Book of Hosea Chapter 10 Vs. 9

 ONCE MORE: PUPPET-KINGS AND PUPPET-GODS

O Israel, thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah: there they stood: the battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not overtake them. Hos. 10:9

For full details on the wicked town of Gibeah (see Judges Chapters 19 to 21), also the birthplace of Saul.

thou hast sinned... Israel had sinned greatly at Gibeah. The sin was the shameful thing they had done to the Levite's concubine. We mentioned this briefly in a previous lesson. This is as if God has never completely forgotten about the terrible sin committed there.

He is explaining that what is going on here is just as bad, if not worse. Their punishment will surely come this time.

Once more the prophet returns to the ancient origins of Israel’s present sins, and once more to their shirking of the discipline necessary for spiritual results, but only that he may lead up as before to the inevitable doom. From the days of Gibeah thou hast sinned, O Israel. There have they remained never progressed beyond their position there and this without war overtaking them in Gibeah against the dastards.

Hosea referred again to the shameful incident at Gibeah (cf. Hos. 9:9). Since that time Israel had persisted in sin. The question in Hos. 10:9 is better translated with the future tense; Will not war overtake the evildoers in Gibeah? (cf. NASB; Hos. 5:8) How appropriate that judgment should overtake the city that had served as a pattern for Israel’s sinful history!