Hosea 9:10-17 - Ephraim Bereaved Of Offspring

¹⁰ I made discovery of Israel as of grapes in the waste land; I saw your fathers as the first-fruits of the fig-tree in her early fruit time; but they came to Baal-peor, and made themselves holy to the thing of shame, and became disgusting like that to which they gave their love. ¹¹ As for Ephraim, their glory will go in flight like a bird: there will be no birth and no one with child and no giving of life. ¹² Even though their children have come to growth I will take them away, so that not a man will be there; for their evil-doing will be complete and they will be put to shame because of it. ¹³ As I have seen a beast whose young have been taken from her, so Ephraim will give birth to children only for them to be put to death. ¹⁴ O Lord, what will you give them? Give them bodies which may not give birth and breasts without milk.

¹⁵ All their evil-doing is in Gilgal; there I had hate for them; because of their evil-doing I will send them out of my house; they will no longer be dear to me; all their rulers are uncontrolled. ¹⁶ The rod has come on Ephraim, their root is dry, let them have no fruit; even though they give birth, I will put to death the dearest fruit of their bodies. ¹⁷ My God will give them up because they did not give ear to him; they will be wandering among the nations.