Verse 11
Ephraim was behaving like a dove, a bird known for its silliness and naiveté (cf. Matthew 10:16). Expediency and human wisdom marked by vacillation had guided Israel’s foreign policy for years rather than the will of God. This was "bird-brained" diplomacy. Emissaries had fluttered off to Egypt (2 Kings 17:3-4) and Assyria (2 Kings 15:29) seeking aid without realizing the danger that these nations posed (cf. Hosea 11:11). Finally, because Israel turned from Assyria to Egypt for help against Assyria, Assyria snared and destroyed the Northern Kingdom.
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