Ephraim is a trained heifer that loves to thresh; So I will put a yoke on her beautiful neck. I will set a rider on Ephraim. Judah will plow. Jacob will break his clods.
And I passed over her fair neck - handling her gently and tenderly, as men put the yoke gently on a young untamed animal, and inure it softly to take the yoke upon it. Yet “to pass over” , especially when it is said of God, always signifies inflictions and troubles.” To pass over sins, is to remit them; to pass over the sinner, is to punish him. “I will make Ephraim to ride or I will make it,” i. e., the yoke, “to ride on Ephraim’s” neck, as the same word is used for “place the hand on the bow;” or, perhaps better, “I will set a rider on Ephraim,” who should tame and subdue him. Since he would not submit himself freely to the easy yoke of God, God would set a ruler upon him, who should be his master. Thus, the Psalmist complains, “Thou hast made men to ride on our head” Psalms 66:12, directing us at their pleasure.