הושע, פרק ט׳, פסוק ט״ז

A tragic picture of national ruin unfolds through the image of a dying tree, capturing the devastating fate of the Israelites. The nation is compared to a tree that has suffered a severe blow [אבן עזרא, רד״ק]. This damage represents the physical assaults they endured at the hands of their enemies [רד״ק], or the heavy burden of troubles that completely drained their strength [מצודת דוד].

As a result of this deep trauma, the roots of the tree dry up. In this metaphor, the roots symbolize the forefathers or the mighty leaders of the people [אבן עזרא, אברבנאל]. Naturally, a tree with withered roots cannot yield fruit. Similarly, the weakened nation will lose its ability to bear children [רד״ק, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. A unique perspective suggests that this barrenness is not necessarily a direct punishment from God. Instead, it is the natural consequence of the people's own destructive actions; they damaged and dried out their own roots to the point where reproduction became impossible [מלבי״ם].

The tragedy, however, does not end with barrenness. Even if they somehow manage to have children, God will take the lives of their most beloved and precious offspring [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ, מלבי״ם]. Commentators address the apparent double tragedy of both an inability to have children and the death of those who are born. One approach explains that because of the harsh decree hanging over the youth, it is actually better for the nation not to reproduce at all. Having children who are already doomed to die would only bring them further sorrow [רש״י, אברבנאל]. Another approach views this as God's response to the prophet's earlier plea to grant the nation a miscarrying womb. God clarifies that the punishment will not be limited to barrenness alone, but will be widespread and varied. The older generation will die in exile, a portion of the people will suffer from barrenness, and those who do manage to bring children into the world will lose them through direct divine intervention [אברבנאל].