Hosea 9:13I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre, planted in a pleasant place; but Ephraim will bring out his children to the murderer.
The setting
Northern Israel, ~740 BC. Hosea watches prosperous cities filled with children who will soon face Assyrian invasion. Modern-day northern Israel/Palestine...
The emotion here: heartbroken prophet seeing inevitable tragedy
The original word
ratsach (רָצַח) — to murder, specifically premeditated killing, the same word used in 'You shall not murder'
Why it matters
Tyre was considered the most beautiful, well-defended city in the ancient world
Read with care
What most readers miss in Hosea 9:13
Ephraim means 'fruitful' - God is saying the fruitful tribe will become fruitless
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about abortion, but it's about war. Hosea is prophesying that Israel's children will be killed in the coming Assyrian invasion.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Hosea 9:13
Bible Genome reading
Hosea 9:13 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Hosea 9:13 comes from the book of Hosea, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Hosea. The dominant emotion in this verse is grieving, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the prophecy genre of biblical literature. Key themes include lost potential, tragic destiny. Notable phrases: like Tyre; children to the murderer. This verse contains prophecy.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grieving
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you…”
— Genesis 3:19
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
— Psalms 22:1
“They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.”
— Psalms 22:18
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
— Romans 3:23
Your reflection
What does Hosea 9:13 mean to you, today?
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