For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city will be taken, the houses rifled, and the women ravished. Half of the city will go out into captivity, and the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 2. I will gather, and so forth This seems to be a prophecy of what was done by Antiochus, ( Challoner.) or of the last siege, ( Worthington.) by the Romans. Saint Jerome Theod. Eus. Dem. vi. 18. Calmet.—Vespasian collected numerous forces. Jos. Bel. iii. 1.—Titus had six legions and many auxiliaries, Arabs, and so forth Tacit. Hist. v.—Various nations composed their army. Worthington.—Rifled, or demolished. None was left standing. Jos. B. vii. 6. Heges. verse 49.—S. Jerom and others think that the city on Sion was spared, ( Calmet.) and 40,000 were permitted to dwell where they had a mind. Jos. B. vii. 15.—But it is not said that they continued at Jerusalem. Half the Jews therefore perished, and those who maintained the siege found a grave in the city. Theod.—Half only denotes a considerable part, as verse 8. Those who followed our Saviour’s admonition, retired before, and were safe ( Calmet.) at Pella. Calmet. 10:11. Septuagint “the rest of my people shall not be destroyed out of the city.”