17 And I will bring distress H6887 upon men, H120 that they shall walk H1980 like blind men, H5787 because they have sinned H2398 against the LORD: H3068 and their blood H1818 shall be poured out H8210 as dust, H6083 and their flesh H3894 as the dung. H1561
Which perished H8045 at Endor: H5874 they became as dung H1828 for the earth. H127
For the sins H2403 of her prophets, H5030 and the iniquities H5771 of her priests, H3548 that have shed H8210 the blood H1818 of the just H6662 in the midst H7130 of her, They have wandered H5128 as blind H5787 men in the streets, H2351 they have polluted H1351 themselves with blood, H1818 so that men could H3201 not H3808 touch H5060 their garments. H3830 They cried H7121 unto them, Depart H5493 ye; it is unclean; H2931 depart, H5493 depart, H5493 touch H5060 not: when they fled away H5132 and wandered, H5128 they said H559 among the heathen, H1471 They shall no more H3254 sojourn H1481 there.
The crown H5850 is fallen H5307 from our head: H7218 woe H188 unto us, that we have sinned! H2398 For this our heart H3820 is faint; H1739 for these things our eyes H5869 are dim. H2821
There is a conspiracy H7195 of her prophets H5030 in the midst H8432 thereof, like a roaring H7580 lion H738 ravening H2963 the prey; H2964 they have devoured H398 souls; H5315 they have taken H3947 the treasure H2633 and precious things; H3366 they have made her many H7235 widows H490 in the midst H8432 thereof. Her priests H3548 have violated H2554 my law, H8451 and have profaned H2490 mine holy things: H6944 they have put no difference H914 between the holy H6944 and profane, H2455 neither have they shewed H3045 difference between the unclean H2931 and the clean, H2889 and have hid H5956 their eyes H5869 from my sabbaths, H7676 and I am profaned H2490 among H8432 them. Her princes H8269 in the midst H7130 thereof are like wolves H2061 ravening H2963 the prey, H2964 to shed H8210 blood, H1818 and to destroy H6 souls, H5315 to get H1214 dishonest gain. H1215 And her prophets H5030 have daubed H2902 them with untempered H8602 morter, seeing H2374 vanity, H7723 and divining H7080 lies H3577 unto them, saying, H559 Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD, H3069 when the LORD H3068 hath not spoken. H1696 The people H5971 of the land H776 have used oppression, H6231 H6233 and exercised H1497 robbery, H1498 and have vexed H3238 the poor H6041 and needy: H34 yea, they have oppressed H6231 the stranger H1616 wrongfully. H4941 And I sought H1245 for a man H376 among them, that should make up H1443 the hedge, H1447 and stand H5975 in the gap H6556 before H6440 me for the land, H776 that I should not destroy H7843 it: but I found H4672 none. Therefore have I poured out H8210 mine indignation H2195 upon them; I have consumed H3615 them with the fire H784 of my wrath: H5678 their own way H1870 have I recompensed H5414 upon their heads, H7218 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD. H3069
We have sinned, H2398 and have committed iniquity, H5753 and have done wickedly, H7561 and have rebelled, H4775 even by departing H5493 from thy precepts H4687 and from thy judgments: H4941 Neither have we hearkened H8085 unto thy servants H5650 the prophets, H5030 which spake H1696 in thy name H8034 to our kings, H4428 our princes, H8269 and our fathers, H1 and to all the people H5971 of the land. H776 O Lord, H136 righteousness H6666 belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion H1322 of faces, H6440 as at this day; H3117 to the men H376 of Judah, H3063 and to the inhabitants H3427 of Jerusalem, H3389 and unto all Israel, H3478 that are near, H7138 and that are far off, H7350 through all the countries H776 whither thou hast driven H5080 them, because of their trespass H4604 that they have trespassed H4603 against thee. O Lord, H136 to us belongeth confusion H1322 of face, H6440 to our kings, H4428 to our princes, H8269 and to our fathers, H1 because we have sinned H2398 against thee. To the Lord H136 our God H430 belong mercies H7356 and forgivenesses, H5547 though