The iniquity of Ephraim [is] bound up; his sin [is] hid.
Ver. 12. The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up] sc. in a bundle, or fardle, or fagot, as the French hath it. And like as all fardles are opened on a fair day, so shall Ephraim's iniquities be brought to light, and punished at the last day: as the householder bindeth up the tares in bundles at harvest and burneth them; so shall it be in the end of the world. "The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all scandals, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire," Matthew 13:30; Matthew 13:41,42. As the clerk of assizes binds up the indictments of malefactors in bundles, or seals them up in a bag for more surety, and at the assizes brings his bag, takes them out, and reads them; so will it be at that last and great day. "My transgression is sealed up in a bag," saith Job, Job 14:17, "and thou sewest up mine iniquity," viz. as the writings, or informations of a process, which is ready to be sentenced. See Deu 32:34 Jer 17:1 Hosea 9:9. Sinners shall one day know that God's forbearance is no quittance; and that however he is silent for a season, and thereupon they are apt fondly to conceit him to be such another as themselves, yet he will confute them, and set their sins in order before their eyes, Psa 50:21 Their actions are already in print in heaven; and God will one day read them aloud in the ears of all the world. And then though their sin be hidden for the present, all shall be revealed, to their utter shame and everlasting contempt, Daniel 12:2; that last light of the day of wrath shall reveal all, Romans 2:5, punish all, Hosea 9:9. Whatever God hath threatened shall then be inflicted; whatever arrows are in the bowstring shall then flee, and hit, and stick deep. And the longer the Lord is in drawing the heavier they will light; Morae dispendium faenoris duplo pensabitur; the longer he forbeareth the heavier he punisheth; so that there shall be no cause why sinners should say, "Where is the God of judgment?" Malachi 2:17. See Trapp on " Mal 2:17 " God will inquire after their iniquity, and search after their sin, Job 10:6 .