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The Corruption of Israel and its Consequences
v. 10. I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness, at the time when Jehovah chose them as His people and led them forth from the land of bondage; I saw your fathers as the first-ripe in the fig-tree at her first time, the description being expressive of the high regard in which the Lord held them at that time; but they went to Baal-peor, as related in Numbers 25, and separated themselves unto that shame, being led astray with the greatest ease by the women of the Moabites; and their abominations, both in bodily and spiritual adultery, were according as they loved.
v. 11. As for Ephraim, their glory, that of which they boast, of which they are proud, shall fly away like a bird, swiftly taken from them, from the birth and from the womb and from the conception, the population being decreased even by the prevention of births, by the Lord's withholding His blessing of fruitfulness from them.
v. 12. Though they bring up their children, those whom the Lord would still permit them to have, yet will I bereave them, depriving them of their children by death, that there shall not be a man left, Cf Deu_32:25; yea, woe also to them when I depart from them! It is a terrible thing when the Lord departs from a people with the blessings of His goodness and grace.
v. 13. Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus (is) planted in a pleasant place, that is, the Lord had intended for it the growth, wealth, and power of the mighty Phoenician city; but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer, that is, its citizens would be destined for violent deaths.
v. 14. Give them, O Lord; what wilt Thou give? the question interrupting the flow of thought showing the deep indignation of the prophet over the willful corruption of His people. Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts, sterility being considered a disgrace and a reproach, one of the sternest punishments of the Lord.
v. 15. All their wickedness is in Gilgal, which seems to have been one of the chief places of idolatrous worship, so that the wickedness of the nation was there concentrated; for there I hated them. For the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of Mine house, expelling them out of His congregation, I will love them no more; all their princes, the leading men of the nation, are revolters, rebellious and faithless with regard to the Lord's covenant.
v. 16. Ephraim is smitten, like a plant struck by the too direct rays of the sun, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit; yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb, by permitting their children to be killed.
v. 17. My God will cast them away, rejecting them as His people, because they did not hearken unto Him, their disobedience to His revealed Word being their chief transgression; and they shall be wanderers among the nations, exiles, fugitives, and vagabonds. Cf Deu_28:65.