It will be, like people, like priest; And I will punish them for their ways, And will repay them for their deeds.
"And I will punish them ..." This is the explanation for the overwhelming destruction of the entire northern kingdom which was impending as a judgment of God upon his apostate people and soon to be fulfilled by the Assyrian armies in the valley of Jezreel.  The destruction occurred in 722 B.C. Of course, both the evil priesthood and the people whom they had misled suffered the same fate.