Albert Barnes Commentary Hosea 8:10

"Yea, though they hire among the nations, now will I gather them; and they begin to be diminished by reason of the burden of the king of princes." — Hosea 8:10 (ASV)

Yes, though they have hired among the nations—Or better, “because or when they engage among the pagan, now I will gather them;” that is, I will gather the nations together. The sin of Israel would bring its own punishment. He sent presents to the king of Assyria, in order to strengthen himself against the will of God; “he thought himself secured by his league made with them; but he would find himself much deceived in his policy;” he had “hired among them” only; “now,” before long, very speedily, God Himself would “gather them,” that is, those very nations, not in part, but altogether; not for the help of Israel, but for its destruction.

As though a man would let out some water from a deep lake held back, the water, as it oozed out, loosened more and more the barriers that withheld it, until, at length, all gave way, and the water of the lake was poured out in one wide, wild waste, desolating all over which it swept. It may be that Assyria would not have known of, or noticed Israel, had not Israel first invited him.

And they shall sorrow a little for the burden of the king of princes—So great will be the burden of the captivity hereafter, that they will then sorrow but little for any burdens put upon them now, and which they now feel are so heavy. “The king of princes” is the king of Assyria, who said, “Are not my princes altogether kings?” (Isaiah 10:8). The burden complained of will then be the thousand talents of silver which Menahem gave to Pul, king of Assyria, to support him in his usurpation, and in order to pay which, he “exacted the money of Israel, even of all the mighty men of wealth, of each man fifty shekels of silver” (2 Kings 15:19–20).

If we adopt the English margin, “begin,” we must render, “and they shall begin to be minished through the burden of the king of the princes,” that is, they will be gradually reduced and brought low through the exactions of the Assyrians, until in the end they will be carried away. This describes the gradual decay of Israel, first through the exactions of Pul, then through the captivity of Gilead by Tiglath-Pileser.