en_tn_condensed/hos/08/09.md

like a wild donkey all alone

People often think of donkeys as being stubborn. This means the people of Israel refused to listen to Yahweh but instead went to the people of Assyria for help. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-simile)

Ephraim has hired lovers for herself

Ephraim's alliances with other nations are spoken of as if they had paid them to become prostitutes for Ephraim. Alternate translation: "The people of Israel have tried to pay other nations to protect them" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)