Hos 10:1, 13:6 | JFB | STEP | 1. empty —stripped of its fruits [CALVIN ], ( ); compelled to pay tribute to Pul ( ). MAURER translates, "A widespreading vine"; so the Septuagint. Compare . bringeth forth fruit unto himself —not unto ME . according to . . . multitude of . . . fruit . . . increased . . . altars —In proportion to the abundance of their prosperity, which called for fruit unto God (compare ), was the abundance of their idolatry ( ).

Hosea 10:1

1. empty—stripped of its fruits [CALVIN], (Na 2:2); compelled to pay tribute to Pul (2Ki 15:20). MAURER translates, "A widespreading vine"; so the Septuagint. Compare Ge 49:22; Ps 80:9-11; Eze 17:6.

bringeth forth fruit unto himself—not unto ME.

according to . . . multitude of . . . fruit . . . increased . . . altars—In proportion to the abundance of their prosperity, which called for fruit unto God (compare Ro 6:22), was the abundance of their idolatry (Ho 8:4, 11).

Hosea 13:6

6. Image from cattle, waxing wanton in abundant pasture (compare Ho 2:5, 8; De 32:13-15). In proportion as I fed them to the full, they were so satiated that "their heart was exalted"; a sad contrast to the time when, by God's blessing, Ephraim truly "exalted himself in Israel" (Ho 13:1).

therefore have they forgotten me—the very reason why men should remember God (namely, prosperity, which comes from Him) is the cause often of their forgetting Him. God had warned them of this danger (De 6:11, 12).