Book of Hosea Chapter 9 Vs. 8

 The Lord Will Punish Israel

The watchman of Ephraim was with my God: but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God. Hos. 9:8

The watchman of... Hosea was a watchman, sounding the alarm for God of coming danger for His people (Jer. 6:17; Ezek. 3:17; 33:7).

We went into great depth on the watchman in the 33rd chapter of Ezekiel. This is speaking of the very same thing. Ephraim should have been the watchman, because he had received the right hand (spiritual), blessing from God. A good watchman informs the people of impending danger.

but the profit... A bad watchman sees no danger coming. The true prophet is always with God. His message is God's message. Those involved in sin hate the true watchman, or true prophet. They do not want to hear of the coming judgment.

For the mass of thy guilt and the multiplied treachery! Ephraim acts the spy with My God. There is probably a play on the name, for with the meaning a watchman for God it is elsewhere used as an honorable title of the prophets. The prophet is a Fowler's snare upon all his ways.

The irony of the situation is that Israel tried to ensnare the prophets God had placed as watchmen over the nation. A watchman was responsible for warning a city of an approaching enemy (cf. Eze. 33:6). In the same way God’s prophets were to warn the people of coming judgment on sin (cf. Jer. 6:17; Eze. 3:17; 33:7-9). The house of his God refers to the land of Israel (cf. Hos. 8:1; 9:15).