The whole seed of Ephraim - i. e., the whole of the nine northern tribes. Their casting out was a plain proof that the possession of the symbols of God's presence does not secure a Church or nation from rejection, if unworthy of its privileges.

The whole seed of Ephraim - Taken here for all the ten tribes, that of Ephraim being the principal.

And I will cast you out of my sight,.... Or, "from before my face", or "faces" (n); out of the land of Judea, and cause them to go into captivity; and so the Targum paraphrases it,

"I will cause you to remove out of the land of the house of my majesty:''

as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim; or Israel, as the Targum; that is, the ten tribes so called, because Ephraim, a principal tribe, and the metropolis of the kingdom, was in it, and Jeroboam, the first king of the ten tribes, was of it: now, as they were carried captive into Babylon, so should the Jews; or they of the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin; who could not expect to fare better than their brethren, who were more in number than they; and especially since they were guilty of the same sins.

(n) "desuper faciebus meis", Montanus; "a faciebus meis" Schmidt.

I cast you out from my sight, i.e., drive you forth amongst the heathen; cf. Deuteronomy 29:27; and with the second clause cf. 2 Kings 17:20. The whole seed of Ephraim is the ten tribes.

And I will cast {g} you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim.

(g) I will send you into captivity as I have done Ephraim, that is, the ten tribes.

7:15 Even - The ten tribes.

15. your brethren-children of Abraham, as much as you.

whole seed of Ephraim-They were superior to you in numbers and power: they were ten tribes: ye but two. "Ephraim," as the leading tribe, stands for the whole ten tribes (2Ki 17:23; Ps 78:67, 68).

7:1-16 No observances, professions, or supposed revelations, will profit, if men do not amend their ways and their doings. None can claim an interest in free salvation, who allow themselves in the practice of known sin, or live in the neglect of known duty. They thought that the temple they profaned would be their protection. But all who continue in sin because grace has abounded, or that grace may abound, make Christ the minister of sin; and the cross of Christ, rightly understood, forms the most effectual remedy to such poisonous sentiments. The Son of God gave himself for our transgressions, to show the excellence of the Divine law, and the evil of sin. Never let us think we may do wickedness without suffering for it.