The Joyless Discipline of Exile. The delirious joy of the popular nature-religion shall soon be exchanged for the sorrows of exile. In her own land Israel had treacherously ascribed to the Baalim the crops given by Yahweh; therefore, in a strange land, she shall lose all opportunity of sacrificing to Him. Their bread shall be as the bread of mourners, unoffered and unconsecrated in Yahweh's Temple; and what will they do for festivals? Egypt shall be their grave, and all their wealth destroyed in the day of visitation (Hosea 9:1-7 a). If the prophet (Hosea) is mad this is explained by the universal sin against Yahweh, and the universal enmity against His prophet (Hosea 9:7 b, Hosea 9:8). The nation's guilt is indeed profound, and shall incur inevitable punishment (Hosea 9:9).
Hosea 9:1. joy: read exult not (LXX). By hire (i.e. harlot's hire; cf. Hosea 2:14) is meant the material gifts which the Israelites look for as the reward of the Baal-worship.
Hosea 9:2. shall not feed: read shall ignore, and for her read them (LXX). They shall not enjoy the harvest (cf. Amos 5:11).
Hosea 9:3. Egypt and Assyria symbolise lands of exile (cf. Hosea 7:11, Hosea 8:9; Hosea 8:13). The foreign land is unclean because it is impossible to sacrifice to Yahweh in it (cf. Amos 7:17); there can be no more joyful sacrificial meals in Yahweh's house.
Hosea 9:4. neither. mourners: read nor prepare for him their sacrifices. Like the bread of mourners shall their bread be. By the house of the LORD is meant any of the numerous sanctuaries, which were nominally dedicated to the worship of Yahweh. [ Hosea 9:4 b, Hosea 9:5.? a gloss.]
Hosea 9:6. they. destruction: read they shall go to Assyria. Their cherished possessions (pleasant things) in Palestine shall become a waste.
Hosea 9:7 b. Here a new verse should begin. It is the prophet's reply to the reproach of his hearers that he is mad.
Hosea 9:8 f. The text appears to be corrupt. Hosea 9:8 a may mean Ephraim acts the spy with my God (G. A. Smith), but this is doubtful. Hosea 9:8 b may refer to persecution encountered by the prophet. Then join Hosea 9:9 a, to Hosea 9:8, reading they have made a deep pit for him (i.e. they have plotted against the prophet). The rest of 9 may be an addition (? made up from Hosea 10:9 and Hosea 8:13; so Wellhausen). For the crime of Gibeah cf. Judges 19.