Representing the northern kingdom of Israel

Probably first the king of Assyria and then the king of Babylon (2 Kings 17:3-18; 24:10-16).

Jehovah’s punishing of Israel issues in His restoration. Jehovah of hosts as Christ will be a crown of beauty and a diadem of glory to the remnant of Israel, God’s chosen people, in the age of restoration after all God’s dealing with Israel is completed.

In vv. 24-29 Jehovah, as a farmer, deals with people as His crops by different utensils according to His extraordinary counsel and His great wisdom.

This is Jehovah’s reaction of fighting against the Assyrians, who had destroyed Israel excessively (see note Isa. 26:13¹).

Jehovah’s punishment over Ephraim’s drunkards will also usher in the trustworthy Christ as a foundation stone and a precious cornerstone for God’s building (Psa. 118:22-24 and notes). The complete fulfillment of Christ as the stone will be in the next age, the age of restoration (Psa. 118:26 and note Psa. 118:26¹; cf. Matt. 23:38-39 and note Matt. 23:39¹).

In contrast to the priest and the prophet described in v. 7, the trustworthy Christ is the faithful High Priest and the trustworthy Prophet to God’s redeemed (Heb. 7:26; Acts 3:22-23).

Jehovah destroyed the northern kingdom of Israel by the Assyrian army (vv. 14-15, 17-20, 22; 2 Kings 17:3-18). This was done as a warning to Jerusalem, which represents the southern kingdom of Judah.

See note Isa. 28:10¹.

The tongue of the Gentile invaders, which became a bothering and a shame to Ephraim (cf. 1 Cor. 14:21 and note 1 Cor. 14:21^2b).

These rules were parts of the law. Ephraim was bothered by the fact that Jehovah’s rules and statutes were scattered repeatedly in pieces.