we have rebelled H4775 against him; Neither have we obeyed H8085 the voice H6963 of the LORD H3068 our God, H430 to walk H3212 in his laws, H8451 which he set H5414 before H6440 us by H3027 his servants H5650 the prophets. H5030 Yea, all Israel H3478 have transgressed H5674 thy law, H8451 even by departing, H5493 that they might not obey H8085 thy voice; H6963 therefore the curse H423 is poured H5413 upon us, and the oath H7621 that is written H3789 in the law H8451 of Moses H4872 the servant H5650 of God, H430 because we have sinned H2398 against him. And he hath confirmed H6965 his words, H1697 which he spake H1696 against us, and against our judges H8199 that judged H8199 us, by bringing H935 upon us a great H1419 evil: H7451 for under the whole heaven H8064 hath not been done H6213 as hath been done H6213 upon Jerusalem. H3389 As it is written H3789 in the law H8451 of Moses, H4872 all this evil H7451 is come H935 upon us: yet made we not our prayer H2470 before H6440 the LORD H3068 our God, H430 that we might turn H7725 from our iniquities, H5771 and understand H7919 thy truth. H571 Therefore hath the LORD H3068 watched H8245 upon the evil, H7451 and brought H935 it upon us: for the LORD H3068 our God H430 is righteous H6662 in all his works H4639 which he doeth: H6213 for we obeyed H8085 not his voice. H6963 And now, O Lord H136 our God, H430 that hast brought H3318 thy people H5971 forth H3318 out of the land H776 of Egypt H4714 with a mighty H2389 hand, H3027 and hast gotten H6213 thee renown, H8034 as at this day; H3117 we have sinned, H2398 we have done wickedly. H7561 O Lord, H136 according to all thy righteousness, H6666 I beseech thee, let thine anger H639 and thy fury H2534 be turned away H7725 from thy city H5892 Jerusalem, H3389 thy holy H6944 mountain: H2022 because for our sins, H2399 and for the iniquities H5771 of our fathers, H1 Jerusalem H3389 and thy people H5971 are become a reproach H2781 to all that are about H5439 us. Now therefore, O our God, H430 hear H8085 the prayer H8605 of thy servant, H5650 and his supplications, H8469 and cause thy face H6440 to shine H215 upon thy sanctuary H4720 that is desolate, H8076 for the Lord's H136 sake. O my God, H430 incline H5186 thine ear, H241 and hear; H8085 open H6491 thine eyes, H5869 and behold H7200 our desolations, H8074 and the city H5892 which is called H7121 by thy name: H8034 for we do not present H5307 our supplications H8469 before H6440 thee for our righteousnesses, H6666 but for thy great H7227 mercies. H7356 O Lord, H136 hear; H8085 O Lord, H136 forgive; H5545 O Lord, H136 hearken H7181 and do; H6213 defer H309 not, H408 for thine own sake, O my God: H430 for thy city H5892 and thy people H5971 are called H7121 by thy name. H8034
I have sent H7971 among you the pestilence H1698 after the manner H1870 of Egypt: H4714 your young men H970 have I slain H2026 with the sword, H2719 and have taken away H7628 your horses; H5483 and I have made the stink H889 of your camps H4264 to come up H5927 unto your nostrils: H639 yet have ye not returned H7725 unto me, saith H5002 the LORD. H3068
Hear H8085 this, I pray you, ye heads H7218 of the house H1004 of Jacob, H3290 and princes H7101 of the house H1004 of Israel, H3478 that abhor H8581 judgment, H4941 and pervert H6140 all equity. H3477 They build up H1129 Zion H6726 with blood, H1818 and Jerusalem H3389 with iniquity. H5766 The heads H7218 thereof judge H8199 for reward, H7810 and the priests H3548 thereof teach H3384 for hire, H4242 and the prophets H5030 thereof divine H7080 for money: H3701 yet will they lean H8172 upon the LORD, H3068 and say, H559 Is not the LORD H3068 among H7130 us? none evil H7451 can come H935 upon us. Therefore shall Zion H6726 for your sake H1558 be plowed H2790 as a field, H7704 and Jerusalem H3389 shall become heaps, H5856 and the mountain H2022 of the house H1004 as the high places H1116 of the forest. H3293
Notwithstanding the land H776 shall be desolate H8077 because of them that dwell H3427 therein, for the fruit H6529 of their doings. H4611
