'Rejoice not, O Israel, to exultation, like the peoples' — the days of visitation are come, the days of recompense; the prophet is a fool in their eyes, the man of the spirit a madman; Ephraim's glory shall fly away like a bird; 'I will drive them out of My house; I will love them no more.'
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
Rejoice not, O Israel, to exultation, like the peoples, For you have gone astray from your God, You have loved a harlot’s hire upon every corn-floor.
verse value 4052
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 55 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "all·threshing-floors" (כׇּל־גׇּרְנ֥וֹת, 7 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Hosea. Unique to this verse in Hosea (hapax): "do·not·rejoice" (אַל־תִּשְׂמַ֨ח), "to·exultation" (אֶל־גִּיל֙), "like·the·peoples" (כָּעַמִּ֔ים). The root איל appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 48x in Hosea); "Israel" (root ישראל, 39x in Hosea); "away·from" (root על, 28x in Hosea). First appearance of the root גרן ("all·threshing-floors") in Hosea. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'your·God', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 5 words. Full calculation: אַל־תִּשְׂמַ֨ח [do·not·rejoice] (779) + יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל [Israel] (541) + אֶל־גִּיל֙ [to·exultation] (74) + כָּעַמִּ֔ים [like·the·peoples] (180) + כִּ֥י [for] (30) + זָנִ֖יתָ [you·commited·fornication] (467) + מֵעַ֣ל [away·from] (140) + אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ [your·God] (66) + אָהַ֣בְתָּ [you·love] (408) + אֶתְנָ֔ן [hire of prostitute] (501) + עַ֖ל [upon] (100) + כׇּל־גׇּרְנ֥וֹת [all·threshing-floors] (709) + דָּגָֽן [grain] (57) = 4052.
Rashi
Do not rejoice, O Israel, like the other ancient nations who did not accept the Torah and did not come to the portions [of the land]; and you have been unfaithful to Me, and have lost many good things.
"Love." To be like a harlot who receives payment.
"On all threshing floors." Just as a prostitute is given grain on the threshing floor as her hire.
Ibn Ezra
“El” – The meaning is: Any nation, if they were to rejoice in the arrival of a time of gladness, it is fitting that none of them would commit harlotry under their gods, as you have done, for you loved to give a harlot’s fee to the Baalim in exchange for the tithe of your God, and this is harlotry; therefore, their threshing floor and winepress – strangers will take them, denying them as though they did not recognize them.
Radak
Do not rejoice. If a matter of joy happens to you, such as the wedding canopies of grooms and the like, you should not rejoice like the other nations, for they have not abandoned their gods, whereas you have strayed from your God and served the gods of the nations. Therefore, you ought to mourn over this and not partake in any joy, as did the generation in the wilderness: after Moses our teacher rebuked them concerning the matter of the Golden Calf, it is stated, “When the people heard this evil word, they mourned” (Exodus 33:4). The prophets rebuke them every day for serving idolatry, yet they do not heed it in their hearts.
“‘You loved the wages of a harlot’—on all the threshing floors of grain.” Since the prophets likened idolatry to the act of a harlot, it says “you loved the wages” just as “the wages of a harlot.” And the phrase “on all the threshing floors of grain” means: at the time when I was giving their threshing floors full of grain, as it says, “Ephraim waxed fat and kicked.” Alternatively, the meaning of “on all the threshing floors of grain” is: when the grain was on the threshing floor, they would serve idols there on the threshing floor, according to their reasoning that that very deity was the one who provided the produce.
Metzudat David
"Al gil." This means: It is not fitting for you to rejoice over any matter of celebration in the manner that the idolaters rejoice over matters of celebration.
"For you have committed adultery." And therefore, it is fitting that you should complain at all times:
“Love the wages.” “Love” means the desire to receive wages, to go after her among the threshing floors. This means that he went after the idolaters to seek their assistance. And since the verse compares her to a harlot, it uses the language associated with a harlot, who goes about the threshing floors to gather grain as her wages.
Metzudat Zion
Gil. The matter of joy:
Threshing floors. So too is the place where the grain is stored called:
Malbim
Do not rejoice, O Israel. You are Israel; you cannot rejoice with the gladness of other nations, for the nations are subject to the constellations, as it is stated, “Which the Lord your God has allotted to all the nations.” And when their astrological fortune is favorable and the constellation is auspicious, they rejoice. But you are not under the stars of the heavens and their constellations, for you are betrothed to the Lord, as it is stated, “Your Maker is your Husband, the Lord of Hosts is His name.” And when you stray from His supervision to serve other gods, you are like an adulterous woman who has left her husband. And this is what is stated, “For you have played the harlot with your God.” “You loved wages”—you are like an adulterous woman who loves wages, and therefore she goes around all the threshing floors to commit harlotry there and to take wages. So too, you go from nation to nation to find your livelihood there.
The threshing-floor and the wine-press shall not feed them, And the new wine shall fail her.
verse value 1989
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 25 letters. Verse gematria: 1989 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "wine" (וְתִיר֖וֹשׁ, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Hosea. Unique to this verse in Hosea (hapax): "threshing-floor" (גֹּ֥רֶן), "and·wine·vat" (וָיֶ֖קֶב), "will·fail" (יְכַ֥חֶשׁ). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 49x in Hosea). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'will·feed·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: גֹּ֥רֶן [threshing-floor] (253) + וָיֶ֖קֶב [and·wine·vat] (118) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + יִרְעֵ֑ם [will·feed·them] (320) + וְתִיר֖וֹשׁ [wine] (922) + יְכַ֥חֶשׁ [will·fail] (338) + בָּֽהּ [in·her] (7) = 1989.
Radak
“Threshing-floor and winepress shall not afflict them.” As soon as they do not recognize that I am the One who provides them with grain and wine, and they abandon My service to serve other gods, the threshing-floor and winepress shall not afflict them, for I will bring upon them mildew and rust, or locusts, or the enemy, so that they will not be able to produce a threshing-floor and winepress. And similarly it is stated at the beginning of the book: “Yet she did not know that it was I who gave her.”
“And new wine shall deny it.” “And new wine” — after having said “and the winepress,” because the threshing floor is named after its end result, that they will make from it bread in abundance; but the winepress encompasses two pleasures: the eating of the grapes and the drinking of the new wine that will be made from the grapes. And after He said “Behold, new wine,” He did not include the winepress, but only the eating of the grapes. And afterward He said “and new wine.” And the meaning of “shall deny it” is as if to say “shall deny them,” for what they will gather from it they will not find in it, that there will be in it the plague of the Lord, as it said in the prophecy of Haggai: “Go to the winepress, to uncover fifty [clusters] from the vine, and it was twenty.” And He said “it” in the feminine form for the congregation of Ephraim, for in this and in that He will speak to the people: sometimes in the singular, by way of generalization; sometimes in the plural, by way of specification; and sometimes in the feminine, for the congregation. And in “and He delivered her” there are two spellings of “her,” and they rely on them, and one of them is “and they struck her.”
Metzudat David
"It shall not feed them." This means that it shall not be fit for food, because it shall not grow.
"He shall deny it." He shall lie before the congregation of Israel, meaning that he shall not provide them with wine.
Metzudat Zion
And the winepress-vat. This is the vat that stands before the winepress, into which the wine flows, as it is said, “And he dug out a wine vat” (Isaiah 5:2).
Yiraam. The word is from the root of "meruah" (to graze).
And "grapes." Grapes for wine:
He will deny. He will lie:
Malbim
Goren, for the threshing floor and the winepress that were theirs in their land, which are the sustenance that her husband allotted to her at the time of marriage, he shall not diminish them; they shall not find their sustenance from the threshing floor of their land, and new wine shall be denied to her in the land (as mentioned below), that grain and new wine shall no longer be found there as in the past, for.
