Lilly:
It seems to me a parabolic portrayal of Israel and Judah's relationship to God at that time. It's a very effective way of illustrating what he's trying to communicate using images people can understand
I agree. (Mark that down, Lil.) The prophet is describing Judah's "whoring" after Babylon and then Egypt, defiling herself in the process. One did not become a vassal state by tribute only. Although the Bible often blames the evil kings of Israel and Judah for introducing foreign cults into the north and south, if one looks carefully at the history coincident with those "evil" kings, one finds that they ruled during a time when either a Mesopotamian power (Assyria, Babylonia) or Egypt were very strong and dominated Israel and Judah. With that domination and vassalage came the introduction of their gods, probably a requisite that accompanied subjugation as a vassal.
I should be an expert in Judaism in no time!
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