Osea 9:8

8 Efraim sta alla vedetta contro il mio Dio; il profeta trova un laccio d’uccellatore su tutte le sue vie, e ostilità nella casa del suo Dio.

Osea 9:8 Meaning and Commentary

Hosea 9:8

The watchman of Ephraim [was] with my God
Formerly the watchmen of Ephraim, or the prophets of Israel, were with the true God, whom the prophet calls his God; as Elijah and Elisha, who had communion and intimacy with him; had revelations and instructions from him; and were under the direction and inspiration of his Spirit, and prophesied in his name things according to his will, and for the good of his people: or "the watchman of Ephraim [should be] with my God"; on his side, and promote his worship and service, his honour and interest; and give the people warning from him, having heard the word at his mouth: but now they were not with him, nor for him, nor did as they should: or one that bore this character of a watchman in the ten tribes, pretended to be such a one, and would be thought to be with God, and to have his mind and will, and to be sincere for his glory: [but] the prophet [is] a snare of a fowler in all his ways;
the false prophet, the same with the watchman, instead of guiding and directing Ephraim in the right way in which he should go, lays snares for him in all the ways he takes, to lead him wrong, and draw him into sin, particularly into idolatry, both by his doctrine and example: [and] hatred in the house of his God;
and so became detestable and execrable it the house of his own god, the calf at Bethel, in the temple there: prophesying such things as in the event prove false, and drawing into such practices as brought on ruin and desolation. The Targum interprets it, of laying snares for their prophets, their true prophets; and Kimchi and Jarchi of slaying Zechariah the prophet in the temple.

Osea 9:8 In-Context

6 Poiché, ecco, essi se ne vanno a motivo della devastazione; l’Egitto li raccoglierà, Memfi li seppellirà; le loro cose preziose, comprate con danaro, le possederanno le ortiche; le spine cresceranno nelle loro tende.

7 I giorni della punizione vengono; vengono i giorno della retribuzione; Israele lo saprà! Il profeta è fuor de’ sensi, l’uomo ispirato è in delirio, a motivo della grandezza della tua iniquità e della grandezza della tua ostilità:

8 Efraim sta alla vedetta contro il mio Dio; il profeta trova un laccio d’uccellatore su tutte le sue vie, e ostilità nella casa del suo Dio.

9 Essi si sono profondamente corrotti come ai giorni di Ghibea! L’Eterno si ricorderà della loro iniquità, punirà i loro peccati.

10 Io trovai Israele come delle uve nel deserto; vidi i vostri padri come i fichi primaticci d’un fico che frutta la prima volta; ma, non appena giunsero a Baal-peor, si appartarono per darsi all’ignominia degl’idoli, e divennero abominevoli come la cosa che amavano.