“Israel has forgotten
His Maker.
They built palaces.
Judah has multiplied
Fortified cities.
But I will send
A fire
Upon his cities.
It shall devour
His strongholds.”
The final swipe in this chapter is against southern Judah also. Northern Israel had forgotten its creator maker. They had built palaces that they thought would survive. Meanwhile, southern Judah also built a number of fortified cities. Yahweh, via Hosea, reminded them that he could devour their cities and strongholds. They should have relied on Yahweh and not their own construction.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 