After many benefits, great affliction shall fall upon the ten tribes, for their ingratitude to God.

¹ Israel is a leafy vine, its fruit has been suitable to him. According to the multitude of his fruit, he has multiplied altars; according to the fertility of his land, he has abounded with graven images.¹

1. 10:1Or, ‘he has gushed forth idols.’ The word ‘simulachris’ means images, but is often used to refer to idolatrous images or statues.(Conte)

² His heart has been divided, so now they will cross the divide. He will break apart their images; he will plunder their sanctuaries.¹

1. 10:2There is a play on words in the Latin that is difficult to express in English. ‘His heart has been divided, so now they will...’ and the next word sometimes refers to death, but literally means ‘to go between’ or ‘to cross over.’ Israel is referred to in the third person singular in this passage, but ‘they will cross the divide’ is plural. In other words, because his heart has been divided, now they (a group of enemies) will ‘cross the divide,’ i.e. they will cross borders and bring destruction and death. Because the word ‘interibunt’ often refers to death, the crossing of the borders has an ominous implication.(Conte)

³ For now they will say, “We have no king. For we do not fear the Lord. And what would a king do for us?”

⁴ You speak words about a useless vision, and you will strike a deal. And judgment will spring up like bitterness in the furrows of the field.

⁵ The inhabitants of Samaria have worshipped the calf of Bethaven. For the keepers of its temple, who had exulted over it in its glory, and its people, have mourned over it because it migrated from there.¹

1. 10:5The kine of Bethaven: The golden calves of Jeroboam.(Challoner)

⁶ If, indeed, it also has been offered to Assur, as a gift for the Avenging king, confusion will seize Ephraim, and Israel will be confounded by his own will.¹

1. 10:6Itself also is carried, etc: One of the golden calves was given by king Manahem, to Phul, king of the Assyrians, to engage him to stand by him.(Challoner)

⁷ Samaria has required her king to pass by, like foam on the face of the water.

⁸ And the heights of the idol, the sin of Israel, will be utterly destroyed. The burr and the thistle will rise up over their altars. And they will say to the mountains, ‘Cover us,’ and to the hills, ‘Fall on us.’¹

1. 10:8The word ‘cadite’ also means to die, so there is an implication that the people want the hills to kill them, not to protect them.(Conte)

⁹ From the days of Gibeah, Israel has sinned; in this, they remained firm. The battle in Gibeah against the sons of iniquity will not take hold of them.¹²

1. 10:9The word ‘steterunt’ is often misunderstood to mean ‘to stand,’ when it often means ‘to stand firm’ or ‘to remain firm.’ Israel has remained firm ‘there’ or ‘in that matter’ or ‘in this.’(Conte)
2. 10:9Also, they will not join in the battle against evil-doers. This battle does not interest them because they also are sons of iniquity.(Conte)

¹⁰ According to my desire, I will correct them. And the peoples will be gathered together over them, while they are chastised for their two iniquities.¹

1. 10:10Their two iniquities: Their two calves.(Challoner)

¹¹ Ephraim is a heifer that has been taught to love treading out the grain, but I passed over the beauty of her neck. I will rise over Ephraim. Judah will plough; Jacob will break up the soil for himself.

¹² Sow for yourselves in justice, and harvest in the mouth of mercy; renew your fallow land. But the time when you will seek the Lord is the time when he will arrive who will teach you justice.

¹³ You have ploughed impiety; you have harvested iniquity; you have eaten the fruit of lies. For you had confidence in your ways, in the multitude of your good fortunes.¹

1. 10:13Or, ‘...in the multitude of your strengths.’(Conte)

¹⁴ A tumult will arise among your people. And all your fortifications will be laid waste, just as Salman was destroyed by the house of him that judged Baal on the day of the battle, the mother having been crushed against her sons.¹

1. 10:14As Salmana, king of the Midianites, was destroyed by the house,: that is, by the followers of him that judged Baal; that is, of Gideon, who threw down the altar of Baal; and was therefore called Jerubaal. See Judges 6 and 8.(Challoner)

¹⁵ So has Bethel done to you, before the face of your malicious wickedness.