He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, yet not like the kings of Israel who were before him — Hoshea perpetuates the apostasy formula, yet the qualification—"not like the kings of Israel who were before him"—offers a subtle distinction suggesting relative moderation. The qualification appears mysterious given that all northern kings are condemned identically, yet it may suggest Hoshea's recognition of vassalage and diminished ability to pursue independent apostasy. This subtle distinction, appearing only for Hoshea among northern kings, perhaps indicates awareness of his inferior status: he is not free enough to perpetuate apostasy as aggressively as his predecessors.

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