They shall not dwell in Hashem’S land; But Ephraim shall return to Egypt, And they shall eat unclean food in Assyria.
verse value 2319
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 41 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֥א, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·in·Assyria" (וּבְאַשּׁ֖וּר, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Hosea. Unique to this verse in Hosea (hapax): "but·will·return" (וְשָׁ֤ב), "and·in·Assyria" (וּבְאַשּׁ֖וּר), "impure" (טָמֵ֥א). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 49x in Hosea); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 46x in Hosea); "Ephraim" (root אפרים, 37x in Hosea). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 6 words. Full calculation: לֹ֥א [not] (31) + יֵשְׁב֖וּ [they·will·dwell] (318) + בְּאֶ֣רֶץ [in·land·of] (293) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + וְשָׁ֤ב [but·will·return] (308) + אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ [Ephraim] (331) + מִצְרַ֔יִם [Egypt] (380) + וּבְאַשּׁ֖וּר [and·in·Assyria] (515) + טָמֵ֥א [impure] (50) + יֹאכֵֽלוּ [eat] (67) = 2319.
Rashi
"They shall not sit in the land of the Lord." — They shall not linger in their land.
Ibn Ezra
"They shall not sit, and they shall eat in Assyria that is unclean" — for thus did they eat in the LORD's land: after they did not give the sanctity of the Name, and gave instead the price of a harlot.
Radak
"They shall not dwell in the Land of the Lord." This refers to Jerusalem. Once they defile it with their idols, they shall not dwell in it, for the Land cannot endure idolaters for a long time, as it is stated regarding the foreign gods of the land, and likewise concerning one who commits in it the abominations that are written, as it is stated: "And the land shall not vomit you out for defiling it, as it vomited out the nation that was before you" (Leviticus 18:28).
“And Ephraim returned to Egypt.” The verse that said to them, “You shall not see them again forever,” and similarly it said in the curses in the Torah, “The Lord will return you to Egypt,” etc. Even though the kingdom of Ephraim was exiled by the king of Assyria, many of them, before their exile, returned to the land of Egypt because of the famine and distresses that befell them in their land. Also, remnants of Ephraim were with the remnant of Judah and Benjamin when they returned to Egypt, after Jeremiah the prophet had restrained them in the name of the Lord.
“And in Asshur the unclean shall eat.” In the land of Asshur, where they were exiled, the unclean shall eat, as it is written in the prophecy of Ezekiel: “Thus shall the children of Israel eat their bread unclean among the nations, for among the nations they will not be able to eat their bread with purity and cleanness.”
Metzudat David
"They shall not sit, etc. When they are exiled from it:"
And he shall return. On account of an enemy, he will flee to Egypt to dwell there.
"And in Assyria." When they were in exile in Assyria, they would eat unclean and detestable food, for they could not keep their food in a state of purity.
Metzudat Zion
“Tamei.” This means: detestable and loathsome.
Malbim
"They shall not dwell in the land of the Lord, for they shall be exiled from the land due to their sins, and the land shall become desolate. And consequently, Ephraim shall return to Egypt to settle there, and in Assyria, where they shall be exiled, they shall eat their bread among the nations, and it shall be unclean. Now, the wine used to be blessed by virtue of those dwelling in the land, but now 'the new wine shall fail in the land,' for they shall not dwell in their land. Furthermore, the wine used to be blessed on account of the libations that were offered, as our Sages of blessed memory stated, and this too shall no longer be, for..."
They shall not pour out wine-offerings to Hashem, Neither shall they be pleasing to Him; Their sacrifices shall be to them as the bread of mourners, All that eat thereof shall be polluted; For their bread shall be for their appetite, It shall not come into the house of Hashem.
verse value 2285
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 78 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָֽה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֥א, 2 letters) and the longest is "be·pleasing·to·Him" (יֶעֶרְבוּ־לוֹ֒, 7 letters). 10 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Hosea. Unique to this verse in Hosea (hapax): "not·they·will·pour-out" (לֹא־יִסְּכ֨וּ), "wine" (יַ֘יִן֮), "be·pleasing·to·Him" (יֶעֶרְבוּ־לוֹ֒). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·not" (root לא, 49x in Hosea); "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 46x in Hosea); "to·them" (root הם, 31x in Hosea). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'will·become·unclean', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 6 words.
Rashi
One shall not pour. The term “nesekh”:
"He shall not mix them together." This means that their meal-offering shall not be acceptable to Him.
Like the bread of the wicked. Like stolen bread that comes through force and might:
“For their bread is for their soul.” This is fitting for them as food, but not to enter the House of the Lord. Another interpretation: “Like the bread of affliction” — like the bread of mourners, which is ritually impure, and its end proves it: all who eat it become impure.
Ibn Ezra
"No—those who remain; and if these had [any claim], they would not be mixed in with him."
“Like the bread of mourners” – as in “I have not eaten in my mourning,” where “mourners” is a noun and a plural form.
Radak
"One shall not pour out to the Lord wine, nor shall they mix it for Him." What does this mean? Why should they now bring drink-offerings to the House of the Lord, since He will not mix it for them? It means that they are not acceptable before Him, for they transgress His commandments and His laws.
“Their sacrifices are like the bread of mourners to them.” Their sacrifices, which they bring before [God], shall be counted for them as the bread of mourners, which is unclean, because they are ritually impure due to contact with the dead.
"All who eat of them shall become impure." All those who eat bread of the Presence are impure; likewise, their sacrifices are impure.
"For their bread offering shall not come into the House of the Lord. The sacrifice that they bring for the sake of their soul, meaning for the atonement of their soul, shall not come [into the House], for they derive no benefit from it, and it shall not atone for them, because they are willful sinners; and even when they bring the sacrifice, they do not return from their sin."
“‘In my affliction’—this refers to mourners. And similarly, ‘I did not eat in my affliction’—this refers to mourners. Rather, the difference is that one is a noun and the other is an adjective.”
Metzudat David
"They shall not pour out [libations]." This statement refers to the House of Judah; henceforth, He has no desire for their libations, and they shall not pour out wine to the Lord, nor are their sacrifices acceptable to Him.
“Like the bread of robbery to them.” The sacrifices are in His eyes like bread that comes to them through robbery, which defiles and disgusts the one who eats it.
"For their bread": The sacrifices that they bring, it is better that they should be for their own satisfaction, so that they will eat it, rather than that it should come to the House of the Lord, for it is not acceptable.
Metzudat Zion
They poured. The term is from the root *nasakh*, meaning to pour out or cast.
They shall be pleasing. The matter is one of sweetness, as it is said: “And the offering shall be sweet unto the Lord” (Malachi 3:4).
Onen. The matter of robbery that comes by strength and might; and likewise, “His hands shall restore his might” (Job 20:10).
Their bread. Also, meat is called "bread," as it is stated: "My bread, the offerings made to Me by fire" (Numbers 28:2).
For their soul. For themselves:
Malbim
They shall not pour a drink-offering of wine to the Lord. And not only shall they not bring drink-offerings—for the drink-offerings are subordinate to the sacrifice—but they shall not even bring their sacrifices to Him; He shall not accept from them even sacrifices, for the sacrifices were called “the bread of the Lord,” as it is stated, “For the fire-offerings of the Lord, their bread, they are offering” (Leviticus 21:6), and they were holy. But their sacrifices shall not be called “the bread of the Lord.” For they are like the bread of mourners to them; they are similar to the bread that mourners eat at their deceased’s funeral, namely, a convalescent meal provided by others. Likewise, the peace-offerings that they eat shall not be peace-offerings of joy, but rather a convalescent meal. Whereas the bread of mourners becomes impure through the mourner, who is impure with regard to a corpse and renders the bread impure, the bread of their sacrifices causes all who eat it to become impure; the bread renders impure those who eat it. For their bread is for their soul, for it is the bread they eat concerning their dead soul, since their soul is dead within their body, and they eat the sacrifice as a convalescent meal for their own death. Therefore, it shall not come into the house of the Lord, for it is impure bread.
