Book of Hosea Chapter 7 Vs. 9

 THE CONFUSION OF THE NATION

Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not. Hos. 7:9

Strangers have devoured... The past tense may refer to the invasions of Tiglath-pileser. Both Egypt and Assyria had come to regard Israel as a small earthenware pot between iron pots. These strangers have devoured his strength, i.e., he has less power to resist aggression, less treasure, less land, smaller population. The signs of senility are upon him.

yea, Gray hairs... Themselves the effects of declining age and tokens of decay, are the forerunners of death. Thy gray hairs are thy passing-bell, says the proverb.

he knoweth not... This is saying that the sin crept in without him being aware of it. Such a person turns gray one hair at a time, and does not realize he is gray until after it is complete. The sinful nature came in a little at a time and he was not even aware of it until it was too late.

The negative effects of Israel’s foreign policy are described further in this verse. The nation is compared to an elderly man who has failed to notice the gradual effects of the aging process (loss of physical strength, graying hair). Death is much closer than he expects. The point was probably that Israel was experiencing loss of political autonomy. This loss was epitomized by the tribute payments that were an excessive drain on its wealth and economy (cf. 2Kgs. 15:19-20; 17:3).

Upon the theme of these two epigrams the other verses of this chapter are variations. Has Ephraim mixed himself among the peoples? Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not, senselessly congratulating himself upon the increase of his trade and wealth, while he does not feel that these have sucked from him all his distinctive virtue. Yea, gray hairs are sprinkled upon him, and he knoweth it not. He makes his energy the measure of his life, as Isaiah also marked, (Hos. 9:9) but sees not that it all means waste and decay.

The negative effects of Israel’s foreign policy are described further in this verse. The nation is compared to an elderly man who has failed to notice the gradual effects of the aging process (loss of physical strength, graying hair). Death is much closer than he expects. The point was probably that Israel was experiencing loss of political autonomy. This loss was epitomized by the tribute payments that were an excessive drain on its wealth and economy (cf. 2Kgs. 15:19-20; 17:3).