7:1 When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of
Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for
they commit falsehood; and a the thief cometh in, [and]
the troop of robbers spoileth without.
(a) Meaning that there was no one type of vice among them,
but that they were subject to all wickedness, both
secret and open.
7:3 They make the b king glad with their wickedness, and the
princes with their lies.
(b) They esteem their wicked king Jeroboam above God, and
seek how to flatter and please him.
7:4 They [are] all adulterers, as an c oven heated by the
baker, [who] ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the
dough, until it be leavened.
(c) He compares the rage of the people to a burning oven
which the baker heats, until his dough is leavened and
raised.
7:5 In the d day of our king the princes have made [him] sick
with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with
scorners.
(d) They used all indulgence and excess in their feasts and
solemnities, by which their king was overcome with being
fed too much, and brought into diseases, and who
delighted in flatteries.
7:7 They are all hot as an oven, and have e devoured their
judges; all their kings are fallen: [there is] none among
them that calleth unto me.
(e) By their doing God has deprived them of all good rulers.
7:8 Ephraim, he hath f mixed himself among the people; Ephraim
is a cake not turned.
(f) That is, he counterfeited the religion of the Gentiles,
yet is but as a cake baked on the one side, and raw on
the other, that is, neither thoroughly hot, nor
thoroughly cold, but partly a Jew, and partly a Gentile.
7:9 Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth [it]
not: yea, g gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he
knoweth not.
(g) Which are a token of his manifold afflictions.
7:11 Ephraim also is like a silly dove without h heart: they
call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.
(h) That is, without all judgment, as those that cannot
tell whether it is better to cleave only to God, or to
seek the help of man.
7:12 When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will
bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise
them, as their i congregation hath heard.
(i) According to my curses made to the whole congregation
of Israel.
7:13 Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto
them! because they have transgressed against me: though I
have k redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against
me.
(k) That is, at different times redeemed them, and
delivered them from death.
7:14 And they have not cried unto me with their heart, l when
they howled upon their beds: m they assemble themselves
for corn and wine, [and] they rebel against me.
(l) When they were in affliction, and cried out in pain,
they did not seek me for help.
(m) They only seek their own benefit and wealth, and care
not for me their God.
7:16 They return, [but] not to the most High: they are like a
deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for
the rage n of their tongue: this [shall be] their
derision in the land of Egypt.
(n) Because they boast of their own strength, and do not
care what they speak against me and my servants; (Ps 73:9).