What will you do in the day of the appointed season, And in the day of the feast of Hashem?
verse value 1156
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 25 letters. Notable word values: "to·day·of" (לְי֣וֹם) = 86, equal to Elohim. Verse gematria: 1156 = 34². The shortest word is "to·day·of" (לְי֣וֹם, 4 letters) and the longest is "what·will·you·do" (מַֽה־תַּעֲשׂ֖וּ, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Hosea. Unique to this verse in Hosea (hapax): "what·will·you·do" (מַֽה־תַּעֲשׂ֖וּ), "to·day·of" (לְי֣וֹם), "and·to·day·of" (וּלְי֖וֹם). The root יום appears 2 times in this verse. 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "feast·of·Hashem" (root יהוה, 46x in Hosea); "to·day·of" (root יום, 28x in Hosea). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'meeting', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: מַֽה־תַּעֲשׂ֖וּ [what·will·you·do] (821) + לְי֣וֹם [to·day·of] (86) + מוֹעֵ֑ד [meeting] (120) + וּלְי֖וֹם [and·to·day·of] (92) + חַג־יְהֹוָֽה [feast·of·Hashem] (37) = 1156.
Rashi
"For a set day." For a fixed time, that the enemy is appointed to come upon you:
The Festival of the Lord. A sacrifice of slaughter that you have among you:
Ibn Ezra
What? "The feast of the Lord"—corresponds to "your sacrifices."
Radak
"What will you do on the appointed day?" The day of the Destruction is called an appointed day and a festival, following the pattern of "They made a noise in the House of the Lord, as on an appointed day and a festival." The day of the Destruction is an appointed day and a festival of the Name, for the Holy One, blessed be He, summoned the enemies to come together to the House of the Lord to destroy it and to shed the blood of the children of Israel like the blood of sacrifices, as it is stated in the prophecy of Isaiah: "And it shall be to Me as Ariel."
Metzudat David
What shall you do? This means: What is the merit by which you will be saved on the appointed day for the payment of the reward?
"And for the day of the feast of the Lord." On the day when the Lord will bring to you a sacrifice and slaughter from the altar of the beasts of the feast, and this is a repetition of what was said:
Metzudat Zion
Moed. A fixed time, as in “He has passed the appointed time” (Jeremiah 46:17):
Malbim
What will you do? This is dependent on what was said: “Do not rejoice, O Israel, as do the nations.” And how will you wish to rejoice on the appointed day, when the nations used to rejoice on their appointed days at the time of the barley and wheat harvest and at the time of the vintage? And you—how will you rejoice with another type of joy, after your grain and winepress have failed? Similarly, what will you do for the feast day of the Lord? For during the festival days, they would offer sacrifices and pour libations of wine. And now that the sacrifices and libations have ceased, with what will you celebrate the feast of the Lord?
For, lo, they are gone away from destruction, Yet Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them; Their precious treasures of silver, nettles shall possess them, Thorns shall be in their tents.
verse value 3812
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 57 letters. The shortest word is "Memphis" (מֹ֣ף, 2 letters) and the longest is "in·their·tents" (בְּאׇהֳלֵיהֶֽם, 7 letters). 11 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Hosea. Unique to this verse in Hosea (hapax): "for·behold" (כִּֽי־הִנֵּ֤ה), "from·destruction" (מִשֹּׁ֔ד), "will·gather·them" (תְּקַבְּצֵ֖ם). 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for·behold" (root כי, 48x in Hosea); "they·went" (root הלך, 22x in Hosea). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'will·bury·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 6 words. Full calculation: כִּֽי־הִנֵּ֤ה [for·behold] (90) + הָֽלְכוּ֙ [they·went] (61) + מִשֹּׁ֔ד [from·destruction] (344) + מִצְרַ֥יִם [Egypt] (380) + תְּקַבְּצֵ֖ם [will·gather·them] (632) + מֹ֣ף [Memphis] (120) + תְּקַבְּרֵ֑ם [will·bury·them] (742) + מַחְמַ֣ד [desire] (92) + לְכַסְפָּ֗ם [to·their·silver] (230) + קִמּוֹשׂ֙ [thistles or nettles] (446) + יִֽירָשֵׁ֔ם [will·seize·them] (560) + ח֖וֹחַ [thorn] (22) + בְּאׇהֳלֵיהֶֽם [in·their·tents] (93) = 3812.
Rashi
"For behold, they have gone"—from their place, due to the multitude of robbers who will come upon them with Nebuchadnezzar.
Mof. From the land of Egypt it is:
Their treasures of silver. Houses of delight, treasuries of their silver:
"Kimos." A porcupine is a species of animal. Jonathan translates [it as "a hedgehog"].
Ibn Ezra
"For behold, they have gone" — out of fear that a robbery would befall them, some of them would die in Egypt and also on the way. Therefore, it says: "You shall covet their silver," and behold, they will go to be robbed.
Radak
For behold, they have gone forth from plunder. For behold, they have gone forth from the burden of famine to Egypt, and on the day of the destruction, what will they do, and whither will they flee for help?
"שוד" – it is famine, just as "שוד" and "שבר" [are used in this sense]; and the interpretation of "famine and sword" is that they will gather them together.
"Mof will bury them." For there they shall die, those who go there by the sword and by famine.
Mof. Like nof, and so too kemahem and kemahen.
Their treasured things, in regard to their silver. The houses of their delight, which were their treasuries of silver:
“Ki-mosh yirashem.” That is to say, the thorns shall inherit them; namely, the thorns that will be there in place of the money, when the houses are destroyed, thorns will grow in them.
“Kimos and choch.” These are types of thorns, and Yonatan (the Aramaic translator) rendered them as types of animals, namely, weasels and cats.
Metzudat David
“Go forth from plunder.” When they go forth from their land on account of the plunderer, behold, Egypt will gather them, for there they will come with Johanan ben Kareah, as it is stated in Jeremiah (43):
"Moph" – they shall be buried there. For there they will die by the sword of Nebuchadnezzar, and they will not return to their land.
"The treasure of their silver." The houses of their delight, which are their treasuries of silver, behold, the thorn shall inherit them; for there shall the thorn grow, and in their tents shall the thistle come forth.
Metzudat Zion
משוד. The word is derived from the root meaning "to plunder and oppress."
Mof. It is possible that it is [read as] "Nof," which is the name of a place in Egypt, and the mem came in place of the nun; and similarly, "Khamam" and "Khaman" (II Samuel 19).
Machmad. From the word for "desire" (chamedah):
Kimush. A type of thorn:
יירשם. The word is derived from the root ירושה (inheritance):
Choach. A species of thorn:
Malbim
For behold, they have gone from the breast, in contrast to what is written, “And Ephraim returned to Egypt,” and Israel thought that they were returning to their native land, for the nation was born in Egypt at its beginning. And it appeared in their eyes as one who returns to his native land, where he suckled from his mother’s breasts; and he returns to his mother’s breast and to the chamber of his conception. And on this basis the prophet says that it is a false illusion, for in truth, the Land of Israel is their mother’s breast; there they suckled honey and milk, and it is the land of their conception, as it is written, “Wailing at the breasts” (Isaiah 33). And now that they have been exiled from their land, behold, they have gone from their mother’s breast, and they are like one who goes from his native land to the land of his burial, for to Egypt they are going to die and to be buried there, for Egypt will gather them in order that she may bury them, for there will be their burial. And who will inherit their inheritance and their wealth? He says: the place that was the treasure of their silver — nettles shall possess it, and the thistle shall be what dwells in their tents, which shall remain desolate.
The days of visitation are come, The days of recompense are come, Israel shall know it. The prophet is a fool, the man of the spirit is mad! For the multitude of your iniquity, the enmity is great.
verse value 3451
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 67 letters. The shortest word is "because·of" (עַ֚ל, 2 letters) and the longest is "oversight" (הַפְּקֻדָּ֗ה, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 60: day, day. 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Hosea. Unique to this verse in Hosea (hapax): "oversight" (הַפְּקֻדָּ֗ה), "requital" (הַשִּׁלֻּ֔ם), "foolish" (אֱוִ֣יל). The root בוא appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Israel" (root ישראל, 39x in Hosea); "day" (root יום, 28x in Hosea); "because·of" (root על, 28x in Hosea). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Israel', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 10 words.
