God's threats against the priests, the people, and princes of Israel, for their idolatry.
[1] Hear ye this, O priests, and hearken, O ye house of Israel, and give ear, O house of the king: for there is a judgment against you, because you have been a snare to them whom you should have watched over, and a net spread upon Thabor.
[2] And you have turned aside victims into the depth: and I am, the teacher of them all.
[3] I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now Ephraim hath committed fornication, Israel is defiled.
[4] They will not set their thoughts to return to their God: for the spirit of fornication is in the midst of them, and they have not known the Lord.
[5] And the pride of Israel shall answer in his face: and Israel and Ephraim shall fall in their iniquity, Juda also shall fall with them.
[1] "O priests": What is said of priests in this prophecy is chiefly understood of the priests of the kingdom of Israel; who were not true priests of the race of Aaron; but served the calves at Bethel and Dan.
[6] With their flocks, and with their herds, they shall go to seek the Lord, and shall not find him: he is withdrawn from them.
[7] They have transgressed against the Lord, for they have begotten children that are strangers: now shall a month devour them with their portions.
[8] Blow ye the cornet in Gabaa, the trumpet in Rama: howl ye in Bethaven, behind thy back, O Benjamin.
[9] Ephraim shall be in desolation in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel I have shewn that which shall surely be.
[10] The princes of Juda are become as they that take up the bound: I will pour out my wrath upon them like water.
[7] "Children that are strangers": That is, aliens from God: and therefore they are threatened with speedy destruction.
[10] "As they that take up the bound": That is, they that remove the boundary, encroaching on the property of their neighbours: figuratively: going beyond the boundary of the laws of God.
[11] Ephraim is under oppression, and broken in judgment: because he began to go after filthiness.
[12] And I will be like a moth to Ephraim: and like rottenness to the house of Juda.
[13] And Ephraim saw his sickness, and Juda his band: and Ephraim went to the Assyrian, and sent to the avenging king: and he shall not be able to heal you, neither shall he be able to take off the band from you.
[14] For I will be like a lioness to Ephraim, and like a lion's whelp to the house of Juda: I, I will catch, and go: I will take away, and there is none that can rescue.
[15] I will go and return to my place: until you are consumed, and seek my face.
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