What Does Hosea 9:13 Mean in the King James?
Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Fruitfulness is carried in Ephraim’s name, yet its children are brought from a pleasant place to the slayer.
THE MEANING
A life can be planted in a place that looks pleasant while its children are brought within a killer’s reach. The verse holds rootedness and violence in the same frame, refusing to let beauty conceal the cost.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
This undoes the belief that being rooted in a pleasant place guarantees safety for what a life brings forth.
THE ROOT
אֶפְרַיִם
Ephrayim
GROWS FROM
פרה
parah
Bear fruit, be fruitful.
Ephraim’s name is associated with fruitfulness, and the verse immediately speaks of his children. The name’s promise turns bitter here: the fruitful line is brought to the slayer.
ALSO GROWS
parah: Be fruitful, bear fruit.
פָּרָה
This verb gives the fruitfulness associated with Ephraim its verbal force.
peri: Fruit, produce.
פְּרִי
This noun names the yield that sharpens the verse’s image of children brought to violence.
שְׁתוּלָה
shetulah
GROWS FROM
שתל
shatal
Plant, transplant.
“planted” in this verse is shetulah. The root carries the image of a life placed and rooted somewhere. Here, that plantedness exists beside the terrible fate awaiting Ephraim’s children, so a pleasant place does not itself promise protection.
ALSO GROWS
shatul: Planted.
שָׁתוּל
This form names the condition of being rooted, the image Hosea places beside violence.
shetulim: Planted ones.
שְׁתוּלִים
The plural form describes people as planted, showing how the root can picture an entire community.
הֹרֵג
horeg
GROWS FROM
הרג
harag
Kill, slay.
“murderer” in this verse is horeg. The verse ends with an active slayer, not an abstract threat. The children are being brought within the reach of someone who kills.
ALSO GROWS
harag: To kill, to slay.
הָרַג
The verb makes explicit the violence carried by the person named at the end of the verse.
horeg: Slayer, killer.
הֹרֵג
This participle presents the killer as an acting agent, the destination of the children’s path.
THE PATTERN
A life’s planting is measured by what it brings forth.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.THE THREAD
And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.Genesis ties Ephraim’s name to fruitfulness; Hosea places that same name beside children brought to the slayer. The name’s promise sharpens the line’s ache: the fruitful people are not spared from violence.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us