V.1-13 The Lord speaks to Israel as if she were His wife who had become unfaithful to Him. We could say “where sin abounded” (Rom. 5:20).
V.5 Israel thought that she received her blessings from the false gods to which she had turned.
V.6-13 God has had to put Israel through terrible days since that time to make them realize that it was not the false gods who were watching over her, but God Himself.
V.14-23 Here we can say “grace did much more abound” (Rom. 5:20). God always has His eye on the day when He will bless Israel in the yet future. These verses are beautiful to read with this in mind. Every punishment was needed to cause Israel to look up to the Lord.