Book of Hosea Chapter 8 Vs. 10

 Israel Will Reap the Whirlwind

Yea, though they have hired among the nations, now will I gather them, and they shall sorrow a little for the burden of the king of princes. Hos. 8:10

Yea, though they... Or, Yea, because; they think this is the way to prevent their calamities, but it shall appear this was the ready way to bring their calamities upon them. And forasmuch as they have hired the aid of the nations to secure them against their God and his judgments.

gather them, and... Bring Israel together by a secret and unfailing train. I will, saith God, assemble and herd them together, that they may be taken and destroyed together. Others say, God will gather the nations together against Israel.

they shall sorrow... For a while before their final captivity, they shall complain and be grieved.

for the burden... The tribute laid on them by the king and princes, i.e., of Israel. But better as we read it, the king of Assyria, the great king who boasted of his princes.

We see from this, the Lord will allow all of this to happen, because they have broken His commandments. It is God that gathers them for their punishment. The kings and princes suffer with the people. They are all guilty. There will come a time when Jesus comes to the earth, that they are offered salvation through Him.

Ephraim hath hired lovers. It is again the note of their mad dissipation among the foreigners. But if they thus give themselves away among the nations, I must gather them in, and then shall they have to cease a little from the anointing of a king and princes. This willful roaming of theirs among the foreigners shall be followed by compulsory exile, and all their unholy artificial politics shall cease. The discourse turns to the other target.

Despite Israel’s desperate attempts to preserve herself, God’s judgment was certain. The Lord is pictured as bringing her back from her wanderings to Assyria and Egypt so that He might oppress her (cf. Hos. 7:13). The instrument of judgment would be the mighty King (i.e., of Assyria; cf. Hos. 10:6) from whom, ironically, they had sought aid.