# General Information:

Yahweh is speaking.

# double iniquity

This refers to the many sins of Israel.

# Ephraim is a trained heifer that loves to thresh

A heifer loves to thresh because they can walk around freely without a yoke. Yahweh means that he has allowed the people of Israel to be free and have a pleasant life. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# I will put a yoke on her fair neck. I will put a yoke on Ephraim

Here "yoke" refers to suffering and slavery. Yahweh has been kind to the people of Israel, but the people have been unfaithful to him. So he will punish them and send them away as slaves. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# Judah will plow; Jacob will pull the harrow by himself

Here "Judah" refers to the people of the southern kingdom and "Jacob" is the people of the northern kingdom. This means God will cause difficult times for both kingdoms. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])

# harrow

a tool used to smooth the land and cover the seeds after plowing

# translationWords

* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/discipline]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/nation]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/bond]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/iniquity]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/names/ephraim]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible//heifer]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/thresh]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/grain]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/yoke]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/names/judah]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/names/jacob]]