Rashi
The decree. That they should reckon your iniquities:
“Shalom.” The obligations are fulfilled:
"Foolish is the prophet." Even among their true prophets, there were fools, such as Hananiah ben Azzur, whose beginning was as a true prophet.
And great is the hatred, for "hatred." For the Holy One, blessed be He, hates your deeds:
Ibn Ezra
“Days of retribution shall come” – [a time] when the LORD will repay you, for you used to say of a prophet of the LORD that he was a fool, and of a man in whom was the spirit of the LORD, that he was mad.
"Concerning your great iniquity," from hatred—there is in the heart of each one.
Radak
"When the days of decree come, that the Holy One, blessed be He, will exact their iniquity, the days of full retribution, that the Holy One, blessed be He, will repay them according to their evil deeds, then Israel will know and confess and say concerning the false prophets who misled them and were saying to them, 'Peace, peace,' then they will say about them, 'Woe to the prophet, a madman, a man of spirit.'"
“Because of the multitude of your iniquity.” Because of the multitude of your iniquity it was that you inclined after the false prophets and abandoned the true prophets.
And it is a great hatred. Therefore, it is a great hatred of the Holy One, blessed be He, upon you.
“Shalem.” A noun on the pattern of “pigul” [and] “chatul.” And Jonathan rendered it in the Targum: “They were accustomed to prophesy to them with true prophets, but false prophets prevented them, saying: because your iniquities are many and your sins are severe.”
Metzudat David
"Behold, now the days have come"—the days of remembrance of their sins have come, and the days of recompense for their payments have come, and Israel shall know that they have drawn near and come.
"Foolish is the prophet." This means that they will see that the false prophet who promises them peace is foolish, and that God did not speak through him.
"A man of spirit." This is the false prophet, whom they thought possessed the spirit of prophecy. It is a repetition of the matter stated in the preceding verse.
“Because of the multitude of your iniquity.” On account of the multitude of your iniquity, great is the harboring of enmity against you from God.
Metzudat Zion
The visitation. The matter of remembrance:
"Verabbah." The vav is superfluous.
From hatred. The matter of harboring animosity, as it is written: “And Esau hated Jacob” (Genesis 27:41).
Malbim
“Come.” Until now, they did not know the Lord, nor did they believe in His prophets, who had foretold to them the punishments that would come from Him, until the days of retribution arrived, when the Lord would reckon their sins, and also the days of peace arrived, when the words of the prophets would be fulfilled and He would repay them according to their measure. Then Israel will know that the words of the prophets were just, for until now, “the prophet is a fool”—the prophet who prophesied to you what was to come upon you was in your eyes like a foolish man, and “the man of the spirit” was in your eyes like a madman. Because of the abundance of your sin, due to the great sin that you committed willfully, and you did not believe the one who rebuked you for your sin, therefore “hatred is multiplied.”
Ephraim is a watchman with my God; As for the prophet, a fowler’s snare is in all his ways, And enmity in the house of his God.
verse value 2479
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 47 letters. The shortest word is "snare·of" (פַּ֤ח, 2 letters) and the longest is "in·all·his·ways" (עַל־כׇּל־דְּרָכָ֔יו, 9 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Hosea. Unique to this verse in Hosea (hapax): "a·watchman" (צֹפֶ֥ה), "with·my·God" (עִם־אֱלֹהָ֑י), "prophet" (נָבִ֞יא). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Ephraim" (root אפרים, 37x in Hosea); "with·my·God" (root עם, 22x in Hosea); "in·house·of" (root בית, 21x in Hosea). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'with·my·God', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 7 words. Full calculation: צֹפֶ֥ה [a·watchman] (175) + אֶפְרַ֖יִם [Ephraim] (331) + עִם־אֱלֹהָ֑י [with·my·God] (156) + נָבִ֞יא [prophet] (63) + פַּ֤ח [snare·of] (88) + יָקוֹשׁ֙ [fowler] (416) + עַל־כׇּל־דְּרָכָ֔יו [in·all·his·ways] (390) + מַשְׂטֵמָ֖ה [animosity] (394) + בְּבֵ֥ית [in·house·of] (414) + אֱלֹהָֽיו [his·God] (52) = 2479.
Rashi
“Ephraim watches with his God.” They set up for themselves their prophets, who lead them toward their idols.
A prophet sets snares for all his ways. And for the true prophets, they set snares to trap them.
“From hatred in the house of his God.” In the Temple, they killed Zechariah and sought to kill Jeremiah, as it is stated (Jeremiah 26:11): “This man deserves the sentence of death,” etc.
Ibn Ezra
Tzofeh – The reason why it says that a prophet of the Lord is a fool, and he acts on his own as a tzofeh, and he is like a prophet who gazes into what will happen, and this is a false prophet, is that he is a snare of deceit.
And the meaning of "in the house of his God, in anger" is: Just as he mentioned at the beginning "and he stumbled that day," so too "and the prophet stumbled."
Radak
“Ephraim has appointed a lookout.” Ephraim appointed a lookout for himself, and this is the false prophet who proclaims his prophecy in the name of “his gods.”
“Navi pach yikus.” That prophet is to Ephraim in all his ways like a snare that catches birds; so too, Ephraim will be caught by the words of his prophets.
“Enmity in the house of his God.” We can interpret “the house of his God” as the house of the calves, which were his gods, and the false prophet there prophesied, and he caused enmity between him and God, blessed be He. And we can also interpret “in the house of his God” as in the house of God, which is the Temple. And Jonathan [ben Uzziel] translated it: “He brought great disgrace into the house of the Temple of their God.” And in the Midrash: “Enmity in the house of his God” refers to Zechariah, who was killed in the Temple. And behold, the verse speaks of Ephraim, whereas Zechariah was killed by the sons of Judah.
Metzudat David
“Ephraim is a watcher.” Ephraim has a watcher, namely the god he made for himself, which is their false prophet who prophesies in the name of idolatry. And that prophet is like a spread-out snare and trap over all of Ephraim’s paths, for just as a bird falls into a snare, so too Ephraim falls into the words of the false prophet.
From the verse, “Enmity in the house of his god.” In the house of idolatry, he harbors enmity, for the false prophet who is accustomed to dwell there, as if he harbors enmity against him, because he misleads him onto an evil path, thereby doing him harm.
Metzudat Zion
Tzofah. Thus the prophet is called, and thus it is written, "I have made you a watchman" (Ezekiel 3).
Pach. Net:
Yiqosh. The verb form is from "mukesh":
Malbim
Tsofeh. This means: “Great was Your enmity against Tsofeh of Ephraim and against Elohai,” for You harbored great enmity against Tsofeh, who prophesied calamity for You, and also against Elohai, who sent him to prophesy, because You hated the Lord and His prophets. Indeed, when a prophet prophesied against You in the name of the Lord, You prepared a snare to crush him; along all his paths You set traps to ensnare and kill him, as it is stated, “For they dug a pit to catch me, and set snares for my feet.” Moreover, there was enmity even in the house of his God; even in the house of God this enmity was found against him, for Zechariah was killed in the Temple, and the house of the Lord did not protect him.
They have deeply corrupted themselves, As in the days of Gibeah; He will remember their iniquity, He will punish their sins.
verse value 2183
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 39 letters. The shortest word is "they·corrupted" (שִׁחֵ֖תוּ, 4 letters) and the longest is "they·deepened" (הֶעְמִ֥יקוּ, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Hosea. Unique to this verse in Hosea (hapax): "they·corrupted" (שִׁחֵ֖תוּ), "will·remember" (יִזְכּ֣וֹר), "he·will·punish" (יִפְק֖וֹד). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "as·days·of" (root יום, 28x in Hosea). First appearance of the root שחת ("they·corrupted") in Hosea. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·hill', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: הֶעְמִ֥יקוּ [they·deepened] (231) + שִׁחֵ֖תוּ [they·corrupted] (714) + כִּימֵ֣י [as·days·of] (80) + הַגִּבְעָ֑ה [the·hill] (85) + יִזְכּ֣וֹר [will·remember] (243) + עֲוֺנָ֔ם [their·iniquity] (166) + יִפְק֖וֹד [he·will·punish] (200) + חַטֹּאותָֽם [their·sins] (464) = 2183.
