Israel’s Sin and Captivity
1 Israel Nah. 2:2empties his vine;
He brings forth fruit for himself.
According to the multitude of his fruit
Jer. 2:28; Hos. 8:11; 12:11He has increased the altars;
According to the bounty of his land
They have embellished hissacred pillars.
2 Their heart is 1 Kin. 18:21; Zeph. 1:5; (Matt. 6:24)divided;
Now they are held guilty.
He will break down their altars;
He will ruin their sacred pillars.
3 For now they say,
"We have no king,
Because we did not fear the Lord.
And as for a king, what would he do for us?"
4 They have spoken words,
Swearing falsely in making a covenant.
Thus judgment springs up Deut. 31:16, 17; 2 Kin. 17:3, 4; Amos 5:7like hemlock in the furrows of the field.
5 The inhabitants of Samaria fear
Because of the 1 Kin. 12:28, 29; Hos. 8:5, 6; 13:2calf of Beth Aven.
For its people mourn for it,
And its priests shriek for it—
Because its Hos. 9:11glory has departed from it.
6 Theidol also shall be carried to Assyria
As a present for King Hos. 5:13Jareb.
Ephraim shall receive shame,
And Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.
7 Asfor Samaria, her king is cut off
Like a twig on the water.
8 Also the Hos. 4:15high places of Aven, Deut. 9:21; 1 Kin. 13:34the sin of Israel,
Shall be destroyed.
The thorn and thistle shall grow on their altars;
Is. 2:19; Luke 23:30; Rev. 6:16They shall say to the mountains, "Cover us!"
And to the hills, "Fall on us!"
9 "O Israel, you have sinned from the days of Hos. 9:9Gibeah;
There they stood.
The Judg. 20battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity
Did not overtake them.
10 When itis My desire, I will chasten them.
Jer. 16:16Peoples shall be gathered against them
When I bind them for their two transgressions.
11 Ephraim is(Jer. 50:11; Hos. 4:16; Mic. 4:13)a trained heifer
That loves to thresh grain;
But I harnessed her fair neck,
I will make Ephraim pull aplow.
Judah shall plow;
Jacob shall break his clods."
12 Sow for yourselves righteousness;
Reap in mercy;
Jer. 4:3Break up your fallow ground,
For itis time to seek the Lord,
Till He Hos. 6:3comes and rains righteousness on you.
13 (Job 4:8; Prov. 22:8; Gal. 6:7, 8)You have plowed wickedness;
You have reaped iniquity.
You have eaten the fruit of lies,
Because you trusted in your own way,
In the multitude of your mighty men.
14 Therefore tumult shall arise among your people,
And all your fortresses shall be plundered
As Shalman plundered Beth Arbel in the day of battle—
A mother dashed in pieces upon her children.
15 Thus it shall be done to you, O Bethel,
Because of your great wickedness.
At dawn the king of Israel
Shall be cut off utterly.