Book of Hosea Chapter 9 Vs. 3

 The Lord Will Punish Israel

They shall not dwell in the LORD'S land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria. Hos. 9:3

They shall not... Who worship idols, and give my glory to them, depending on them, and ascribing to them what I alone give them.

dwell in the... Though they have been in possession many years, and though now they seem out of fear of losing it, being great at home and in peace with neighbors abroad, yet in midst of this prosperity and security.

return to Egypt... Return in trust, not literally that the whole nation went down into Egypt (Hos. 9:2; cp. 8:13; 11:5; Eze. 4:13). Many of Ephraim, for it is not meant of all or the most part. But of the more timorous, wary, and who consult their safety beforehand. Some shall flee into Egypt physically and shift out of the enemies’ reach (Hos. 9:6).

eat unclean things... This implies captivity to Assyria (2Kgs. 17:1-41; Eze. 4:13). The residue that fled not into Egypt shall be carried captives. And in Assyria be forced to eat forbidden meats, called here unclean, such as polluted the eater.

Let them note it, they shall not much longer dwell in the Lord’s land, which God gave them according to promise. With express condition that they should obey him and fear him, and Him only, (Deut. 6:2-3), and with express menace of exile and ruin if they forgot God, (Deut. 8:19-20). This land, which is the Lord’s propriety and theirs only on condition. And this condition broken, shall be their possession no longer.

We know from past lessons, that Egypt symbolizes the world. Notice, in the verse above, the LORD has taken the Promised Land back from Israel since they did not keep their covenant with God. It really did not matter anymore about the eating of unclean things, because they had broken fellowship with God. God would not accept the fact they were keeping the dietary laws, any more than He would accept them sacrificing to Him. They will actually be captive in Assyria.

They shall not abide in the land of Jehovah, but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and in Assyria they shall eat what is unclean.

The judgment pictured in Hos. 9:2 would be accomplished ultimately through invasion and exile. The land belonged to the Lord (cf. Exo. 15:17; Lev. 25:23), who was responsible for its fertility (cf. Deut. 11:10-12). When the people attributed the produce of the land to Baal, they forfeited the blessing of living on it in peace and prosperity (Deut. 11:8-21). Egypt is again mentioned as a symbol of the place of exile (cf. Hos. 7:16; 8:13; 11:5). Assyria would be the actual location (2Kgs. 17:6). There in an unclean land (cf. Amos 7:17) Israel would be forced to eat ceremonially unclean food (cf. Eze. 4:13), rather than the fruits of God’s blessing. The punishment fit the crime. Israel had become defiled by her sin (cf. Hos. 5:3; 6:10). How appropriate, then, that she eat defiled food in a defiled land.