Rashi
"As the days of Gibeah." Some say this refers to the Gibeah of Benjamin in the incident of the concubine (Judges 19), and others say this refers to the Gibeah of Saul (1 Samuel 11), where they asked for a king and rebelled against the words of the prophet.
Ibn Ezra
They have gone deep (heemiku): [that is, deep] in doing evil (lehara).
"Like the days of Gibeah" – [referring to the time] when the tribe of Benjamin rebelled.
Radak
They have deepened their pit. They have deepened their evil, and their ways are destruction.
"As the days of Gibeah." Like the days when the sons of Benjamin in Gibeah committed evil, when they persisted in the abominable act that was done to the concubine.
Metzudat David
"They deepened their pit." They deepened [their resolve] to do evil, and they corrupted their ways, like the sons of Benjamin in the incident of the concubine in Gibeah, for they supported the hands of transgressors of sin. For thus do the false prophets support the hands of transgressors of sin by assuring them of peace. Therefore, their iniquity shall be remembered to repay them their due recompense.
Metzudat Zion
"The deepened." This means "multiplied," for just as a deep thing is beyond man's reach, so too any thing that is multiplied to the utmost is called "depth."
Malbim
They delved deeply, and beyond all this, they sought to conceal counsel from the Lord, and they corrupted their way through sexual immorality, just as they did in the days of Gibeah, when their deeds were like the deeds of Sodom, until they became wicked toward the Lord and also sinners between man and his fellow; therefore, their iniquity will be remembered, and He will punish them for it.
I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness, I saw your fathers as the first-ripe in the fig-tree at her first season; But so soon as they came to Baal-peor, They separated themselves to the shameful thing, And became detestable like that which they loved.
verse value 6430
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 90 letters. The shortest word is "abundance" (הֵ֜מָּה, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·her·beginning" (בְּרֵ֣אשִׁיתָ֔הּ, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 541: I·have·found, Israel. 10 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Hosea. Unique to this verse in Hosea (hapax): "grapes" (כַּעֲנָבִ֣ים), "as·first-fruit" (כְּבִכּוּרָ֤הֿ), "in·fig" (בִתְאֵנָה֙). 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Israel" (root ישראל, 39x in Hosea); "abundance" (root הם, 31x in Hosea); "and·they·were" (root היה, 28x in Hosea). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'your·fathers', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 8 words.
Rashi
Like grapes in the wilderness. Just as grapes are beloved in the wilderness, so too have I cherished Israel.
Like the first fruits of the fig. As the fig is cooked on the fig tree:
"In the beginning": At the start of the cooking of the figs:
"I have seen your fathers." Thus did your fathers appear in My eyes to be loved:
“And they shall abstain.” The term *nezirut* (abstinence) in any context denotes only separation.
"Shame." This refers to idolatry, for it is their shame.
And it was abominations. Before:
As it is said: "As they loved." The daughters of Moab:
Ibn Ezra
Like grapes – as it is said, “He will find him in the land of the wilderness.”
And the meaning of “like grapes in the wilderness” is that there is no settled habitation there, so everyone who comes upon them rejoices in them.
And so it is like the first fruits of a fig—yet my joy was not great, for it did not endure, because they bowed down to Baal-Peor and turned away from following Me.
"לבשת" – like [the verse]: "and shame consumed my labor" (Jeremiah 3:24), where it is written: "to an idol."
"And they were abominations" – they became ritually impure because of their love for the women of Midian.
Radak
“Like grapes in the wilderness.” Just as if a person were to find grapes in the wilderness—a land of drought where no fruit grows—he would rejoice in them; and just as a person rejoices when he finds the first fruit of a fig tree at its beginning, so too I found Israel in the wilderness, and I provided for them and sustained them, and they lacked nothing, as if they were in an inhabited land; yet they did not recognize My goodness.
“Those who came to Baal-Peor consecrated themselves to shame.” They were separating from Me to go after the shame, which is the idolatry whose worshippers will be put to shame and humiliated because of their deeds.
"And they became abominations as they loved." They became [devoted] to the worship of abominations, just as they loved the daughters of Moab and committed harlotry with them, and they inclined their hearts to serve their gods. Or, the explanation is: "And they became abominations" without a missing letter [i.e., spelled fully, shiqutzim rather than shqutzim], for the worshiper himself is an abomination. And it explicated in "the first of the fig tree, the first-ripe" [the earliest fruit], and this allusion recalls that matter, to say: "As the fathers did, so shall the children do." I dealt kindly with your fathers, and they rebelled against Me; and likewise I have dealt kindly with you, and you have transgressed against Me. And my master and father, of blessed and holy memory, explained that the reason for the word "in the wilderness" being attached [in the text] to "I found" is that the verse means: "As grapes and as the first-ripe fruit at its beginning, with which the finder rejoices, so did I find your fathers in the wilderness, and I rejoiced with them." And he explained "And they became abominations as they loved" [to mean]: In accordance with the measure of love with which I loved them, so they became abominations in My eyes.
Metzudat David
“Like grapes in the wilderness.” Just as one who finds grapes in the wilderness—where they are exceedingly dear to him—so too did I find Israel; that is to say, they were exceedingly dear to Me at the time I found them to be My people.
Like the first fig. Just as the first fig on the fig tree, which is the first of all the figs, brings joy to the hearts of those who see it, so too did I see your fathers—meaning, so too was I joyful when I saw your fathers following after Me.
"They came. And when they came to Baal-Peor, and they separated themselves from the Lord to the shame:"
"And they became abominations as they were beloved." At that time, they became abominations and detestable in His eyes, commensurate with the measure of the love with which He had loved them from the beginning.
Metzudat Zion
As with the firstborn, so too is the fruit called "firstfruits" when it has reached full ripeness; and likewise, "the first fruits of the grapes" (Numbers 13:23).
And they shall abstain. The term denotes separation, as in “they shall withdraw backward” (Isaiah 1:4).
"To shame." The idol is called by this name because it is a shame to its worshippers.
"Loathsome things." From the language of "abomination and detestation."
Malbim
Regarding the phrase “Like grapes,” in connection with what was stated that they corrupted their way with idolatry and sexual immorality, in the days of Gibeah, and that for this reason their iniquity is remembered, the text says that they should learn an a fortiori argument from the fact that He punished the generation that left Egypt for the sin of Peor and for their sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab, even though that generation was esteemed and precious in the eyes of the Lord. All the more so will He punish them, who are light and despised in His eyes, for these sins. Therefore it says, “Did I not find Israel like grapes in the wilderness?” At the time I found Israel in the wilderness, they were precious in My eyes, like one who finds grapes, which are the most important fruit in the wilderness, a place where there is no sowing, vine, or fig tree. (And the meaning is that they were the first vineyard that the Lord planted, as it is stated, “A vineyard from Egypt you shall transplant.” And behold, grapes do not accept grafting, and especially grapes in the wilderness, which are ungrafted. So too, Israel at that time were holy, guarding themselves against sexual immorality, as our Sages of blessed memory stated that Shelomith, daughter of Dibri, was one of them, and Scripture publicized this.) And similarly, “As the first fruit of the fig tree in its first season I saw your fathers.” The fig tree, too, is a very important fruit, and it has no waste. The one that ripens first is most precious due to the scarcity of the fruit at that time. So too, they were esteemed, whether on account of the place, like grapes in the wilderness, or on account of the time, when the divine matter first fell upon them, while darkness covered the earth and gloom the nations. And despite all this, even though they were very precious to Me, “they went to the house of Peor,” etc. “As they loved,” meaning that even they, with all their importance, “as they loved,” just as they loved the daughters of Moab, they went from bad to worse. For thereby they went to the house of Peor, as it is stated, “And the people began to commit sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab,” and thereby “they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods,” and thereby “they were made a disgrace,” as it is stated, “And the people ate and bowed down to their gods,” and thereby “they became abominations,” meaning that the Lord detested them and rejected them, as it is stated, “And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel.” And all of this was “as they loved,” by loving the daughters of Moab. Now, reason a fortiori: if they, who loved the daughters of Moab, became abominations, even though they were esteemed at first, how much more so.
