Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images.
The prophecy was uttered between Shalmaneser's first and second invasions of Israel. Compare Hosea 10:14; also Hosea 10:6 ("Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel"), referring to Hoshea's calling So of Egypt to his aid; also Hosea 10:4; Hosea 10:13.
Israel is an empty vine - "empty," stripped of its fruits (Calvin) (Nahum 2:2); compelled to pay tribute to Pul (2 Kings 15:20). Maurer translates, 'a widespreading vine;' so the Septuagint Compare Genesis 49:22; Psalms 80:9-11, "Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt, thou hast cast out the pagan and planted it ... She sent out her boughs to the sea, and her branches unto the river;" Ezekiel 17:6. The root-meaning of the Hebrew х baaqaq (H1238)] is to pour out, which may mean either to empty, as the English version, or to pour itself out, and so widespreading, luxuriant, which perhaps suits the context better, "He bringeth forth fruit unto himself."
Bringeth forth fruit unto himself - not unto ME.
According to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars - in proportion to the abundance of their prosperity, which called for "fruit unto holiness, and to God" (cf. Romans 6:22), was the abundance of their idolatry (Hosea 8:4; Hosea 8:11).