Ephraim — The ten tribes, of which Ephraim was the chief. Spake trembling — Humbled himself before God. Exalted himself — The kingdom flourished. When he offended — So soon as they sinned, taking Baal to be their God. He died — They lost their power and glory.... [ Continue Reading ]
Of them — Of the idols. Let the man — Let all that bring their offerings to these idols, worship and adore, and shew they do so by kissing the calves.... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou shalt know — I forbad thee to know any other God but me, in gratitude thou shouldest know no other.... [ Continue Reading ]
I did know — Owned, took care of, guided and supplied.... [ Continue Reading ]
Their pasture — When they were come into Canaan, and had abundance of all things, they ran into luxury. Was exalted — They grew proud.... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe them — Watch for them, that I might be sure to take them.... [ Continue Reading ]
Rent — First kill, then tear in pieces, and pull out the very heart.... [ Continue Reading ]
Thy king — I would have been thy king to govern and save thee, but thou refusedst me in both: yet I will be thy king to punish thee. Thy judges — Where are they now? And princes — Necessary to assist the king.... [ Continue Reading ]
A king — Such as Shallum, Menahem, Pekah.... [ Continue Reading ]
Is bound up — As sins unpardoned; for to loose sins is to forgive, and to bind sins is to charge them upon the sinner, Matthew 16:19. Hid — Not from God, but laid up with God against the day of recompense.... [ Continue Reading ]
The sorrows — The punishment of his sins will overtake him suddenly, with great anguish. An unwise son — A foolish son, who endangers himself and his mother. He should not stay — As a child that sticks in the birth, so is Ephraim, one while will, another while will not return to God; and thus dies u... [ Continue Reading ]
Ransom — By power and purchase, by the blood of the lamb of God, and by the power of his Godhead. Them — That repent and believe. From the grave — He conquered the grave, and will at the great day of the resurrection open those prison — doors, and bring us out in glory. From death — From the curse o... [ Continue Reading ]
He — Ephraim. His brethren — Either the rest of the tribes, or the nations who by league are become as his brethren. An east — wind — An enemy as pernicious to his estate as the east — wind is to fruits. Of the Lord — A mighty enemy, called here the wind of the Lord, the usual superlative in Hebrew.... [ Continue Reading ]