The Wind That Scatters: Suffixes, Sequential Verbs, and Judgement Imagery in Hosea 13:15

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.

יַפְרִיאHifil 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


יָבֹאQal 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.

עֹלֶהQal 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


  • וְיֵבֹשׁQal imperfect 3ms of י־ב־שׁ, “to dry up, wither”
  • מְקוֹרוֹ — “His spring,” from מָקוֹר (“source, spring”) + 3ms suffix
  • וְיֶחֱרַבQal 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.

יִשְׁסֶהQal 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.

About Biblical Hebrew

Learn Biblical Hebrew Online. Studying Biblical Hebrew online opens a direct window into the sacred texts of the Hebrew Bible, allowing readers to engage with Scripture in its original linguistic and cultural context. By learning the language in which much of the Tanakh was written, students can move beyond translations and discover the nuanced meanings, poetic structures, and theological depth embedded in the Hebrew text. Online learning provides flexible and accessible avenues to build these skills, whether through self-paced modules, guided instruction, or interactive resources. As one grows in proficiency, the richness of biblical narratives, laws, prayers, and prophetic visions comes to life with renewed clarity, making the study of Biblical Hebrew not only an intellectual pursuit but a deeply rewarding spiritual and cultural journey.
This entry was posted in Grammar and tagged . Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.