Wesley Corpus

Chapter XIII Israel reproved for idolatry and other sins, ver. 1 - 8. Ruin foretold, yet with encouragement to hope, ver. 9 - 16. 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. 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. Thou shalt know - I forbad thee to know any other God but me, in gratitude thou shouldest know no other. I did know - Owned, took care of, guided and supplied. Their pasture - When they were come into Canaan, and had abundance of all things, they ran into luxury. Was exalted - They grew proud. Observe them - Watch for them, that I might be sure to take them. Rent - First kill, then tear in pieces, and pull out the very heart. 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. A king - Such as Shallum, Menahem, Pekah. Is bound up - As sins unpardoned; for to loose sins is to forgive, and to bind sins is to charge them upon the sinner, Matt 16:19. Hid - Not from God, but laid up with God against the day of recompense. 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 under the delay. 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.