Again, the Spirit admonishes the prophet to stop, not to cease calling the people back, lest they seek outside help.
V. 1. Shout loudly, like a trumpet.
"Only rebuke confidently," for they need great rebuke. Stop with a loud voice, that they may be called back, and not hear the false prophets any more. - "He is already coming over the house of the Lord like an eagle." Here I confess my ignorance. For I do not do myself justice with this text. One must assume here an ellipsis, that is, a lack both of words and of speech: Lift up thy voice, that it may be like an eagle 2c. These are words of a threatener: "Behold, there is something", that even the house of the Lord will not be safe in Jerusalem. And the enemy will come like an eagle, that is, the swift and predatory king who spares no one, not even in the house of the LORD, so much the less will he spare you who want to be safe in BethAven and in the other places of your idolatry.
V. 5. Your calf, Samaria, he rejected.
He calls the calf of Samaria the calf of Bethaven, as you can see from what was said above about Jezreel. He names Samaria because it was the head of the kingdom, there was the supremacy. I do not know if the prophet wants to indicate that a new calf service had been established.
I like that better, that he means the old service, which he contemptuously calls a calf service; he does not dignify it with the name of GOD.
V. 7. for they sow wind.
"Sowing wind" is said after a proverbial. It is said after a literal figure, which we refer to all futile actions. As if he wanted to say: They sow nothing, but meanwhile they mean that they sow. Later, when it has come to death, that is, to the harvest, they will reap the fruit of their labor, namely, stubble, death and evil conscience. Foolish work, useless reward. Your hope will be deceived, according to which you expect a fruit of your idolatry.
[v. 8. Israel is eaten up 2c.]
For the calf will become refuse. The king of Assyria will visit this calf and make the whole land desolate, and they will be scattered and will be among the nations; they will be moved and will no longer be in the land, but will live miserably among the Gentiles.
V. 9. Ephraim is like a deer going astray (solitarius).
This "wild" (onager) is described in Job [Cap. 6, 5. 11, 12. 24, 5. 39, 5.] and is the forest donkey, which is especially afraid of contact with humans. He even adds emphatically: "lonely" to indicate the peculiarity that matters to him.
1058 L. xxiv, IW-I24. interpretations on the prophets. W. vi, isss-isss. 1059
As if he wanted to say: My Ephraim is lonely, that is, he has thrown away my law, he does not respect my commandments, he no longer wants to be an ass under the yoke; he has thrown off the burden, he breaks out into the freedom of the flesh, he prescribes the laws for himself, chooses kings. - "Ephraim giveth tribute to the wooers." That is, they give tribute to those in whom they trust, they govern themselves, they unite with the heathen; with their treasures, with their wealth they want to protect themselves; they do not need my help.
V. 11: For Ephraim has made much of the mire.
I have never been able to admonish Ephraim to refrain from building altars. "The more
I preach against it, the more they set up." It not only sets up sinful altars, but also puts them into use, so that it may go out 1) to the work for which they are ordained, namely, that sin may be committed there.
V. 12. If I write to him the same amount of my law.
Although I have clearly prescribed my law, although I have done this many times and often, they always reverse it, they twist it to their sense, they always give it another name. "They make him a waxen nose."
1) Instead of extzeretur we have assumed exeeäat.