Book of Hosea Chapter 10 Vs. 6

ONCE MORE: PUPPET-KINGS AND PUPPET-GODS

It shall be also carried unto Assyria for a present to king Jareb: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel. Hos. 10:6

be also carried... The golden calf, (Hosea 6-8), shall be carried into Assyria. It was the custom of the eastern people, and also of the Romans, to carry away the gods of the conquered countries. For a present to King Jareb (see Hosea 5:13). The king of Assyria is meant who’s dependent and tributary the king of Israel now was.

to king Jareb... Another name for Tiglath-Pileser who punished both Ephraim and Judah (2Kgs. 15:27-31; 16:7-10). When the moth and termites had performed their work on both nations of Israel, then God became a lion to Ephraim and destroyed the nation (2Kgs. 17:1-41); later He became a young lion to Judah and destroyed her (2Kgs. 24-25).

Ephraim shall receive... They shall be ashamed to find that the idol in which they trusted could not defend them or itself from being disgraced and taken away. For worshipping such an idol, when they shall see it broke to pieces, and the gold of it made a present to the Assyrian king, and that it could not save them, nor itself.

and Israel shall... Of giving in to such idolatry, contrary to the counsel, mind, and will of God. Or of the counsel, which they and Jeroboam took to set up the calves at Dan and Beth-el; and thereby keep the people from going up to Jerusalem (1 Kgs. 12:28). As well as of their counsel and covenant with the king of Egypt against the king of Assyria (2Kgs. 17:4).

This is speaking of the calf being carried into Assyria and was given to the king. It had been proclaimed as god of Israel. This calf was helpless to itself, or to these people. The calf is an idol. The name Jareb means he will contend. It is probably a symbolic name for Assyria. The counselors were just as evil as the ones they gave counsel to. All of the counsel led to shame.

Yea, himself shall they pack to Assyria; he shall be offered as tribute to King Pick-Quarrel. Ephraim shall take disgrace, and Israel be ashamed because of his counsel.

The reference to the Assyrian army carrying off the idols of defeated foes is abundantly illustrated in Neo-Assyrian literature and art. The great king refers to Assyria’s king (cf. Hos. 8:10).

The reference to the Assyrian army carrying off the idols of defeated foes is abundantly illustrated in Neo-Assyrian literature and art. The great king refers to Assyria’s king (cf. Hos. 8:10). The NIV takes Hos. 10:6 as a reference to Israel’s shame over the fate of her gods, called wooden idols. The text is better translated, Israel will be ashamed of its own counsel (cf. KJV, NASB, NIV marg.), the reference being to the nation’s unwise political policy of courting Assyria’s favor (cf. Hos. 5:13; 7:8-9, 7:11; 8:9-10; in Isa. 30:1 the same word [‛ēṣâh] is used of a political alliance with Egypt).