Hosea 13:15
כִּ֣י ה֔וּא בֵּ֥ן אַחִ֖ים יַפְרִ֑יא יָבֹ֣וא קָדִים֩ ר֨וּחַ יְהוָ֜ה מִמִּדְבָּ֣ר עֹלֶ֗ה וְיֵבֹ֤ושׁ מְקֹורֹו֙ וְיֶחֱרַ֣ב מַעְיָנֹ֔ו ה֣וּא יִשְׁסֶ֔ה אֹוצַ֖ר כָּל־כְּלִ֥י חֶמְדָּֽה׃
Uncertain Favor: כִּי הוּא בֵּן אַחִים יַפְרִיא
כִּי — Often translated as “though” or “for.” In this poetic judgment context, it likely introduces a concession: “Though he…”
הוּא בֵּן אַחִים — “He is a son of brothers”
- בֵּן — “a son,” construct state
- אַחִים — “brothers” (irregular plural of אָח)
This phrase implies either kinship, honor, or tribal standing — yet it becomes a foil for what follows.
יַפְרִיא — Hifil imperfect 3ms of פ־ר־א, “to be fruitful, flourish.” In Hifil: “he causes to flourish.”
The syntax is concessive: “Though he flourishes among brothers…” — a poetic irony before downfall.
The Eastern Judgment: יָבֹא קָדִים רוּחַ יְהוָה
יָבֹא — Qal imperfect 3ms of ב־ו־א, “to come.” Future sense: “shall come.”
קָדִים — “East wind.” In Biblical Hebrew, this signifies destructive hot winds from the desert.
רוּחַ יְהוָה — “The wind of the LORD,” in apposition to קָדִים — the destructive force is of divine origin.
Thus: “An east wind, the wind of the LORD, shall come.”
The Desert Rising: מִמִּדְבָּר עֹלֶה
מִמִּדְבָּר — “From the desert” — spatial origin of judgment.
עֹלֶה — Qal participle ms of ע־ל־ה, “rising, going up.”
This participle provides a vivid image of motion: the east wind rises continuously from the desert.
The Withering and Drying: וְיֵבֹשׁ מְקוֹרוֹ וְיֶחֱרַב מַעְיָנוֹ
- וְיֵבֹשׁ — Qal imperfect 3ms of י־ב־שׁ, “to dry up, wither”
- מְקוֹרוֹ — “His spring,” from מָקוֹר (“source, spring”) + 3ms suffix
- וְיֶחֱרַב — Qal imperfect 3ms of ח־ר־ב, “to dry up, be parched”
- מַעְיָנוֹ — “His fountain,” from מַעְיָן + third ms suffix
These parallel clauses emphasize total environmental devastation — the spring and the fountain both fail under divine wind.
The Plunderer Arrives: הוּא יִשְׁסֶה אֹוצַר כָּל־כְּלִי חֶמְדָּה
הוּא — “He,” referring to the wind or YHWH’s agent.
יִשְׁסֶה — Qal imperfect 3ms of ש־ס־ס, “to plunder.” Rare but strong verb meaning “he shall plunder.”
אֹוצַר — Likely אֹצָר, “treasury” or “storehouse.” Some manuscripts may reflect a defective spelling.
כָּל־כְּלִי חֶמְדָּה — “every precious vessel”
- כְּלִי — “vessel, item”
- חֶמְדָּה — “desire, delight, treasure”
Together: the plunderer doesn’t spare even the most treasured items.
Parsing Table: Key Forms in Hosea 13:15
| Hebrew Word | Root | Form | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| יַפְרִיא | פ־ר־א | Hifil imperfect 3ms | “He will cause to flourish” — concessive irony |
| יָבֹא | ב־ו־א | Qal imperfect 3ms | “He shall come” — introduction of divine agent |
| עֹלֶה | ע־ל־ה | Qal participle ms | “Rising” — continuous, vivid movement |
| יֵבֹשׁ | י־ב־שׁ | Qal imperfect 3ms | “It will wither” — environmental ruin |
| יִשְׁסֶה | ש־ס־ס | Qal imperfect 3ms | “He will plunder” — final act of judgment |
The Storm That Dismantles
Hosea 13:15 masterfully weaves grammatical contrasts: flourishing vs. devastation, participle vs. imperfect, promise vs. judgment. Every verb signals motion — either of deceptive prosperity or imminent ruin. The east wind rises with divine authorization and leaves nothing intact: not water, not wealth, not reputation. The verse’s grammar embodies the message — swift, active, and irreversible.
