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11 Ephraim’s glory shall fly away like a bird—
    no birth, no pregnancy, no conception!(A)
12 Even if they bring up children,
    I will bereave them until no one is left.
Woe to them indeed
    when I depart from them!(B)
13 Once I saw Ephraim as a young palm planted in a lovely meadow,[a]
    but now Ephraim must lead out his children for slaughter.(C)
14 Give them, O Lord
    what will you give?
Give them a miscarrying womb
    and dry breasts.

15 Every evil of theirs began at Gilgal;
    there I came to hate them.
Because of the wickedness of their deeds
    I will drive them out of my house.
I will love them no more;
    all their officials are rebels.(D)

16 Ephraim is stricken,
    their root is dried up,
    they shall bear no fruit.
Even though they give birth,
    I will kill the cherished offspring of their womb.(E)
17 Because they have not listened to him,
    my God will reject them;
    they shall become wanderers among the nations.(F)

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Footnotes

  1. 9.13 Meaning of Heb uncertain

11 Ephraim’s glory will fly away like a bird—
        no birth, no pregnancy, no conception!
12 Though they bring up children,
        I will make them childless
        until no one is left.
    Doom to them indeed when I leave them!
13 When I looked toward Tyre,
    Ephraim was planted in a lovely meadow;
        but now Ephraim must lead out his children for slaughter.
14 Give them, Lord
        what will you give them?
    Give them a womb that miscarries
        and breasts that are dried up.
15 Every wickedness of theirs began at Gilgal;
        there I came to hate them.
    Because of the wickedness of their deeds
        I will drive them out of my house.
        I will love them no more;
            all their officials are rebels.
16 Ephraim is sick,
        their root is dried up,
        they will bear no fruit.
    Even though they give birth,
        I will put to death their much-loved little ones.
17 Because they haven’t listened to him,
        my God will reject them;
        they will wander among the nations.

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