Hosea 13:13

חֶבְלֵ֥י יֹֽולֵדָ֖ה יָבֹ֣אוּ לֹ֑ו הוּא־בֵן֙ לֹ֣א חָכָ֔ם כִּֽי־עֵ֥ת לֹֽא־יַעֲמֹ֖ד בְּמִשְׁבַּ֥ר בָּנִֽים׃

The pangs of childbirth shall come upon him; he is an unwise son, for it is time he should not delay at the breaking forth of children.

Morphology

1. חֶבְלֵי (ḥevlei) – Root: חֵבֶל (ḥevel); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “pains of” or “pangs of”; Notes: Refers to labor pains—used metaphorically for approaching disaster or judgment.
2. יֹולֵדָה (yoledah) – Root: ילד (yalad); Form: Qal active participle feminine singular; Translation: “a woman giving birth”; Notes: Serves as a vivid image of travail—Ephrayim faces inevitable suffering like the birth pains of a mother.
3. יָבֹאוּ (yavoʾu) – Root: בוא (boʾ); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “shall come”; Notes: Indicates an impending and unstoppable arrival—refers to judgment or crisis symbolized by the birth pangs.
4. לֹו (lo) – Root: —; Form: Preposition לְ + suffix 3ms; Translation: “upon him” or “to him”; Notes: The suffering is directed personally toward Ephrayim, personifying the nation’s distress.
5. הוּא (hu) – Root: —; Form: Independent pronoun 3ms; Translation: “he”; Notes: Emphasizes the individual character of the nation’s foolishness—“he” as Ephrayim, the son of YHWH.
6. בֵּן (ben) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “son”; Notes: Metaphorical for Yisraʾel’s relationship to YHWH as a son lacking wisdom and discernment.
7. לֹא (lo) – Root: —; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the predicate “wise.”
8. חָכָם (ḥakham) – Root: חכם (ḥakham); Form: Adjective masculine singular; Translation: “wise”; Notes: Indicates moral and practical wisdom—Ephrayim is “not wise,” failing to recognize his peril.
9. כִּי (ki) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for” or “because”; Notes: Introduces the reason or cause for the accusation.
10. עֵת (ʿet) – Root: עת (ʿet); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “time”; Notes: Refers to the decisive moment for action, symbolized by the labor process.
11. לֹא־יַעֲמֹד (lo-yaʿamod) – Root: עמד (ʿamad); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with negative particle; Translation: “he should not stand” or “he does not remain”; Notes: Expresses failure to act properly in the critical hour—Ephrayim hesitates when deliverance or repentance is due.
12. בְּמִשְׁבַּר (be-mishbar) – Root: שׁבר (shavar); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “at the breaking forth” or “at the birth”; Notes: A birth-related term for the “moment of delivery”—symbolizing crisis and opportunity for renewal.
13. בָּנִים (banim) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “children”; Notes: Completes the childbirth metaphor—Ephrayim, like a son stuck in the womb, resists the transition to new life through repentance.