As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird; There shall be no birth, and none with child, and no conception.
verse value 1728
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 36 letters. Verse gematria: 1728 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "as·the·birds" (כָּע֖וֹף, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·from·conception" (וּמֵהֵרָיֽוֹן, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Hosea. Unique to this verse in Hosea (hapax): "shall·fly·away" (יִתְעוֹפֵ֣ף), "from·birth" (מִלֵּדָ֥ה), "and·from·belly·of" (וּמִבֶּ֖טֶן). The root עוף appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Ephraim" (root אפרים, 37x in Hosea). First appearance of the root בטן ("and·from·belly·of") in Hosea. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'their·glory', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: אֶפְרַ֕יִם [Ephraim] (331) + כָּע֖וֹף [as·the·birds] (176) + יִתְעוֹפֵ֣ף [shall·fly·away] (646) + כְּבוֹדָ֑ם [their·glory] (72) + מִלֵּדָ֥ה [from·birth] (79) + וּמִבֶּ֖טֶן [and·from·belly·of] (107) + וּמֵהֵרָיֽוֹן [and·from·conception] (317) = 1728.
Rashi
"Ephraim shall fly away like a bird," etc. The prophet said: Would that they were like this bird, which migrates from its nest and ceases from procreation and multiplication; thus would they lose their seed—either at the time of birth, or it would be digested in the womb and they would miscarry, or during pregnancy they would not conceive. For what profit is there in raising their children? For even should they grow up, I will bereave them of them.
Ibn Ezra
Ephraim – the meaning is like a bird – concerning the swiftness, that they shall not rejoice and there shall be no honor for them from the birth; even from the womb, when the pregnant belly is seen to swell from the pregnancy, when the woman’s menstrual blood ceases. And the meaning is that the pregnancy shall be diminished, and if it were to occur, it would not come to be shown; and if it did come, the child would die before birth. And it is a noun, like “opinion.” Therefore, after this, if they give birth and raise their children, I will bereave them, that they shall not come to be a person.
Radak
Ephraim, their honor. The verse states, "The children are an honor," for they are the honor of their fathers, as it is written, "The crown of the aged are their children's children" (Proverbs 17:6). And so it is the duty of the children to honor their fathers.
“From birth, from the womb, and from pregnancy.” “From birth” means that some of them will die at the time of birth; “from the womb” means that some of them will die in the womb, not reaching the completion of the days of pregnancy; and “from pregnancy” means that they will not become pregnant, i.e., some of them will be barren.
Metzudat David
"As a bird shall flee away, so shall their glory flee away." The glory shall fly away from them, like a bird that flies away from a mountain. This means that the honor that is accorded to children at the time of their birth and at the time of their being brought into the covenant of Abraham our father shall not be done for them.
"From her birth." From them the glory shall fly away at the time of birth, for then they will die, so that they will not come to the time of the circumcision ceremony, and they will not attain the honor that is performed then.
"And from the womb." And from them the glory shall fly away at the time they come forth from the womb, for they shall be born dead and shall not attain even the honor that is accorded to children at the time of their birth.
And from pregnancy. From them honor will sprout during the time of pregnancy; that is to say, their wives will not become pregnant at all, and consequently honor will sprout and then vanish.
Metzudat Zion
"it shall flutter." The word is from the root of "fluttering" and "flying."
Malbim
Ephraim, who, as a bird, shall fly away: their glory shall depart from birth and from the womb and from pregnancy, for they had no glory and honor even at the beginning of their life, for when they were born, and even while they were in their mother’s womb, and even during the time of their pregnancy, they had no glory at all, for most of them were bastards and were born of harlotry; and if so, all the more so shall they be detestable in the eyes of the Holy One, blessed be He, because of their harlotry.
Indeed, though they bring up their children, Yet will I bereave them, that there be not a man left; Indeed, woe also to them when I depart from them!
verse value 2291
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 45 letters. The shortest word is "though" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "if·they·bring·up" (אִם־יְגַדְּלוּ֙, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 85: from·man, from·them. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Hosea. Unique to this verse in Hosea (hapax): "if·they·bring·up" (אִם־יְגַדְּלוּ֙), "their·children" (אֶת־בְּנֵיהֶ֔ם), "but·I·will·bereave·them" (וְשִׁכַּלְתִּ֖ים). The root הם appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "though" (root כי, 48x in Hosea); "to·them" (root הם, 31x in Hosea). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·man', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 4 words. Full calculation: כִּ֤י [though] (30) + אִם־יְגַדְּלוּ֙ [if·they·bring·up] (94) + אֶת־בְּנֵיהֶ֔ם [their·children] (508) + וְשִׁכַּלְתִּ֖ים [but·I·will·bereave·them] (806) + מֵאָדָ֑ם [from·man] (85) + כִּֽי־גַם־א֥וֹי [indeed·also·woe] (90) + לָהֶ֖ם [to·them] (75) + בְּשׂוּרִ֥י [when·I·depart] (518) + מֵהֶֽם [from·them] (85) = 2291.
Rashi
For also to the fathers:
"Woe to them, when I turn away from them." Just as it is written "from them" (with a samekh), yet it is read "from them" (with a shin), this is one of the instances of "written with a shin, read with a samekh." Another matter: "Their glory shall flee away like a bird" (Jeremiah 49:39). "Like a bird"—this refers to one that flies and is no longer present; so too shall all their glory fly away and flee. All the pain they endured concerning their children—through "birth" and "pregnancy"—"birth" refers to the pain of childbirth, and "from the womb" refers to the days of gestation, and "pregnancy" refers to the time of intercourse. All this toil of theirs shall be consumed. How so? For when they raise their children, I will bereave them of them.
Ibn Ezra
"Of my oxen" – the shin is written in place of the samekh.
Radak
"If they raise their children." It means: If they are such that they escape these calamities, reach the time of birth, and raise them as youths, they will die; they will not come to the time when they are called "man." This is what is stated: "And I will bereave them of man."
"For also, woe to them when I turn away from them!" And not only this, but in all their deeds there will be a curse, until they will be called, "Woe to them when I turn away from them!" as it is stated in the Torah: "And I will hide My face from them, and they shall be devoured."
“Beshorai.” With a shin, like “basuri” with a samekh.
Metzudat David
"Yet if they increase." This means that if some of them raise their children and save them from those calamities, behold, I will bring their offspring to naught, meaning they will die before they reach the age of adulthood, for they will die while still minors.
"For even, etc." — That is, besides this, it shall be in all their deeds; woe to them at the time of their separation from Him.
Metzudat Zion
"and I will bereave them." The matter is one of death, as it is written: "and I will make you cease" (Leviticus 26).
"Be-shori." Like "be-Suri" with a samekh, and it is a word denoting removal.
Malbim
“Ki,” meaning “and Ephraim.” It can be said that there are two deficiencies in contrast to the generation of the wilderness: A] If they raise their children, they are already considered as non-human, for the children are not at all in my regard as being on the level of human beings, for they are abominations from the womb, like despicable and loathsome beasts, since they did not guard their lineage at all and begot bastards. B] For even woe to them themselves, and even to the fathers of the children who were not born of promiscuity and are included among human beings, woe to them in their bulls, for although at first I was with them, behold, I have withdrawn from them and cast them off from My face because of the evil of their deeds.
