Hosea 7:8-16

Alliances with other nations (7:8-16)

Israel is useless, like a cake that is burnt on one side but uncooked on the other. It has ruined itself by relying too much on other nations and too little on God. As a result Israel has, without realizing it, come under the power of these nations. God has allowed this to happen as a punishment on his people, but because of their arrogance they refuse to acknowledge the fact and will not return to God (8-10). Foolishly they make alliances, first with one nation then with another, but God sees all such alliances as rebellion against him. Far from saving the people, these alliances will be the cause of their destruction (11-13).Like Baal worshippers, the Israelites wail and dance and cut themselves with knives, hoping that Baal will respond by giving them good harvests from their fields and vineyards. God is the one who has trained and strengthened them, but they have treacherously turned against him. They are as useless to God as a crooked bow is to an archer. Their defiant attitude towards him will lead to certain punishment (14-16).