Richard Challoner

Children that are strangers: That is, aliens from God: and therefore they are threatened with speedy destruction.

As they that take up the bound: That is, they that remove the boundary, encroaching on the property of their neighbours: figuratively: going beyond the boundary of the laws of God.

Supplanted with blood: that is, undermined and brought to ruin, for shedding of blood: and, as it is signified in the following verse, for conspiring with the priests (of Bethel) like robbers, to murder in the way such as passed out of Sichem to go towards the temple of Jerusalem. Or else supplanted with blood, signifies flowing in such manner with blood, as to suffer none to walk there without imbruing the soles of their feet in blood.

Made the king glad: To please Jeroboam, and their other kings they have given themselves up to the wicked worship of idols, which are mere falsehood and lies.

The kine of Bethaven: The golden calves of Jeroboam.

Itself also is carried: One of the golden calves was given by king Manahem, to Phul, king of the Assyrians, to engage him to stand by him.

Their two iniquities: Their two calves.

As Salmana was destroyed, by the house: 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.

I called my son: Viz., Israel. But as the calling of Israel out of Egypt, was a figure of the calling of Christ from thence; therefore this text is also applicable to Christ, as we learn from Matthew 2. 15.

They called: Viz., Moses and Aaron called; but they went away after other gods and would not hear.

Adama: Adama and Seboim were two cities in the neighbourhood of Sodom: and underwent the like destruction.

If Galaad be an idol: That is, if Galaad with all its idols and sacrifices be like a mere idol itself, being brought to nothing by Theglathphalasar: how vain is it to expect, that the idols worshipped in Galgal shall be of any service to the tribes that remain.

Perish, because she hath stirred up her God to bitterness: It is not a curse or imprecation, but a prophecy of what should come to pass.