Hosea 9:3

in the Lord's land -For I the Lord dwell among the children of Israel", Numbers 35:34. The expression originated in the popular belief that as, for example, Chemosh was the God of the Amorites, so Jehovah was the God of the Israelites (Judges 11:24), a belief which could lead even Jonah to imagine that he could -flee unto Tarshish from the presence of Jehovah" (Jonah 1:3).

shall return to Egypt, &c. A repetition of the threat so well calculated to deter the Israelites from disobedience (see on Hosea 8:13).

shall eat unclean things in Assyria Comp. Ezekiel 4:13, -Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their bread defiled among the nations whither I will drive them." The prospect held out is not that the captive Israelites would be reduced to the necessity of eating prohibited food, but that, since all heathen lands were -unclean" (Amos 7:17), all the products of the soil would also be unclean. The -uncleanness" in both cases was caused by the absence of sanctuaries dedicated to Jehovah. See the foll. notes.