en_tn/hos/05/03.md

General Information:

Yahweh is talking about Israel.

I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from me

Here, "Ephraim" and "Israel" both refer to the whole northern kingdom of Israel, and represent the people who live there. Here God says that he knows what they are like and what they are doing. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-synecdoche and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-parallelism)

Ephraim, now you have become like a prostitute

Ephraim is presented in terms of a prostitute because the people have become unfaithful to God, as a prostitute is faithful to no man. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-simile)