Let G863 them G846 alone: G863 they be G1526 blind G5185 leaders G3595 of the blind. G5185 And G1161 if G1437 the blind G5185 lead G3594 the blind, G5185 both G297 shall fall G4098 into G1519 the ditch. G999
And G2532 some of G1537 the Pharisees G5330 which G3588 were G5607 with G3326 him G846 heard G191 these words, G5023 and G2532 said G2036 unto him, G846 Are G3361 G2070 we G2249 blind G5185 also? G2532 Jesus G2424 said G2036 unto them, G846 If G1487 ye were G2258 blind, G5185 ye should G302 have G2192 no G3756 sin: G266 but G1161 now G3568 ye say, G3004 G3754 We see; G991 therefore G3767 your G5216 sin G266 remaineth. G3306
What G5101 then? G3767 Israel G2474 hath G2013 not G3756 obtained G2013 that G5127 which G3739 he seeketh for; G1934 but G1161 the election G1589 hath obtained it, G2013 and G1161 the rest G3062 were blinded G4456
For G1063 I would G2309 not, G3756 brethren, G80 that ye G5209 should be ignorant G50 of this G5124 mystery, G3466 lest G3363 ye should be G5600 wise G5429 in G3844 your own conceits; G1438 that G3754 blindness G4457 in G575 part G3313 is happened G1096 to Israel, G2474 until G891 G3739 the fulness G4138 of the Gentiles G1484 be come in. G1525
In G1722 whom G3739 the god G2316 of this G5127 world G165 hath blinded G5186 the minds G3540 of them which believe not, G571 lest G1519 G3361 the light G5462 of the glorious G1391 gospel G2098 of Christ, G5547 who G3739 is G2076 the image G1504 of God, G2316 should shine G826 unto them. G846
But G1063 he that G3739 lacketh G3361 G3918 these things G5023 is G2076 blind, G5185 and cannot see afar off, G3467 and hath forgotten G3024 G2983 that he was purged from G2512 his G846 old G3819 sins. G266
But G1161 he that hateth G3404 his G846 brother G80 is G2076 in G1722 darkness, G4653 and G2532 walketh G4043 in G1722 darkness, G4653 and G2532 knoweth G1492 not G3756 whither G4226 he goeth, G5217 because G3754 that darkness G4653 hath blinded G5186 his G846 eyes. G3788
Because G3754 thou sayest, G3004 G3754 I am G1510 rich, G4145 and G2532 increased with goods, G4147 and G2532 have G2192 need G5532 of nothing; G3762 and G2532 knowest G1492 not G3756 that G3754 thou G4771 art G1488 wretched, G5005 and G2532 miserable, G1652 and G2532 poor, G4434 and G2532 blind, G5185 and G2532 naked: G1131
Thine own wickedness H7451 shall correct H3256 thee, and thy backslidings H4878 shall reprove H3198 thee: know H3045 therefore and see H7200 that it is an evil H7451 thing and bitter, H4751 that thou hast forsaken H5800 the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 and that my fear H6345 is not in thee, saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD H3069 of hosts. H6635
And he said, H559 Throw her down. H8058 So they threw her down: H8058 and some of her blood H1818 was sprinkled H5137 on the wall, H7023 and on the horses: H5483 and he trode her under foot. H7429 And when he was come in, H935 he did eat H398 and drink, H8354 and said, H559 Go, H6485 see now this cursed H779 woman, and bury H6912 her: for she is a king's H4428 daughter. H1323 And they went H3212 to bury H6912 her: but they found H4672 no more of her than H518 the skull, H1538 and the feet, H7272 and the palms H3709 of her hands. H3027 Wherefore they came again, H7725 and told H5046 him. And he said, H559 This is the word H1697 of the LORD, H3068 which he spake H1696 by H3027 his servant H5650 Elijah H452 the Tishbite, H8664 saying, H559 In the portion H2506 of Jezreel H3157 shall dogs H3611 eat H398 the flesh H1320 of Jezebel: H348 And the carcase H5038 of Jezebel H348 shall be as dung H1828 upon the face H6440 of the field H7704 in the portion H2506 of Jezreel; H3157 so that they shall not say, H559 This is Jezebel. H348
The dead bodies H5038 of thy servants H5650 have they given H5414 to be meat H3978 unto the fowls H5775 of the heaven, H8064 the flesh H1320 of thy saints H2623 unto the beasts H2416 of the earth. H776 Their blood H1818 have they shed H8210 like water H4325 round about H5439 Jerusalem; H3389 and there was none to bury H6912 them.
