Hosea 9:14
Give them, O LORD--what will You give? Give them wombs that miscarry and breasts that dry up!
Give them, O LORD—what will You give?
This phrase reflects a plea or rhetorical question directed to God, highlighting the prophet Hosea's deep concern for the spiritual state of Israel. The context is a period of moral and spiritual decline in the Northern Kingdom, where idolatry and unfaithfulness to God were rampant. Hosea's question underscores the severity of Israel's sin and the impending judgment. The rhetorical nature of the question suggests that the consequences of Israel's actions are inevitable. This echoes the biblical theme of divine justice, where God, as a righteous judge, must address sin (Deuteronomy 32:35).

Give them wombs that miscarry and breasts that dry up!
This phrase is a pronouncement of judgment, symbolizing the cessation of future generations and the end of prosperity. In ancient Israel, fertility was seen as a blessing from God (Genesis 1:28, Deuteronomy 28:4), and barrenness was often viewed as a curse or sign of divine displeasure (1 Samuel 1:5-6). The imagery of miscarrying wombs and dry breasts indicates a complete withdrawal of God's favor and blessing, leading to the nation's decline. This judgment is both literal and metaphorical, representing the spiritual barrenness of Israel due to their unfaithfulness. The imagery also foreshadows the ultimate judgment and exile that would come upon Israel, as prophesied by Hosea and other prophets (Hosea 13:16, Amos 8:11-12).

Persons / Places / Events
1. Hosea
A prophet in the Northern Kingdom of Israel, Hosea's ministry focused on calling Israel to repentance and warning of impending judgment due to their unfaithfulness to God.

2. Israel
The Northern Kingdom, often depicted as unfaithful to God, engaging in idolatry and alliances with foreign nations, which led to their spiritual and moral decline.

3. God (Yahweh)
The covenant-keeping God of Israel, who is portrayed as both just and merciful, desiring repentance and restoration for His people.

4. Judgment
The context of this verse is a pronouncement of judgment upon Israel for their persistent sin and rebellion against God.

5. Miscarriage and Dry Breasts
Symbolic of barrenness and the cessation of blessing, representing the severe consequences of Israel's unfaithfulness.
Teaching Points
The Seriousness of Sin
Sin has real and severe consequences. Israel's unfaithfulness led to a withdrawal of God's blessings, symbolized by barrenness.

God's Justice and Mercy
While God is just in His judgments, His ultimate desire is for repentance and restoration. This should lead us to examine our own lives and seek His mercy.

The Importance of Faithfulness
Faithfulness to God is crucial. Just as Israel's unfaithfulness led to judgment, our faithfulness can lead to blessings and a closer relationship with God.

The Role of Intercession
Hosea's plea for God to decide what to give Israel shows the role of intercession. We are called to intercede for others, seeking God's will and mercy.

Understanding God's Discipline
God's discipline is meant to bring us back to Him. Recognizing His discipline in our lives should lead us to repentance and a renewed commitment to Him.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Hosea 9:14 reflect the consequences of Israel's unfaithfulness, and what can we learn about the seriousness of sin in our own lives?

2. In what ways does the concept of barrenness in Hosea 9:14 connect to the blessings and curses outlined in Deuteronomy 28?

3. How can we balance understanding God's justice with His mercy when we face difficult circumstances or see others experiencing hardship?

4. What role does intercession play in our spiritual lives, and how can we effectively intercede for others based on Hosea's example?

5. How can recognizing God's discipline in our lives lead to personal growth and a deeper relationship with Him? Consider connections to other scriptures that discuss God's discipline.
Connections to Other Scriptures
Deuteronomy 28
This chapter outlines the blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience, including barrenness, which connects to the judgment pronounced in Hosea 9:14.

Isaiah 54
Contrasts the barrenness in Hosea with the promise of future restoration and fruitfulness for God's people.

Psalm 127
Highlights children as a blessing from the Lord, underscoring the severity of the judgment in Hosea 9:14.
Bereavement, Barrenness, and BanishmentC. Jerdan Hosea 9:10-17
Ephraim's WoeJ. Orr Hosea 9:11-17
People
Baalpeor, Hosea
Places
Assyria, Beth-baal-peor, Egypt, Gibeah, Gilgal, Memphis
Topics
Birth, Bodies, Breasts, Dry, Jehovah-what, Lord-what, Milk, Miscarry, Miscarrying, O, Them-yahweh, Whatsoever, Wilt, Womb, Wombs
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Hosea 9:14

     5140   breasts
     5199   womb
     5733   pregnancy

Library
Of Councils and their Authority.
1. The true nature of Councils. 2. Whence the authority of Councils is derived. What meant by assembling in the name of Christ. 3. Objection, that no truth remains in the Church if it be not in Pastors and Councils. Answer, showing by passages from the Old Testament that Pastors were often devoid of the spirit of knowledge and truth. 4. Passages from the New Testament showing that our times were to be subject to the same evil. This confirmed by the example of almost all ages. 5. All not Pastors who
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion

The Earliest Chapters in Divine Revelation
[Sidenote: The nature of inspiration] Since the days of the Greek philosophers the subject of inspiration and revelation has been fertile theme for discussion and dispute among scholars and theologians. Many different theories have been advanced, and ultimately abandoned as untenable. In its simplest meaning and use, inspiration describes the personal influence of one individual upon the mind and spirit of another. Thus we often say, "That man inspired me." What we are or do under the influence
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament

John's Introduction.
^D John I. 1-18. ^d 1 In the beginning was the Word [a title for Jesus peculiar to the apostle John], and the Word was with God [not going before nor coming after God, but with Him at the beginning], and the Word was God. [Not more, not less.] 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him [the New Testament often speaks of Christ as the Creator--see ver. 10; I. Cor. viii. 6; Col. i. 13, 17; Heb. i. 2]; and without him was not anything made that hath been made. [This
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Hosea
The book of Hosea divides naturally into two parts: i.-iii. and iv.-xiv., the former relatively clear and connected, the latter unusually disjointed and obscure. The difference is so unmistakable that i.-iii. have usually been assigned to the period before the death of Jeroboam II, and iv.-xiv. to the anarchic period which succeeded. Certainly Hosea's prophetic career began before the end of Jeroboam's reign, as he predicts the fall of the reigning dynasty, i. 4, which practically ended with Jeroboam's
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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