Hosea 7:3

3 In their malice they gladded the king, and in their leasings the princes. (They gladdened the king with their malice, and the princes with their lies.)

Hosea 7:3 Meaning and Commentary

Hosea 7:3

They make the king glad with their wickedness
Not any particular king; not Jeroboam the first, as Kimchi; nor Jehu, as Grotius; if any particular king, rather Jeroboam the second; but their kings in general, as the Septuagint render it, in succession, one after another; who were highly delighted and pleased with the priests in offering sacrifice to the calves, and with the people in attending to that idolatrous worship, by which they hoped to secure the kingdom of Israel to themselves, and prevent the people going to Jerusalem to worship: it made them glad to the heart to hear them say that God was as well pleased with sacrifices offered at Dan and Bethel, as at Jerusalem: and the princes with their lies;
with their idols and idolatrous practices, which are vanity and a lie; though some interpret this of their flatteries, either of them, or their favourites; and of their calumnies and detractions of such they had a dislike of.

Hosea 7:3 In-Context

1 When I would heal Israel, the wickedness of Ephraim was showed, and the malice of Samaria was showed, for they wrought leasing. And a night thief entered, and robbed; (and) a day thief was withoutforth. (When I desired to restore the prosperity of my people, and to heal Israel, then the wickedness of Ephraim was shown, and the malice of Samaria, for they were all liars. And they entered inside like a night thief, and robbed; and outside, like a day thief, they stole from the people.)

2 And lest they say in their hearts, that I have mind on all the malice of them, now their findings have compassed them, those be made before my face. (And lest they say in their hearts, that I only remember all their malice, now their own deeds have surrounded them, and they all be before me.)

3 In their malice they gladded the king, and in their leasings the princes. (They gladdened the king with their malice, and the princes with their lies.)

4 All that do adultery, be as an oven made hot of a baker. The city rested a little from the meddling of sourdough, till all was made sour. (All of them who do adultery, or idolatry, be made hot like a baker's oven. Then the city rested a little from the mixing of the sourdough, until all was made sour.)

5 The day of our king, the princes began to be wild of wine; he stretched forth his hand with scorners. (On the day of our king's celebration, the princes began to be wild with wine; yea, he stretched forth his hand with mockers.)