The earth H776 also is defiled H2610 under the inhabitants H3427 thereof; because they have transgressed H5674 the laws, H8451 changed H2498 the ordinance, H2706 broken H6565 the everlasting H5769 covenant. H1285 Therefore hath the curse H423 devoured H398 the earth, H776 and they that dwell H3427 therein are desolate: H816 therefore the inhabitants H3427 of the earth H776 are burned, H2787 and few H4213 men H582 left. H7604
For the LORD H3068 hath poured out H5258 upon you the spirit H7307 of deep sleep, H8639 and hath closed H6105 your eyes: H5869 the prophets H5030 and your rulers, H7218 the seers H2374 hath he covered. H3680
Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Where is the bill H5612 of your mother's H517 divorcement, H3748 whom I have put away? H7971 or which of my creditors H5383 is it to whom I have sold H4376 you? Behold, for your iniquities H5771 have ye sold H4376 yourselves, and for your transgressions H6588 is your mother H517 put away. H7971
Therefore is judgment H4941 far H7368 from us, neither doth justice H6666 overtake H5381 us: we wait H6960 for light, H216 but behold obscurity; H2822 for brightness, H5054 but we walk H1980 in darkness. H653 We grope H1659 for the wall H7023 like the blind, H5787 and we grope H1659 as if we had no eyes: H5869 we stumble H3782 at noonday H6672 as in the night; H5399 we are in desolate H820 places as dead H4191 men.
For our transgressions H6588 are multiplied H7231 before thee, and our sins H2403 testify H6030 against us: for our transgressions H6588 are with us; and as for our iniquities, H5771 we know H3045 them; In transgressing H6586 and lying H3584 against the LORD, H3068 and departing away H5253 from H310 our God, H430 speaking H1696 oppression H6233 and revolt, H5627 conceiving H2029 and uttering H1897 from the heart H3820 words H1697 of falsehood. H8267 And judgment H4941 is turned away H5253 backward, H268 and justice H6666 standeth H5975 afar off: H7350 for truth H571 is fallen H3782 in the street, H7339 and equity H5229 cannot H3201 enter. H935 Yea, truth H571 faileth; H5737 and he that departeth H5493 from evil H7451 maketh himself a prey: H7997 and the LORD H3068 saw H7200 it, and it displeased H3415 H5869 him that there was no judgment. H4941
The LORD H3068 shall smite H5221 thee with madness, H7697 and blindness, H5788 and astonishment H8541 of heart: H3824 And thou shalt grope H4959 at noonday, H6672 as the blind H5787 gropeth H4959 in darkness, H653 and thou shalt not prosper H6743 in thy ways: H1870 and thou shalt be only oppressed H6231 and spoiled H1497 evermore, H3117 and no man shall save H3467 thee.
Thy way H1870 and thy doings H4611 have procured H6213 these things unto thee; this is thy wickedness, H7451 because it is bitter, H4751 because it reacheth H5060 unto thine heart. H3820
For death H4194 is come up H5927 into our windows, H2474 and is entered H935 into our palaces, H759 to cut off H3772 the children H5768 from without, H2351 and the young men H970 from the streets. H7339 Speak, H1696 Thus saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 Even the carcases H5038 of men H120 shall fall H5307 as dung H1828 upon the open H6440 field, H7704 and as the handful H5995 after H310 the harvestman, H7114 and none shall gather H622 them.
For thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Behold, I will sling H7049 out the inhabitants H3427 of the land H776 at this once, H6471 and will distress H6887 them, that they may find H4672 it so.
