Verse 1

When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and a the thief cometh in, [and] the troop of robbers spoileth without.

(a) Meaning that there was no one type of vice among them, but that they were subject to all wickedness, both secret and open.

Verse 3

They make the b king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.

(b) They esteem their wicked king Jeroboam above God, and seek how to flatter and please him.

Verse 4

They [are] all adulterers, as an c oven heated by the baker, [who] ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened.

(c) He compares the rage of the people to a burning oven which the baker heats, until his dough is leavened and raised.

Verse 5

In the d day of our king the princes have made [him] sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners.

(d) They used all indulgence and excess in their feasts and solemnities, by which their king was overcome with being fed too much, and brought into diseases, and who delighted in flatteries.

Verse 7

They are all hot as an oven, and have e devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: [there is] none among them that calleth unto me.

(e) By their doing God has deprived them of all good rulers.

Verse 8

Ephraim, he hath f mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.

(f) That is, he counterfeited the religion of the Gentiles, yet is but as a cake baked on the one side, and raw on the other, that is, neither thoroughly hot, nor thoroughly cold, but partly a Jew, and partly a Gentile.

Verse 9

Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth [it] not: yea, g gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not.

(g) Which are a token of his manifold afflictions.

Verse 11

Ephraim also is like a silly dove without h heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.

(h) That is, without all judgment, as those that cannot tell whether it is better to cleave only to God, or to seek the help of man.

Verse 12

When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their i congregation hath heard.

(i) According to my curses made to the whole congregation of Israel.

Verse 13

Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have k redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me.

(k) That is, at different times redeemed them, and delivered them from death.

Verse 14

And they have not cried unto me with their heart, l when they howled upon their beds: m they assemble themselves for corn and wine, [and] they rebel against me.

(l) When they were in affliction, and cried out in pain, they did not seek me for help.

(m) They only seek their own benefit and wealth, and care not for me their God.

Verse 16

They return, [but] not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage n of their tongue: this [shall be] their derision in the land of Egypt.

(n) Because they boast of their own strength, and do not care what they speak against me and my servants; (Psalm 73:9).