The pride of Israel testifies to his face; Yet they haven't returned to Yahweh their God, Nor sought him, for all this.
God had yielded to their foolish demands for a king; and their total history had demonstrated what a sorry lot were their kings; and when Hosea wrote, the country was sinking into anarchy; corruption had entrenched itself throughout the whole nation and was seated upon the throne itself; but nobody even thought of returning to the Lord!  There was really nothing else for God to do except remove them from the face of the earth, a thing that took place shortly after this prophecy was written.