And I will appoint H6485 over them four H702 kinds, H4940 saith H5002 the LORD: H3068 the sword H2719 to slay, H2026 and the dogs H3611 to tear, H5498 and the fowls H5775 of the heaven, H8064 and the beasts H929 of the earth, H776 to devour H398 and destroy. H7843
They shall die H4191 of grievous H8463 deaths; H4463 they shall not be lamented; H5594 neither shall they be buried; H6912 but they shall be as dung H1828 upon the face H6440 of the earth: H127 and they shall be consumed H3615 by the sword, H2719 and by famine; H7458 and their carcases H5038 shall be meat H3978 for the fowls H5775 of heaven, H8064 and for the beasts H929 of the earth. H776 For thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Enter H935 not into the house H1004 of mourning, H4798 neither go H3212 to lament H5594 nor bemoan H5110 them: for I have taken away H622 my peace H7965 from this people, H5971 saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 even lovingkindness H2617 and mercies. H7356 Both the great H1419 and the small H6996 shall die H4191 in this land: H776 they shall not be buried, H6912 neither shall men lament H5594 for them, nor cut H1413 themselves, nor make themselves bald H7139 for them:
Therefore deliver up H5414 their children H1121 to the famine, H7458 and pour out H5064 their blood by the force H3027 of the sword; H2719 and let their wives H802 be bereaved H7909 of their children, and be widows; H490 and let their men H582 be put H2026 to death; H4194 let their young men H970 be slain H5221 by the sword H2719 in battle. H4421
Jerusalem H3389 hath grievously H2399 sinned; H2398 therefore she is removed: H5206 all that honoured H3513 her despise H2107 her, because they have seen H7200 her nakedness: H6172 yea, she sigheth, H584 and turneth H7725 backward. H268
The yoke H5923 of my transgressions H6588 is bound H8244 by his hand: H3027 they are wreathed, H8276 and come up H5927 upon my neck: H6677 he hath made my strength H3581 to fall, H3782 the Lord H136 hath delivered H5414 me into their hands, H3027 from whom I am not able H3201 to rise up. H6965
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Zephaniah 1
Commentary on Zephaniah 1 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 1
Zep 1:1-18. God's Severe Judgment on Judah for Its Idolatry and Neglect of Him: The Rapid Approach of the Judgment, and the Impossibility of Escape.
1. days of Josiah—Had their idolatries been under former kings, they might have said, Our kings have forced us to this and that. But under Josiah, who did all in his power to reform them, they have no such excuse.
son of Amon—the idolater, whose bad practices the Jews clung to, rather than the good example of Josiah, his son; so incorrigible were they in sin.
Judah—Israel's ten tribes had gone into captivity before this.
2. utterly consume—from a root to "sweep away," or "scrape off utterly." See Jer 8:13, Margin, and here.
from off the land—of Judah.
3. Enumeration in detail of the "all things" (Zep 1:2; compare Jer 9:10; Ho 4:3).
the stumbling-blocks—idols which cause Judah to offend or stumble (Eze 14:3, 4, 7).
with the wicked—The idols and their worshippers shall be involved in a common destruction.
4. stretch out mine hand—indicating some remarkable and unusual work of vengeance (Isa 5:25; 9:12, 17, 21).
Judah—including Benjamin. These two tribes are to suffer, which thought themselves perpetually secure, because they escaped the captivity in which the ten tribes were involved.
Jerusalem—the fountainhead of the evil. God begins with His sanctuary (Eze 9:6), and those who are nigh Him (Le 10:3).
the remnant of Baal—the remains of Baal worship, which as yet Josiah was unable utterly to eradicate in remote places. Baal was the Phœnician tutelary god. From the time of the Judges (Jud 2:13), Israel had fallen into this idolatry; and Manasseh lately had set up this idol within Jehovah's temple itself (2Ki 21:3, 5, 7). Josiah began his reformation in the twelfth year of his reign (2Ch 34:4, 8), and in the eighteenth had as far as possible completed it.
Chemarims—idol priests, who had not reached the age of puberty; meaning "ministers of the gods" [Servius on Æneid, 11], the same name as the Tyrian Camilli, r and l being interchangeable (compare Ho 10:5, Margin). Josiah is expressly said (2Ki 23:5, Margin) to have "put down the Chemarim." The Hebrew root means "black" (from the black garments which they wore or the marks which they branded on their foreheads); or "zealous," from their idolatrous fanaticism. The very "name," as well as themselves, shall be forgotten.
the priests—of Jehovah, of Aaronic descent, who ought to have used all their power to eradicate, but who secretly abetted, idolatry (compare Zep 3:4; Eze 8:1-18; 22:26; 44:10). From the priests Zephaniah passes to the people.
