Ephraim feeds on wind, And chases the east wind. He continually multiplies lies and desolation. They make a covenant with Assyria, And oil is carried into Egypt.
This conduct on the part of Ephraim was reprehensible because, "Rather than seeking the Lord and keeping the Covenant, they were playing the game of international politics and perhaps intrigue."[2]  "The outcome of Ephraim's activity, according to the figure, is something void and empty."[3]