For they are gone up to Assyria— These verses are connected with that preceding, and are thus translated by Houbigant: Because they go to the Assyrian, though the Assyrian is nothing more than a wild ass, [one who has no regard for any thing but himself,] Hosea 8:10. Ephraim sends love-presents: Because they have sent these, I will immediately gather them among the nations; and truly they shall be refreshed a little from the burden of the king and the princes. This is spoken ironically, and refers to the heavy tributes which were imposed upon the people for the support of the wars, and to the alliances which Israel was then forming.
Ephraim hath hired lovers— The prophesy alludes not exclusively to the bargain with Pul, but to the general profusion of the government in forming foreign alliances; in which the latter kings both of Israel and Judah were equally culpable; as appears by the history of the collateral reigns of Ahaz and Pekah. Lovers: every forbidden alliance with idolaters was a part of the spiritual incontinence of the nation. The Hebrew word התנו hithnu, rendered hired, might be more literally rendered gifted, or endowed. But to preserve any thing of the spirit of the original, it is necessary to use a word here capable of being applied to military bounties in the next verse. In the next verse God says, that whatever bounties the Israelites might offer, in order to raise armies of foreign auxiliaries; he would embody those armies; he would press the men, paid by their money, into his own service against them.