For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.
For they are gone up to Assyria - referring to Menahem's application for Pul's aid in establishing him, on the throne (cf. Hosea 5:13; Hosea 7:11). Menuhem's name is read, on the inscriptions in the southwest palace of Nimroud, as a tributary to the Assyrian king in his eighth year. The dynasty of Pul, or Phallukha, was supplanted at Nineveh by that of Tiglath-pileser, about 768 (or 760) B.C. Semiramis seems to have been Pul's wife, and to have withdrawn to Babylon in 768; and her son, Nabonassar, succeeding after a period of confusion, originated 'the era of Nabonassar,' 747 BC (George Vance Smith.) Usually foreigners coming to Israel's land were said to "go up," Israel being regarded as standing upon a moral elevation; here it is the reverse, to intimate Israel's sunken state and Assyria's superiority.
A wild ass alone by himself, х pere' (H6501)]. The wild donkey is proverbial for headstrong, undisciplinable obstinacy, swift and untameable-a figure of Israel's headstrong perversity in following her bent (Jeremiah 2:24).
Alone by himself - characteristic of Israel in all ages: "Lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among, the nations" (Numbers 23:9: cf. Job 39:5-8, "Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass? ... The range of the mountains is his pasture").
Ephraim hath hired lovers - reversing the ordinary way, namely, that lovers should hire her (Ezekiel 16:33-34).