Hosea 9:10-17

Contemporary English Version

Sin's Terrible Results

¹⁰^(A) Israel, when I, the Lord,
    found you long ago
it was like finding
grapes in a barren desert
    or tender young figs.
Then you worshiped Baal Peor,
    that disgusting idol,
and you became as disgusting
    as the idol you loved.

¹¹And so, Israel, your glory
    will fly away like birds—
your women will no longer
    be able to give birth.
¹²Even if you do have children,
I will take them all
    and leave you to mourn.
I will turn away,
and you will sink down
    in deep trouble.
¹³Israel, when I first met you,
I thought of you as palm trees
    growing in fertile ground.^[a]
Now you lead your people out,
    only to be slaughtered.

Hosea's Advice

¹⁴Our Lord, do just one thing
for your people—
make their women unable
to have children
or to nurse their babies.

The Lord's Judgment on Israel

¹⁵Israel, I first began
to hate you because
    you did evil at Gilgal.^[b]
Now I will chase you
    out of my house.
No longer will I love you;
    your leaders betrayed me.
¹⁶Israel, you are a vine
with dried-up roots
    and fruitless branches.
Even if you had more children
and loved them dearly,
    I would slaughter them all.