5. worship the host of heaven—Saba: whence, in contrast to Sabeanism, Jehovah is called Lord of Sabaoth.
upon the housetops—which were flat (2Ki 23:5, 6, 12; Jer 19:13; 32:29).
swear by the Lord—rather, "swear to Jehovah" (2Ch 15:14); solemnly dedicating themselves to Him (compare Isa 48:1; Ho 4:15).
and—"and yet (with strange inconsistency, 1Ki 18:21; Eze 20:39; Mt 6:24) swear by Malcham," that is, "their king" [Maurer]: the same as Molech (see on Am 5:25), and "Milcom the god of … Ammon" (1Ki 11:33). If Satan have half the heart, he will have all; if the Lord have but half offered to Him, He will have none.
6. This verse describes more comprehensively those guilty of defection from Jehovah in any way (Jer 2:13, 17).
7. Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord—(Hab 2:20). Let the earth be silent at His approach [Maurer]. Or, "Thou whosoever hast been wont to speak against God, as if He had no care about earthly affairs, cease thy murmurs and self-justifications; submit thyself to God, and repent in time" [Calvin].
Lord … prepared a sacrifice—namely, a slaughter of the guilty Jews, the victims due to His justice (Isa 34:6; Jer 46:10; Eze 39:17).
bid his guests—literally, "sanctified His called ones" (compare Isa 13:3). It enhances the bitterness of the judgment that the heathen Chaldeans should be sanctified, or consecrated as it were, by God as His priests, and be called to eat the flesh of the elect people; as on feast days the priests used to feast among themselves on the remains of the sacrifices [Calvin]. English Version takes it not of the priests, but the guests bidden, who also had to "sanctify" or purify themselves before coming to the sacrificial feast (1Sa 9:13, 22; 16:5). Nebuchadnezzar was bidden to come to take vengeance on guilty Jerusalem (Jer 25:9).
8. the princes—who ought to have been an example of good to others, but were ringleaders in all evil.
the king's children—fulfilled on Zedekiah's children (Jer 39:6); and previously, on Jehoahaz and Eliakim, the sons of Josiah (2Ki 23:31, 36; 2Ch 36:6; compare also 2Ki 20:18; 21:13). Huldah the prophetess (2Ki 22:20) intimated that which Zephaniah now more expressly foretells.
all such as are clothed with strange apparel—the princes or courtiers who attired themselves in costly garments, imported from abroad; partly for the sake of luxury, and partly to ingratiate themselves with foreign great nations whose costume as well as their idolatries they imitated, [Calvin]; whereas in costume, as in other respects, God would have them to be separate from the nations. Grotius refers the "strange apparel" to garments forbidden by the law, for example, men's garments worn by women, and vice versa, a heathen usage in the worship of Mars and Venus (De 22:5).
9. those that leap on the threshold—the servants of the princes, who, after having gotten prey (like hounds) for their masters, leap exultingly on their masters' thresholds; or, on the thresholds of the houses which they break into [Calvin]. Jerome explains it of those who walk up the steps into the sanctuary with haughtiness. Rosenmuller translates, "Leap over the threshold"; namely, in imitation of the Philistine custom of not treading on the threshold, which arose from the head and hands of Dragon being broken off on the threshold before the ark (1Sa 5:5). Compare Isa 2:6, "thy people … are soothsayers like the Philistines." Calvin's view agrees best with the latter clause of the verse.
fill … masters' houses with violence, &c.—that is, with goods obtained with violence, &c.
