Historical chapter commentary
Verse 1. Obscurity. He continues to bewail the misery of Jerusalem.—Heaven, the highest glory. Isaiah 14:12.—Stool; the temple, and the land. The ark fell not into the hands of the enemy. Calmet.—The punishment which the Lord permits, is justly ascribed to Him. Worthington.
Verse 2. Unclean, or treated it as such. Calmet.—Septuagint “he hath accounted profane the kings.” Bible.—Joakim, Jechonias, Sedecias, and the royal family, were exposed to the greatest ignominy and sufferings. Calmet.
Verse 3. Horn: beauty and power, ( Bible.) the two kingdoms, the fortresses, ( Calmet.) and all their strength, denoted by horns. Worthington.—Hand; refusing us protection, and aiding the Chaldees.
Verse 5. Women, suffering them to be abused. Calmet. 5:11. 13.
Verse 6. Tent: the temple, with the same indifference as if it had been a hut, built to guard the fruit of a garden. Isaiah 5:5. Psalms 79:13.—Sabbaths. The Jews rested, but could offer no sacrifices in captivity.—Priest. Saraias was slain, and Sedecias imprisoned, and so forth Calmet. 52:10. Calmet.
Verse 7. Cursed, or suffered it to be polluted, ( Worthington.) as he looked on it with horror, after it had been profaned by Achaz, and so forth—Towers. Septuagint “palaces;” βαρεων.—Feast. What a contrast! The temple used to resound with songs of praise and music: the Chaldees fill it with insolent shouts of victory.
Verse 8. Line, to level it with the ground, (Isaiah 34:11. Calmet.) or to treat it with just severity. Theod.—Bulwark. Lit. “the first wall,” ( Bible.) or ditch, lined with palisades. Alexander ordered the towers to be levelled, and the horses’ manes to be cut, when Hephæstion died, to denote the general sorrow.
Verse 9. Among, as slaves, or in prison.—Law has been neglected; and now it cannot be observed, as to the ceremonial part. There are no public instructions.—No vision. When Jeremias was consulted, he had to pray for ten days. Calmet. 42:7.
Verse 10. Ancients, even magistrates. Calmet.—Canitiem multo deformat pulvere. Æn. x.
Verse 11. Earth, by an overflowing of the bile, occasioned by grief. Job 16:14. Calmet.
Verse 13. Sea. This is an hyperbole, to express the greatness of sorrow, as the sea surpasses all other waters. Worthington.
Verse 14. Revelations. Hebrew Masoth, “burdens” for the enemy. This sentence ought to come before and they, and so forth as it is in the Vulg. Bible.
Verse 16. Mouth, with scorn. Isaiah 57:4. Psalms 34:21.
Verse 17. Old, by Moses, (Deuteronomy 28:15. 49. Leviticus 26:14.) Micheas, (Calmet. 26:18.) Holda, and so forth Calmet.
Verse 18. Upon. Hebrew and Septuagint “O wall,” and so forth verse 8. Bible.
Verse 19. Watches. Jerusalem is here represented in the midst of danger and misery. Calmet.
Verse 20. Dealt. Lit. “gathered grapes.” Calmet. 1:12. Bible.—Long; quite small. Psalms 38:9. This has been denounced, Calmet. 19:9. Deuteronomy 28:53. Calmet. It took place at Samaria, and in the last siege of Jerusalem, (Jos. Bel. vii. and viii. Worthington.) as well as at this time. Bible.
Verse 21. Killed. Lit. “stricken” ( Bible.) with unusual severity. Worthington.
Verse 22. About. The troops of the enemy resemble those multitudes, which come from all parts to Jerusalem. Many kings could not raise such an army. Calmet.