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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/jit/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/jit/figs-metaphor)
her fair neck
The irony here is that the "heifer" views herself as "fair"—that is, as beautiful and delicate—but Yahweh views her as ugly and so will put a yoke on her, which will destroy her beauty. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-irony)
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/jit/figs-metaphor and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
harrow
a tool used to smooth the land and cover the seeds after plowing