3, 3בל עתי= before my time) a poetic synonym ofלֹא, of comparatively rare occurrence,Hosea 7:2;Hosea 9:16(Qr)Isaiah 14:21;Isaiah 35:9;Isaiah 43:

Possible Meanings:
  • mind (semantic_range)
H6213 עָשָׂה
Definition:

A primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application (as follows) -- accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, X certainly, A primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application (as follows) -- accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, X certainly,

Possible Meanings:
  • press (semantic_range)
  • squeeze (semantic_range)
H1571 גַּם
Definition:

6וַתִּתֵּן גַּם לְאִישָׁהּand gavealsoto her husband,Genesis 3:27and takealsoof the tree of life,Genesis 7:3;Genesis 19:21;Genesis 24:19;Genesis 26:21;Genesis 29:27;Genesis 30:15;Genesis 32:21(גַּם הִ 6וַתִּתֵּן גַּם לְאִישָׁהּand gavealsoto her husband,Genesis 3:27and takealsoof the tree of life,Genesis 7:3;Genesis 19:21;Genesis 24:19;Genesis 26:21;Genesis 29:27;Genesis 30:15;Genesis 32:21(גַּם הִ

Possible Meanings:
  • moreover (semantic_range)
  • yea (semantic_range)
H3588 כִּי
Definition:

Phoenicianכ. Probably from the same demonstrative basis found inhere, and in certain pronouns, as Aramaicדֵּךְthis(WSG 110 f.); perhaps also ultimately akin withthat, in order that, andthen, enclitic, Phoenicianכ. Probably from the same demonstrative basis found inhere, and in certain pronouns, as Aramaicדֵּךְthis(WSG 110 f.); perhaps also ultimately akin withthat, in order that, andthen, enclitic,

Possible Meanings:
  • for (semantic_range)
  • when (semantic_range)
  • when (semantic_range)
H3205 יָלַד
Definition:

18(3 t. in verse) + 16 t.;יָלָ֑דJeremiah 17:11;וְיָלַדconsecutivePsalm 7:15; suffixיְלָֽדְךָDeuteronomy 32:18; 2masculine singular suffixילדתניJeremiah 2:27Kt; Qrיְלִדְתָּנוּ(Köi. 410Ges§ 70, 2. R. 4) 18(3 t. in verse) + 16 t.;יָלָ֑דJeremiah 17:11;וְיָלַדconsecutivePsalm 7:15; suffixיְלָֽדְךָDeuteronomy 32:18; 2masculine singular suffixילדתניJeremiah 2:27Kt; Qrיְלִדְתָּנוּ(Köi. 410Ges§ 70, 2. R. 4)

Possible Meanings:
  • child (semantic_range)
  • son (semantic_range)
  • boy (semantic_range)
  • youth (semantic_range)
H4191 מוּת
Definition:

to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill -- X at all, X crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-manc to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill -- X at all, X crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-manc

H4261 מַחְמָד
Definition:

6; constructid.1 Kings 20:63t. Ezekiel; pluralמַחֲמַדַּיםSongs 5:16; constructמַחֲמַדֵּיLamentations 2:4;Hosea 9:16; suffixמַחֲמַדַּיJoel 4:5;מַחֲמַדֵּינוּIsaiah 64:10;מַחֲמַדֶּיהָ2Chronicles 36:19;La 6; constructid.1 Kings 20:63t. Ezekiel; pluralמַחֲמַדַּיםSongs 5:16; constructמַחֲמַדֵּיLamentations 2:4;Hosea 9:16; suffixמַחֲמַדַּיJoel 4:5;מַחֲמַדֵּינוּIsaiah 64:10;מַחֲמַדֶּיהָ2Chronicles 36:19;La

Possible Meanings:
  • desirable (semantic_range)
  • precious thing (semantic_range)
H0990 בֶּטֶן
Definition:

25belly, body, womb(Arabic) —׳בּabsoluteJudges 13:7+;בָּ֑טֶןJudges 13:5+; constructבֶּטֶןPsalm 139:13+; suffixבִּטְנִיJob 3:10+;בִּטְנְךָDeuteronomy 7:13+;בִּטְנֵךְGenesis 25:23;בִּטְנוֺJob 15:2+, etc 25belly, body, womb(Arabic) —׳בּabsoluteJudges 13:7+;בָּ֑טֶןJudges 13:5+; constructבֶּטֶןPsalm 139:13+; suffixבִּטְנִיJob 3:10+;בִּטְנְךָDeuteronomy 7:13+;בִּטְנֵךְGenesis 25:23;בִּטְנוֺJob 15:2+, etc

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