14 Give them, Lord- what will you give them? Give them wombs that miscarry and breasts that are dry.
14 Give them, O Lord: what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying
14 Give them, O Lord-- what will you give? Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.
14 Give it to them, God! But what? Give them a dried-up womb and shriveled breasts.
14 Give them, O Lord-- What will You give? Give them a miscarrying womb And dry breasts!
14 O Lord, what should I request for your people? I will ask for wombs that don't give birth and breasts that give no milk.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Hosea 9:14
Commentary on Hosea 9:11-17
(Read Hosea 9:11-17)
God departs from a people, or from a person, when he withdraws his goodness and mercy from them; and when the Lord is departed, what can the creature do? Even though, for the present, good things seem to remain, yet the blessing is gone if God is gone. Even the children should perish with the parents. The Divine wrath dries up the root, and withers the fruit of all comforts; and the scattered Jews daily warn us to beware, lest we neglect or abuse the gospel. Yet every smiting is not a drying up of the root. It may be that God intends only to smite so that the sap may be turned to the root, that there may be more of root graces, more humility, patience, faith, and self-denial. It is very just that God should bring judgments on those who slight his offered mercy.