The Meaning of Hosea 13:15 Explained

Hosea 13:15

KJV: Though he be fruitful among his brethren, an east wind shall come, the wind of the LORD shall come up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels.

YLT: Though he among brethren produceth fruit, Come in doth an east wind, a wind of Jehovah, From a wilderness it is coming up, And it drieth up his fountain, And become dry doth his spring, It -- it spoileth a treasure -- every desirable vessel.

Darby: Though he be fruitful among his brethren, an east wind shall come, a wind of Jehovah that cometh up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels.

ASV: Though he be fruitful among his brethren, an east wind shall come, the breath of Jehovah coming up from the wilderness; and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall make spoil of the treasure of all goodly vessels.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Though he be fruitful  among [his] brethren,  an east wind  shall come,  the wind  of the LORD  shall come up  from the wilderness,  and his spring  shall become dry,  and his fountain  shall be dried up:  he shall spoil  the treasure  of all pleasant  vessels. 

What does Hosea 13:15 Mean?

Verse Meaning

With the removal of God"s compassion ( Hosea 13:14), Israel"s prosperity would end. Hosea described that change as a hot eastern desert wind sweeping over Israel and drying up all its water sources. Israel had flourished among its neighbors, as a plant does when it grows in shallow water among reeds. Like a sirocco Assyria would sweep over Israel from the east and cause the nation of Israel to wither. The Assyrians would plunder everything valuable in the land.

Context Summary

Hosea 13:15-16 - "i Will Heal Their Backsliding"
The prophet here ransacks the world of nature for phrases sufficiently expressive of his transports of joy. The whole world seems laid under contribution to set forth the love of God. The gentle dew, the rich raiment of the lily, the far-reaching spurs and roots of the Lebanon range, the spreading branches of the olive, the fragrant breath of the wind which is laden with the perfume of the land, the golden corn ripe for the sickle, the scent of the vines-these are the images with which the inspired imagination of the prophet teems.
But how deeply the chapter appeals to us! The very words that returning prodigals would adopt are set down. As we return, we hear the divine voice assuring us that our backslidings shall be healed, that there is no anger and only love, and that God Himself shall be the sap of our fruit-bearing life. Our Father wants it to be clearly understood that these promises do not belong to Israel only but to all who will accept them. [source]

Chapter Summary: Hosea 13

1  Ephraim's glory vanishes
4  God's anger
9  God's mercy
15  The judgment of Samaria

What do the individual words in Hosea 13:15 mean?

Though he among [his] brothers is fruitful shall come An east [wind] the wind of Yahweh from the wilderness shall come up and shall become dry his spring and shall be dried up his fountain He shall plunder the treasury of every prize desireable
כִּ֣י ה֔וּא בֵּ֥ן‪‬ אַחִ֖ים יַפְרִ֑יא יָב֣וֹא קָדִים֩ ר֨וּחַ יְהוָ֜ה מִמִּדְבָּ֣ר עֹלֶ֗ה וְיֵב֤וֹשׁ מְקוֹרוֹ֙ וְיֶחֱרַ֣ב מַעְיָנ֔וֹ ה֣וּא יִשְׁסֶ֔ה אוֹצַ֖ר כָּל־ כְּלִ֥י חֶמְדָּֽה

כִּ֣י  Though 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
אַחִ֖ים  [his]  brothers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
יַפְרִ֑יא  is  fruitful 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּרָא  
Sense: (Hiphil) to bear fruit, be fruitful.
יָב֣וֹא  shall  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
קָדִים֩  An  east  [wind] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: קָדִים  
Sense: east, east wind.
ר֨וּחַ  the  wind 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
יְהוָ֜ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מִמִּדְבָּ֣ר  from  the  wilderness 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִדְבָּר 
Sense: wilderness.
עֹלֶ֗ה  shall  come  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
וְיֵב֤וֹשׁ  and  shall  become  dry 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּושׁ 
Sense: to put to shame, be ashamed, be disconcerted, be disappointed.
מְקוֹרוֹ֙  his  spring 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מָקֹור  
Sense: spring, fountain.
וְיֶחֱרַ֣ב  and  shall  be  dried  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָרֵב 
Sense: to be waste, lay waste, make desolate, be desolate, be in ruins.
מַעְיָנ֔וֹ  his  fountain 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מַעְיָן  
Sense: spring.
יִשְׁסֶ֔ה  shall  plunder 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁסָה  
Sense: to spoil, plunder, take spoil.
אוֹצַ֖ר  the  treasury 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אֹוצָר  
Sense: treasure, storehouse.
כָּל־  of  every 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
כְּלִ֥י  prize 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כְּלִי  
Sense: article, vessel, implement, utensil.
חֶמְדָּֽה  desireable 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶמְדָּה  
Sense: desire, that which is desirable adj.