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The Kingdom Devastated
v. 9. O Israel, thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah, when such an abominable atrocity happened in the midst of the people of God, Cf Hos_9:9; Jdg_19:22; there they stood, continuing in the same immorality which was committed by the inhabitants of Gibeah. The battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not overtake them, that is, while they were guilty of the same immorality, they were mercifully not punished in the same manner as the criminals of those early days.
v. 10. It is in My desire that I should chastise them, the Lord had firmly made up His mind to that effect; and the people, various heathen nations, shall be gathered against them when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows, the purpose of the invasion being to place the fetters of captivity on Israel for their twofold transgression, namely, that they left Jehovah, the one true God, and that they rejected the rule of the house of David.
v. 11. And Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, trained for some particular work, and loveth to tread out the corn, which was a pleasant task because the animals were permitted to eat as much as they liked during the process, Deu_25:4; but I passed over upon her fair neck, coming down upon it with the object of making a decided change. I will make Ephraim to ride, placing the yoke for drawing heavy loads upon her neck; Judah shall plow, being likewise guilty of transgressing the Lord's will, and Jacob, here standing for the northern tribes, shall break his clods, by laboriously drawing the harrow over the plowed surface.
v. 12. Sow to yourselves in righteousness, so that fairness and justice would be practiced toward all; reap in mercy, in showing the true love toward all men and thereby being assured also of a benignant acceptance on the part of God; break up your fallow ground, plowing new soil, turning a new leaf; for it is time to seek the Lord, till He come and rain righteousness upon you, rewarding those who are sincere in the evidence of their faith with the richest spiritual blessings, those of His salvation.
v. 13. Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity, that being the harvest which one must naturally expect under the circumstances; ye have eaten the fruit of lies, of idolatrous worship, because thou didst trust in thy way, upon their own false manner of doing things, in the multitude of thy mighty men, in proud self-confidence, all this instead of relying upon Jehovah, the God of the covenant, and His Word.
v. 14. Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people, namely, the noise of war against her armies, and all thy fortresses shall be spoiled, taken and devastated, as Shalman, very likely Shalmaneser, spoiled Betharbel, in Northern Galilee, in the day of battle; the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children, in an excess of unnatural cruelty.
v. 15. So shall Bethel do unto you because of your great wickedness, Bethel, as the main center of idolatry, being the cause of the punishment which descended upon them; in a morning, while the dawn rises, while it seems that the fortunes are turning toward the better, shall the king of Israel utterly be cut off, so that the kingdom would no longer be in existence. Such is the end of hypocrisy and unrighteousness when the patience of the Lord with the wicked is exhausted.