13:1 When Ephraim spake a trembling, he b exalted himself in
Israel; but when he offended in Baal, c he died.
(a) He shows the excellency and authority that this tribe
had above all the rest.
(b) He made a king of his tribe.
(c) The Ephraimites are not far from destruction, and have
lost their authority.
13:2 And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten
images of their silver, [and] idols according to their own
understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen: they
say of them, d Let the men that sacrifice kiss the
calves.
(d) "Let the men that sacrifice" or "while they sacrifice
men". The false prophets persuaded the idolaters to
offer their children after the example of Abraham, and
he shows how they would exhort one another to the same,
and to kiss and worship these calves which were their
idols.
13:4 Yet I [am] the LORD thy God e from the land of Egypt, and
thou shalt know no god but me: for [there is] no saviour
beside me.
(e) He calls them to repentance, and reproves their
ingratitude.
13:9 O Israel, thou f hast destroyed thyself; but in me [is]
thine help.
(f) Your destruction is certain, and my benefits toward you
declare that it comes not from me: therefore your own
malice, idolatry, and vain confidence in men must
necessarily be the cause of it.
13:10g I will be thy king: where [is any other] that may save
thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou
saidst, Give me a king and princes?
13:12 The iniquity of Ephraim [is] h bound up; his sin [is]
hid.
(h) It is surely laid up to be punished, as in (Jer 17:1).
13:13 The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he
[is] an unwise son; for he should not stay long in [the
place of] the i breaking forth of children.
(i) But would come out of the womb, that is out of these
dangers in which he is, and not wait to be suppressed.
13:14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will
redeem them from death: O k death, I will be thy
plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: l
repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.
(k) Meaning that no power will resist God when he will
deliver his own, but even in death he will give them
life.
(l) Because they will not turn to me, I will change my
purpose.
