Hosea 9:8

The watchman of Ephraim was with my God Rather, is with my God. There is a various reading -his God" (so also Rashi), but -my God" can be well defended; for the watchman spoken of is Hosea himself. We have -my God" again in Hosea 9:17. The figure implied is developed more fully in Jeremiah 6:17, -Also I set watchmen over you, (saying,) Hearken to the sound of the trumpet." -With my God" = -in communion with" or -helped by." The connexion will, however, be improved if we suppose that, owing to the fact that -Ephraim" ends with a Mem, the same letter has dropped out at the beginning of the next word. In this case, render (connecting this and the next clause), Ephraim's watchman, appointed by my God [comp. in the Hebrew, Isaiah 8:11], even the prophet a fowler's snare is, &c. An entirely wrong view of the construction is suggested by the vowel-points (which of course form no part of the text proper), viz. -Ephraim looketh out (for help) beside my God"; but -beside" cannot mean -apart from"; or -Ephraim is a lier in wait (in his fight) against my God."

but the prophet is, &c. See last note. The prophet meant is a true not a false prophet (as Keil takes it), for though the false prophets might be likened to a fowler's snare, their conduct could not be spoken of as -envious" or -persecuting" towards Ephraim. It is rather the Ephraimites who are always laying snares (comp. Isaiah 29:21) for their troublesome -watchman."

hatred Rather, enmity (or, hostility; or, persecution).

in the house of his God This must to some extent be equivalent to the parallel words -in all his ways." In Hosea 9:15 -mine house" means the land of Canaan, and so probably here. Jehovah is not their God, for they (Israel) -know" Him not; and they cannot abide those who, like Hosea (Hosea 9:8) and the psalmist (Psalms 73:23), are -continually with Him."