Upon the theme of these two epigrams the other verses of this chapter are variations. Has Ephraim mixed himself among the peoples? _Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not_, senselessly congratulating himself upon the increase of his trade and wealth, while he does not feel that these have sucked from him all his distinctive virtue. _Yea, grey hairs are sprinkled upon him, and he knoweth it not._ He makes his energy the measure of his life, as Isaiah also marked,[544] but sees not that it all means waste and decay. _The pride of Israel testifieth to his face, yet_--even when the pride of the nation is touched to the quick by such humiliating overtures as they make to both Assyria and Egypt[545]--_they do not return to Jehovah their God, nor seek Him for all this_. With virtue and single-hearted faith have disappeared intellect and the capacity for affairs. _Ephraim is become like a silly dove--a dove without heart_, to the Hebrews the organ of the wits of a man--_they cry to Egypt, they go off to Assyria_. Poor pigeon of a people, fluttering from one refuge to another! But _as they go I will throw over them My net, like a bird of the air I will bring them down. I will punish them as their congregation have heard_--this text as it stands[546] can only mean "in the manner I have publicly proclaimed in Israel." _Woe to them that they have strayed from Me! Damnation to them that they have rebelled against Me! While I would have redeemed them, they spoke lies about Me. And they have never cried unto Me with their heart, but they keep howling on their beds for corn and new wine._ No real repentance theirs, but some fear of drought and miscarriage of the harvests, a sensual and servile sorrow in which they wallow. They seek God with no heart, no true appreciation of what He is, but use the senseless means by which the heathen invoke their gods: _they cut themselves,_[547] _and_ so _apostatise from Me! And yet it was I who disciplined them, I strengthened their arm, but with regard to Me they kept thinking_ only _evil!_ So fickle and sensitive to fear, _they turn_ indeed, _but not upwards_; no Godward conversion theirs. In their repentance _they are like a bow which swerves_--off upon some impulse of their ill-balanced natures. _Their princes must fall by the sword because of the bitterness_--we should have expected "falseness"--_of their tongue: this is their scorn in the land of Egypt!_ To the allusion we have no key. With so false a people nothing can be done. Their doom is inevitable. So "Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war." _To thy mouth with the trumpet! The Eagle is down upon the house of Jehovah!_[548] Where the carcase is, there are the eagles gathered together. _For_--to sum up the whole crisis--_they have transgressed My covenant, and against My law have they rebelled. To Me they cry, My God, we know Thee, we Israel!_ What does it matter? _Israel hath spurned the good:_[549] _the Foe must pursue him._