Ephraim, like as I have seen Tyre, is planted in a pleasant place; But Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the slayer.
verse value 3389
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 48 letters. The shortest word is "to·Tyre" (לְצ֖וֹר, 4 letters) and the longest is "as·I·saw" (כַּאֲשֶׁר־רָאִ֥יתִי, 9 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Hosea. Unique to this verse in Hosea (hapax): "as·I·saw" (כַּאֲשֶׁר־רָאִ֥יתִי), "to·Tyre" (לְצ֖וֹר), "planted" (שְׁתוּלָ֣ה). The root אפרים appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Ephraim" (root אפרים, 37x in Hosea). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·habitation', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 4 words. Full calculation: אֶפְרַ֛יִם [Ephraim] (331) + כַּאֲשֶׁר־רָאִ֥יתִי [as·I·saw] (1142) + לְצ֖וֹר [to·Tyre] (326) + שְׁתוּלָ֣ה [planted] (741) + בְנָוֶ֑ה [in·habitation] (63) + וְאֶפְרַ֕יִם [and·Ephraim] (337) + לְהוֹצִ֥יא [to·bring·out] (142) + אֶל־הֹרֵ֖ג [to·the·slayer] (239) + בָּנָֽיו [his·sons] (68) = 3389.
Rashi
Ephraim: As I saw Tyre, in her tranquility, crowned and rich above all the nations, so I saw Ephraim planted in a pleasant place. And Ephraim: What is the complete reward for me? he occupies himself in bringing forth his sons to be killed, to slaughter them to foreign gods, to Molech. So did Jonathan translate it.
Ibn Ezra
Ephraim: Just as Tyre, which was planted in a pleasant abode, and the waters covered her, so have I seen in prophecy that the father will bring out his sons to the slayer.
Radak
“Ephraim, as I saw Tyre planted in a pleasant place.” I saw Ephraim in great tranquility, just as I saw Tyre planted by the sea in a pleasant place. And afterward, “as the waters cover it,” so I saw that Ephraim will now bring forth his sons to be slain: enemies will come upon them, and they will go forth from their cities to meet them in battle, and their enemies will slay them. And its interpretation: “to bring forth” – here it is prepared to bring forth soon. And “Ephraim” is the general term, and “his sons” are the particulars; only he mentioned the language of “his sons” because he mentioned the destruction of the sons. And the Targum translated “to be slain” as “to slaughter, to destroy, their sons.”
Metzudat David
“Ephraim.” You, Ephraim, behold, you were in a high position, as I saw Tzur [Tyre] planted in a great height, so too were you.
"And Ephraim, etc." – This means: Behold, what complete recompense did Ephraim bring upon himself, in that he engaged in leading out his sons to be killed, to be sacrificed to the idols of the nations?
Metzudat Zion
"Planted." The concept of planting is akin to "as a tree planted" (Psalms 1:3):
Beneveh. The matter of a dwelling place:
Malbim
Ephraim, [the verse] adds to say: Is Ephraim not like the first generation, who were like grapes in the wilderness? For he does not dwell in the wilderness; rather, he is like a vine planted in a garden. I planted him from the wilderness to be rooted in a garden. This means that he has a land of residence, and I see him established in his land with abundant goodness, like a vine. And despite all this, his deeds were so evil that it was decreed upon Ephraim to bring about the slaughter of his sons, even though according to nature he ought to have succeeded, multiplied, and increased in the good and spacious land that I gave them.
Give them, O Hashem, whatsoever You will give; Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.
verse value 3259
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 37 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֖ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "womb" (רֶ֣חֶם, 3 letters) and the longest is "give·to·them" (תֵּן־לָהֶ֥ם, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 525: give·to·them, give·to·them. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Hosea. Unique to this verse in Hosea (hapax): "what·You·will·give" (מַה־תִּתֵּ֑ן), "womb" (רֶ֣חֶם), "poem" (מַשְׁכִּ֔יל). The root נתן appears 3 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 46x in Hosea). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'what·You·will·give', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 5 words. Full calculation: תֵּן־לָהֶ֥ם [give·to·them] (525) + יְהֹוָ֖ה [Hashem] (26) + מַה־תִּתֵּ֑ן [what·You·will·give] (895) + תֵּן־לָהֶם֙ [give·to·them] (525) + רֶ֣חֶם [womb] (248) + מַשְׁכִּ֔יל [poem] (400) + וְשָׁדַ֖יִם [and·breasts] (360) + צֹמְקִֽים [bunch of raisins] (280) = 3259.
Rashi
“Give them, O Lord, what You will give.” The prophet prays that the children should die, for the mourning for a child is not like the mourning for an adult. Therefore, if it is impossible [to prevent their birth] from conception, from the womb, and from pregnancy—since it has already been decreed from the creation of the world (Genesis 3:16), “Your desire shall be for your husband”—give them quickly, in their youth, what You said You would give them at a later time, as You said, “If they grow up, I will bereave them of them.”
"Grant them a discerning womb." At the time they emerge into the world, they shall die, or their mothers' breasts shall wither, so that there will be no milk for them to nurse.
Ibn Ezra
"Give" – The prophet should pray that, after the decree has been issued against them to bring out each one’s children to the executioner, perhaps the infants will die in the womb, and their suffering will not be great. This is what is meant by "Give a miscarrying womb" – that they will die in the womb, and those born will die without any milk.
Tzomkin – like dried, shriveled raisins.
Radak
“Give them.” The prophet prayed for them when he saw that he would bring out his sons to be killed, and he said: “Give them [what You will give] from the children in the womb, or while they are still young, so that they will not fall into the hands of the enemy.”
"Womb, O discerning one." [This teaches that] they die in the womb, and the term "discerning" is used as if the womb itself discerns them, for within the womb they are bereaved.
"And the breasts shall be withered." If they arrive at the time of childbirth, the breasts of their mothers shall wither and they shall die, having no milk.
"Shrink them up." Dry ones:
Metzudat David
“Give, etc.” – “What will you give?” This means: What you will give later, give to them now. And he goes on to explain: “Give them a bereaving womb, etc.” This means: Why should the sons die in their youth, thereby increasing their mourning? It is better that you give them a bereaving womb, so that the women of Ephraim will miscarry their fetus, or that the breasts of their wives will wither. This means that they will not become pregnant at all, for then the breasts are withered and dry, lacking the moisture of milk. For when a woman becomes pregnant, the moisture of milk begins to flow in her breasts, and not otherwise.
Metzudat Zion
Maskil. From the words sh'kul (mourning) and maven (death):
Tzomkei. Dried and pressed, and therefore dried grapes are called tzomkei, as it is stated: "and two clusters of raisins" (1 Samuel 30:12).
Malbim
“Give them”—the prophet turns his face to the Lord and prays that He not scatter them into exile, saying, “Give them, O Lord, what You will give.” This means: Give them the punishment that is fitting to be given to them for the sin of adultery, according to Your way of giving measure for measure. For the sin of promiscuity, it is fitting that You give them a womb that conceives only to miscarry and breasts that wither, such that they will be unable to bear children of promiscuity, and unable to raise them, and that bastards will not multiply among them. This is the fitting punishment; but not the punishment of exile and expulsion from their land, which is not measure for measure.
All their wickedness is in Gilgal, For there I hated them; Because of the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of My house; I will love them no more, All their princes are rebellious.
verse value 5341
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 65 letters. The shortest word is "because·of" (עַ֚ל, 2 letters) and the longest is "their·deeds" (מַעַלְלֵיהֶ֔ם, 7 letters). 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Hosea. Unique to this verse in Hosea (hapax): "for·there" (כִּי־שָׁ֣ם), "I·hate·them" (שְׂנֵאתִ֔ים), "from·my·house" (מִבֵּיתִ֖י). The root כל appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 49x in Hosea); "for·there" (root כי, 48x in Hosea); "because·of" (root על, 28x in Hosea). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'I·will·expel·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 5 words. Full calculation: כׇּל־רָעָתָ֤ם [all·their·wickedness] (760) + בַּגִּלְגָּל֙ [in·Gilgal] (68) + כִּי־שָׁ֣ם [for·there] (370) + שְׂנֵאתִ֔ים [I·hate·them] (801) + עַ֚ל [because·of] (100) + רֹ֣עַ [wickedness] (270) + מַעַלְלֵיהֶ֔ם [their·deeds] (225) + מִבֵּיתִ֖י [from·my·house] (462) + אֲגָרְשֵׁ֑ם [I·will·expel·them] (544) + לֹ֤א [not] (31) + אוֹסֵף֙ [I·will·continue] (147) + אַהֲבָתָ֔ם [love] (448) + כׇּל־שָׂרֵיהֶ֖ם [all·their·princes] (605) + סֹרְרִֽים [rebeling] (510) = 5341.
