Charles Ellicott Commentary Hosea 10:1

"Israel is a luxuriant vine, that putteth forth his fruit: according to the abundance of his fruit he hath multiplied his altars; according to the goodness of their land they have made goodly pillars." — Hosea 10:1 (ASV)

Empty in the English version is wrong, as it is inconsistent with what follows (compare the Septuagint and Vulgate). Read luxuriant. The metaphors of the vintage (compare also Genesis 49:22, and Introduction to Hosea 9:0) are still prevalent in the mind of the prophet. Wünsche has powerfully illustrated this wild, strong growth of Israel as compared with Judah. Joash prevailed over Amaziah and plundered Jerusalem (2 Kings 14:12–14). Jeroboam II extended his power as far as Hamath (2 Kings 14:23–25).

The kingdom had resisted the attacks of Syria and had become insolent as well as idolatrous. The last clause should be rendered, The more abundant his fruit, the more he increased altars; the fairer his land, the fairer the Baal-pillars. On “Baal-pillars,” see W. R. Smith, Old Testament in the Jewish Church, pp. 248, 425 (compare Hosea 9:1 and Hosea 2:5). Misapprehending the cause of their temporal prosperity and willfully ignoring Jehovah’s forbearance and love, they attributed their mercies to the grace of Baal and multiplied idolatrous shrines .