Why do the flocks and Assyrian appeal fail in the oracle?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Leadership’s snare and refusal to return lead to withdrawal and failed remedies.

Chapter breakdown

Priests, Israel's house and the king's house are summoned to judgment for becoming a snare to those they should watch over and a net on Thabor. The edition says this chiefly concerns Israel's calf-serving priests at Bethel and Dan, who are not true priests of Aaron's race. Victims have been turned into the depth, and God is teacher of all. Ephraim's fornication and Israel's defilement are known to him. They will not think of returning, and they do not know the Lord. Pride answers in Israel's face; Israel and Ephraim fall, and Juda falls with them.

They seek the Lord with flocks and herds but do not find him because he has withdrawn. Their transgression has begotten children who are strangers; a month will devour them and their portions. The note explains these as aliens from God threatened with speedy destruction, without identifying a new-moon festival. A cornet sounds at Gabaa, a trumpet at Rama and howling at Bethaven behind Benjamin. Ephraim's desolation in the day of rebuke is announced. Juda's princes resemble those taking up boundaries; wrath pours like water. The edition explains encroaching on neighbors' property and, figuratively, crossing God's laws.

Ephraim is oppressed and broken after pursuing filthiness. God is like a moth to Ephraim and rottenness to Juda. Ephraim sees sickness and Juda its band; Ephraim goes to the Assyrian and sends to the avenging king, who cannot heal or remove the band. God is like a lioness to Ephraim and a lion's whelp to Juda, taking away without rescue. He returns to his place until they are consumed and seek his face. Mizpah, a treaty's terms and a heavenly residence are not specified in this chapter.

The story inside

The note chiefly identifies calf-serving priests outside Aaron’s race. A month devours the people’s portions; no festival is named. Boundary imagery includes both property encroachment and crossing God’s laws.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The note chiefly identifies calf-serving priests outside Aaron’s race.
2
A month devours the people’s portions; no festival is named.
3
Boundary imagery includes both property encroachment and crossing God’s laws.

Test your recall

What two comparisons precede the lioness and lion’s whelp?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 99504–99511
5:1. Hear ye this, O priests, and hearken, O ye house of Israel, and give ear, O house of the king: for there is a judgment against you, because you have been a snare to them whom you should have watched over and a net spread upon Thabor. O priests.... What is said of priests in this prophecy is chiefly understood of the priests of the kingdom of Israel; who were not true priests of the race of Aaron; but served the calves at Bethel and Dan.
Lines 99519–99527
5:4. They will not set their thoughts to return to their God: for the spirit of fornication is in the midst of them, and they have not known the Lord. 5:5. And the pride of Israel shall answer in his face: and Israel, and Ephraim shall fall in their iniquity, Juda also shall fall with them. 5:6. With their flocks and with their herds, they shall go to seek the Lord, and shall not find him: he is withdrawn from them.
Lines 99529–99534
5:7. They have transgressed against the Lord: for they have begotten children that are strangers: now shall a month devour them with their portions. Children that are strangers.... That is, aliens from God: and therefore they are threatened with speedy destruction.
Lines 99542–99547
5:10. The princes of Juda are become as they that take up the bound: I will pour out my wrath upon them like water. As they that take up the bound.... That is, they that remove the boundary, encroaching on the property of their neighbors: figuratively: going beyond the boundary of the laws of God.
Lines 99552–99558
5:12. And I will be like a moth to Ephraim: and like rottenness to the house of Juda. 5:13. And Ephraim saw his sickness, and Juda his band: and Ephraim went to the Assyrian, and sent to the avenging king: and he shall not be able to heal you, neither shall he be able to take off the band from you.
Lines 99560–99565
5:14. For I will be like a lioness to Ephraim, and like a lion’s whelp to the house of Juda: I, I will catch, and go: I will take away, and there is none that can rescue. 5:15. I will go and return to my place: until you are consumed, and seek my face.