10. fish gate—(2Ch 33:14; Ne 3:3; 12:39). Situated on the east of the lower city, north of the sheep gate [Maurer]: near the stronghold of David in Milo, between Zion and the lower city, towards the west [Jerome]. This verse describes the state of the city when it was besieged by Nebuchadnezzar. It was through the fish gate that he entered the city. It received its name from the fish market which was near it. Through it passed those who used to bring fish from the lake of Tiberias and Jordan. It answers to what is now called the Damascus gate [Henderson].
the second—namely, the gate which was second in dignity [Calvin]. Or, the second or lower part of the city. Appropriately, the fish gate, or extreme end of the lower part of the city, first resounds with the cries of the citizens as the foe approaches; then, as he advances further, that part of the city itself, namely, its inner part; lastly, when the foe is actually come and has burst in, the hills, the higher ones, especially Zion and Moriah, on which the upper city and temple were founded [Maurer]. The second, or lower city, answers to Akra, north of Zion, and separated from it by the valley of Tyropœon running down to the pool of Siloam [Henderson]. The Hebrew is translated "college," 2Ki 22:14; so Vatablus would translate here.
hills—not here those outside, but those within the walls: Zion, Moriah, and Ophel.
11. Maktesh—rather, "the mortar," a name applied to the valley of Siloam from its hollow shape [Jerome]. The valley between Zion and Mount Olivet, at the eastern extremity of Mount Moriah, where the merchants dwelt. Zec 14:21, "The Canaanite," namely, merchant [Chaldee Version]. The Tyropœon (that is, cheese-makers') valley below Mount Akra [Rosenmuller]. Better Jerusalem itself, so called as lying in the midst of hills (Isa 22:1; Jer 21:13) and as doomed to be the scene of its people being destroyed as corn or drugs are pounded in a mortar (Pr 27:22) [Maurer]. Compare the similar image of a "pot" (Eze 24:3, 6). The reason for the destruction is subjoined, namely, its merchant people's greediness of gain.
all the merchant people—literally, the "Canaanite people": irony: all the merchant people of Jerusalem are very Canaanites in greed for gain and in idolatries (see on Ho 12:7).
all … that bear silver—loading themselves with that which will prove but a burden (Hab 2:6).
12. search … with candles—or lamps; so as to leave no dark corner in it wherein sin can escape the punishment, of which the Chaldeans are My instruments (compare Zep 1:13; Lu 15:8).
settled on their lees—"hardened" or crusted; image from the crust formed at the bottom of wines long left undisturbed (Jer 48:11). The effect of wealthy undisturbed ease ("lees") on the ungodly is hardening: they become stupidly secure (compare Ps 55:19; Am 6:1).
Lord will not do good … evil—They deny that God regards human affairs, or renders good to the good; or evil to the evil, but that all things go haphazard (Ps 10:4; Mal 2:17).
13. Therefore their goods shall become a booty, &c.—Fulfilling the prophecy in De 28:30, 39 (compare Am 5:11).
14. voice of … day of … Lord—that is, Jehovah ushering in that day with a roar of vengeance against the guilty (Jer 25:30; Am 1:2). They who will not now heed (Zep 1:12) His voice by His prophets, must heed it when uttered by the avenging foe.
mighty … shall cry … bitterly—in hopeless despair; the might on which Jerusalem now prides itself, shall then fail utterly.
15. wasteness … desolation—The Hebrew terms by their similarity of sounds, Shoah, Umeshoah, express the dreary monotony of desolation (see on Na 2:10).
16. the trumpet—namely, of the besieging enemy (Am 2:2).
alarm—the war shout [Maurer].
towers—literally, "angles"; for city walls used not to be built in a direct line, but with sinuous curves and angles, so that besiegers advancing might be assailed not only in front, but on both sides, caught as it were in a cul-de-sac; towers were built especially at the angles. So Tacitus describes the walls of Jerusalem [Histories, 5.11.7].
17. like blind men—unable to see whither to turn themselves so as to find an escape from existing evils.
flesh—Hebrew, "bread"; so the Arabic term for "bread" is used for "flesh" (Mt 26:26).
18. Neither … silver nor … gold shall … deliver them, &c.—(Pr 11:4).
fire of his jealousy—(Eze 38:19); His wrath jealous for His honor consuming the guilty like fire.
make even a speedy riddance of all—rather, a "consummation" (complete destruction: "full end," Jer 46:28; Eze 11:13) "altogether sudden" [Maurer]. "A consumption, and that a sudden one" [Calvin].