Rashi
All their evil was in Gilgal. There they multiplied in serving idolatry on the high places, because the Tabernacle had been there initially, the prophets of Baal would say to them that it was a chosen place, and it was for the kings of Israel.
"I will not add to their love." To love them:
Ibn Ezra
“Kul” – the meaning is “in the circle” – refers to the place where they were when they crossed the Jordan. It would have been fitting to mention My goodness in that their forefathers were there, that I brought them into My land, and now I am driving them out of My house.
Radak
All their evil was at Gilgal. For there they instituted kingship and rejected Me from reigning over them. Or, it is explained that “at Gilgal” refers to the fact that the Tabernacle was first located at Gilgal after they crossed the Jordan, and since it was the chosen place, the prophets of Baal would tell them to worship Baal there, because it was a chosen place. And so it says, “At Gilgal they sacrificed oxen.”
"From My house I will drive them out." Since they have rejected Me and My service, and have chosen for themselves the service of other gods, I will drive them out of My house, so that even if they wish to return and serve Me there, they will not find it, for it will be destroyed, because they have sinned abundantly.
“Not one who gathers in their love.” “Osef” is vocalized with a tzere.
“Love them.” It is an infinitive, meaning: to love them.
"All their princes are rebels." Their princes, who were supposed to admonish them and bring them back to what is good, are themselves rebels. How can I hope for repentance from them? Therefore, I will not add to my love for them.
Metzudat David
All their evil was in Gilgal. That is to say, the greatest evil among all evils is that they established idolatry in Gilgal in the place where the Tabernacle originally stood.
“For there, etc.” – This means that the place where you detest them will be there, and the hatred is due to the wickedness of their deeds; therefore, I will drive them out of My House, which is Gilgal, where at first the House of the Lord and His dwelling place had been, the House of the Lord and His dwelling place.
“Love them.” – To love them:
"All their princes." For "all their princes are rebels."
Metzudat Zion
Sorerim. Those who turn away from the good path and rebel:
Malbim
"Every [time] He answers him: 'The exile is not solely due to the sin of sexual immorality, for sexual immorality is only part of their evil. Rather, all their evil is found in the generation in which they committed other evils—idolatry, murder, and other abominations besides sexual immorality. For there, He hated them because of the evil of their deeds, which were the other abominations found among them. And therefore, "from My house I will drive them out." I do not wish for them to remain in My house, which is the land that I gave them to dwell in, like a man who hates his wife because of the evil of her deeds and divorces her from his house, no longer providing her with shelter or sustenance. And there is no hope that I will reconcile with them again, for I will not increase My love for them, for there is no hope that they will improve their ways, since all their leaders are rebels, and they are those who lead them astray from the path.'"
Ephraim is smitten, Their root is dried up, They shall bear no fruit; Indeed, though they bring forth, Yet will I slay the beloved fruit of their womb.
verse value 3150
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 51 letters. Verse gematria: 3150 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "also" (גַּ֚ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "not·they·will·yield" (בַֽל־יַעֲשׂ֑וּן, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 30: was·killed, though. 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Hosea. Unique to this verse in Hosea (hapax): "was·killed" (הֻכָּ֣ה), "their·root" (שׇׁרְשָׁ֥ם), "made·dry" (יָבֵ֖שׁ). 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "though" (root כי, 48x in Hosea); "Ephraim" (root אפרים, 37x in Hosea). First appearance of the root פרי ("fruit") in Hosea. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'not·they·will·yield', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 6 words. Full calculation: הֻכָּ֣ה [was·killed] (30) + אֶפְרַ֔יִם [Ephraim] (331) + שׇׁרְשָׁ֥ם [their·root] (840) + יָבֵ֖שׁ [made·dry] (312) + פְּרִ֣י [fruit] (290) + (בלי) [not] (42) + בַֽל־יַעֲשׂ֑וּן [not·they·will·yield] (468) + גַּ֚ם [also] (43) + כִּ֣י [though] (30) + יֵלֵד֔וּן [they·will·bear] (100) + וְהֵמַתִּ֖י [yet·I·will·slay] (461) + מַחֲמַדֵּ֥י [desire] (102) + בִטְנָֽם [their·belly] (101) = 3150.
Rashi
"They shall bear no fruit." It is not good for them to be fruitful and multiply, for even if they give birth, I will kill the precious ones of their womb.
Ibn Ezra
"Hukkah" – The meaning is that the tree was struck, as an allegory for the fathers and the sons.
Radak
"Strike Ephraim." — Strike with the hand of his enemies.
Their root is dry. And furthermore, what is it for a tree whose root has dried up not to bear fruit? So too, they will not give birth, as it was stated above regarding childbirth, from the womb, and from pregnancy. And Jonathan rendered it thus: “The house of Israel, from the tree of palm, their roots from below, etc.” The explanation is that “nov” means a sprout, shoot, or blossom. And Jonathan rendered “tzmach” without the word “ya’aseh” (it will make); “nov” he rendered as “lo ya’avid” (it will not do). And in the Mishnah it states: “Because the naviyyah falls off them.” And furthermore, it is stated: “They are defective in trees, but they are not defective in shavui or in naviyyah.”
Metzudat David
"Strike." Behold, Ephraim has already been struck with the pangs of affliction, and their root has withered, so that they will no longer produce fruit, like a tree whose root has withered. That is to say, they have become exceedingly weakened and will no longer beget children.
“Even when they give birth”: Even if some of them give birth, behold, the desirable ones of their womb are dead; that is to say, the good and pleasant ones among them.
Malbim
“Strike,” and furthermore, I do not need to grant them a womb that understands, so that they will not bear fruit. For this happens by itself: Ephraim himself struck their root until it dried up, and they will not bear fruit, as it were like a tree whose root has dried up, and it is impossible for it to bear fruit, both according to nature and apart from the punishment of Divine providence. And besides this, even if they were to give birth by chance, then I will cause the cherished ones of their womb to die as a punishment of Divine providence.
My God will cast them away, Because they did not hearken to Him; And they shall be wanderers among the nations.
verse value 916
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 34 letters. Notable word values: "to·Him" (ל֑וֹ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "and·because" (כִּ֛י, 2 letters) and the longest is "will·reject·them" (יִמְאָסֵ֣ם, 5 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Hosea. Unique to this verse in Hosea (hapax): "will·reject·them" (יִמְאָסֵ֣ם), "retreating" (נֹדְדִ֖ים). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 49x in Hosea); "and·because" (root כי, 48x in Hosea); "and·they·shall·be" (root היה, 28x in Hosea). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·Him', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words. Full calculation: יִמְאָסֵ֣ם [will·reject·them] (151) + אֱלֹהַ֔י [my·God] (46) + כִּ֛י [and·because] (30) + לֹ֥א [not] (31) + שָׁמְע֖וּ [they·hearkened] (416) + ל֑וֹ [to·Him] (36) + וְיִֽהְי֥וּ [and·they·shall·be] (37) + נֹדְדִ֖ים [retreating] (108) + בַּגּוֹיִֽם [among·the·nations] (61) = 916.
Rashi
"May He loathe them, O God." It is not a curse, but rather good tidings: He will cause them to be loathed.
Ibn Ezra
"Let them be abhorrent" – The prophet said: God said to me, "He is not their God."
Radak
"Yima'asem Elohai" – The prophet said: "Yima'asem Elohai," meaning that He will loathe them, for they are not His people, since they did not heed Him; therefore, He will loathe them and cast them from before His face, so that they shall wander in idolatry.
Metzudat David
"Let Him loathe them." The Lord shall loathe them.
"Wandering, etc." – They wander and move about in exile, among the Babylonians and among the idolaters.
Malbim
"And My God will reject them, and they themselves God will reject, because they did not heed Him, and they shall wander among the nations; therefore it was decreed upon them that they be exiled from their land to the lands of the nations."
Rashi
Ibn Ezra
Radak
Metzudat David
Metzudat Zion
Malbim