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The Lord's Accusation
v. 1. Ephraim feedeth on wind, striving after vain and empty things, and followeth after the east wind, a hot wind coming up from the Arabian Desert, scorching everything with which it comes into contact; he daily increaseth lies and desolation, faithlessness and violence, whereby the nation was undermined in morals and stability; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, one of the world-powers against whom the prophets had warned, and oil is carried into Egypt, olive-oil being a gift with which they hoped to buy the alliance of the southern neighbor.
v. 2. The Lord hath also a controversy with Judah, a contest to be decided in a court of law, by a formal suit, and will punish Jacob, the ten northern tribes, according to his ways; according to his doings, as he has deserved by his transgressions, will He recompense him. The name Jacob calls to mind the original bearer of the name.
v. 3. He took his brother by the heel in the womb, showing subtlety even before he was born. Gen_25:26, and by his strength he had power with God, Gen_32:25-29;
v. 4. yea, he had power over the Angel, who is thus identified with God, and the ancient conception of Him as the Angel of the Lord, the revelation of the Son of God in the Old Testament, is correct, and prevailed, as the Angel Himself stated; he wept and made supplication unto Him, by stating that he would not let Him go without having received a blessing; he found Him, the God of the covenant, in Bethel, on his way to Mesopotamia and after his return, Gen_28:11; Gen_35:9 ff. and there He spake with us, for what was said to Jacob at that time, has validity for the believers of all times,
v. 5. even the Lord God of hosts, the most exalted Ruler of the universe. The Lord is his memorial, who had revealed Himself to the patriarchs as the God of salvation.
v. 6. Therefore, because the God of Israel, who had revealed Himself in the words of the prophets, was the God of the covenant known to the patriarchs, turn thou to thy God, for Jehovah was still ready to stand in this relation to Israel; keep mercy and judgment, observing the demands of brotherly love and justice over against their brethren, and wait on thy God continually, in fearing Him, trusting Him, and loving Him above all things; for the summary of both tables of the Law is here understood.