הושע, פרק י״ד, פסוק א׳

A harsh prophecy of destruction points an accusing finger at Samaria, the capital of the kingdom of Ephraim. As a royal city, it served as the center of rebellion against God, maintaining the worship of calves and causing the rest of the nation to stumble. Because the city's kings failed to guide the people on a straight path, a severe and irreversible decree was sealed against the capital, even while the rest of the nation might still hold onto the hope of returning to God [רד״ק, מלבי״ם, אברבנאל].

The impending fate of Samaria carries a dual, complementary meaning. The primary approach among commentators is that the city will be left completely desolate and ruined. At the same time, others explain that the city's deep guilt will finally be exposed, forcing it to bear the heavy punishment for its sins [רש״י, מלבי״ם]. This total ruin is a direct consequence of the city's absolute rebellion against God [מצודת ציון, שטיינזלץ].

The destruction will be carried out with extreme brutality by the conquering Assyrians. Initially, the men and general residents of the city will be struck down in battle [אבן עזרא, אברבנאל]. Following this, the enemy will turn its merciless attention to the most vulnerable members of society. Tender children and infants still in their cribs [מצודת ציון, שטיינזלץ, צאינה וראינה] will be violently dashed against the ground or shattered against the walls [רד״ק, אברבנאל, מצודת ציון]. The sheer horror of the invasion will reach its peak as the pregnant women of the city [רש״י, מצודת ציון] are brutally ripped open by the attackers to extract their unborn children [מצודת דוד, שטיינזלץ, צאינה וראינה].