1Ephraim's food is the wind, and he goes after the east wind: deceit and destruction are increasing day by day; they make an agreement with Assyria, and take oil into Egypt. 2The Lord has a cause against Judah, and will give punishment to Jacob for his ways; he will give him the reward of his acts. 3In the body of his mother he took his brother by the foot, and in his strength he was fighting with God; 4He had a fight with the angel and overcame him; he made request for grace to him with weeping; he came face to face with him in Beth-el and there his words came to him; 5Even the Lord, the God of armies; the Lord is his name. 6So then, come back to your God; keep mercy and right, and be waiting at all times on your God. 7As for Canaan, the scales of deceit are in his hands; he takes pleasure in twisted ways. 8And Ephraim said, Now I have got wealth and much property; in all my works no sin may be seen in me. 9But I am the Lord your God from the land of Egypt; I will give you tents for your living-places again as in the days of the holy meeting. 10My word came to the ears of the prophets and I gave them visions in great number, and by the mouths of the prophets I made use of comparisons. 11In Gilead there is evil. They are quite without value; in Gilgal they make offerings of oxen; truly their altars are like masses of stones in the hollows of a ploughed field. 12And Jacob went in flight into the field of Aram, and Israel became a servant for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep. 13And by a prophet the Lord made Israel come up out of Egypt, and by a prophet he was kept safe. 14I have been bitterly moved to wrath by Ephraim; so that his blood will be on him, and the Lord will make his shame come back on him.
Matthew Henry's Commentary
Judah and Israel reminded of the Divine favours. (1-6) The provocations of Israel. (7-14) 1-6 Ephraim feeds himself with vain hopes of help from man, when he is at enmity with God. The Jews vainly thought to secure the Egyptians by a present of the produce of their country. Judah is contended with also. God sees the sin of his own people, and will reckon with them for it. They are put in mind of what Jacob did, and what God did for him. When his faith upon the Divine promise prevailed above his fears, then by his strength he had power with God. He is Jehovah, the same that was, and is, and is to come. What was a revelation of God to one, is his memorial to many, to all generations. Then let those who have gone from God, be turned to him. Turn thou to the Lord, by repentance and faith, as thy God. Let those that are converted to him, walk with him in all holy conversation and godliness. Let us wrestle with Him for promised blessings, determined not to give over till we prevail; and let us seek Him in his ordinances. 7-14 Ephraim became a merchant: the word also signifies a Canaanite. They carried on trade upon Canaanitish principles, covetously and with fraud and deceit. Thus they became rich, and falsely supposed that Providence favoured them. But shameful sins shall have shameful punishments. Let them remember, not only what a mighty prince Jacob was with God, but what a servant he was to Laban. The benefits we have had from the word of God, make our sin and folly the worse, if we put any slight upon that word. We had better follow the hardest labour in poverty, than grow rich by sin. We may form a judgment of our own conduct, by comparing it with that of ancient believers in the like circumstances. Whoever despises the message of God, will perish. May we all hear his word with humble, obedient faith.