And the pride of Israel doth testify to His face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity.
The fall of Israel
Tiglath pileser died in b.c. 727, and was succeeded by Shalmaneser IV. The refusal of Hoshea to continue the annual tribute brought the new Assyrian monarch into the West. Tyre was besieged unsuccessfully, Hoshea carried away captive, and Samaria blockaded for three years. During the blockade Shalmaneser died, and the crown was seized by one of the Assyrian generals. The latter assumed the name of Sargon, in memory of the famous Babylonian monarch who had reigned so many centuries before. The capture of Samaria took place in his first year (b.c. 722); 27,280 of its inhabitants were sent into exile, but only fifty chariots were found in the city. An Assyrian governor was appointed over it, who was commissioned to send each year to Nineveh the same tribute as that paid by Hoshea. The comparatively small number of Israelites who were carried into captivity shows that Sargon contented himself with removing only those persons and their families who had taken part in the revolt against him; in fact, Samaria was treated pretty much as Jerusalem was by Nebuchadnezzar in the time of Jehoiachin. The greater part of the old population was allowed to remain in its native land. This fact disposes of the modern theories which assume that the whole of the Ten Tribes were carried away. (Prof. Sayce.)
Pride aggravating sin
1. It is a great aggravation of sin when men are swelled with conceit under it, so that their thoughts of themselves are nothing lessened, but they dare defend sin, please themselves in it, and rise against such as do reprove it, and be filled with proud impatience under corrections inflicted because of it.
2. As pride is a sin that will not conceal itself, so this sort of pride is a notorious proof of men’s guiltiness which will justly condemn them, and plead for God in so doing.
3. Sin will certainly bring on ruin, especially when men are not only obstinate in it, but swelled with pride for all that.
4. God’s judgments will be universal on all ranks, according as they have sinned. (George Hutcheson.)
Pride before destruction
The prophet, having condemned the Israelites on two accounts--for having departed from the true God--and for having obstinately refused every instruction, now adds, that God’s vengeance was nigh at hand. “Testify then shall the pride of Israel in His face”; that is, Israel shall find what it is thus to resist God and His prophets. The prophet no doubt applies the word “pride” to their contempt of instruction, because they were so swollen with vain confidence as to think that wrong was done them whenever the prophets reproved them. It must at the same time be observed that they were thus refractory, because they were like persons inebriated with their own pleasures; for we know that while men enjoy prosperity, they are the more insolent, according to that old proverb, “Satiety begets ferocity.” (John Calvin.)