In this chapter a catalogue or list of the sins of the Jews is given; a comparison of them to dross is made, and they are dealt with accordingly; and a complaint is lodged against all ranks and orders of men for their sins; on account of which, there being no intercessor for them, they are…

Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me. &c.] The word of prophecy from the Lord, as the Targum, another prophecy: saying; as follows:

Now, thou son of man, wilt thou judge, wilt thou judge the bloody city? &c.] Or, “city of bloods” [[23]]? the city of Jerusalem, in which was shed the blood of the prophets sent unto her; the doubling of the word denotes the vehemency with which it was expressed: wilt thou plead for and excuse such…

Then say thou, thus saith the Lord God For though the prophet was to sit as judge, yet in the name of the King of kings, under whose authority he acted: the city sheddeth blood in the midst of it; openly and impudently, in the face of all, and in great abundance; even innocent blood, as the Targum…

Thou art become guilty in thy blood that thou hast shed Not only she contracted guilt by the innocent blood she shed, but she was tried and found guilty; her guilt was notorious, plain, and evident, as well as exceeding great, and much aggravated: and hast defiled thyself in thine idols which thou…

Those that be near, and those that be far from thee, shall mock thee The neighbouring nations, as the Edomites, Philistines, Moabites, and Ammonites; and distant ones, as the Babylonians, Medes, and Persians; all that either hear of, or see their misery, shall rejoice at it, and triumph over them:…

Behold, the princes of Israel Those that belonged to the royal family, or the nobles of the land, or the members of the grand sanhedrim of the nation: everyone were in thee to their power to shed blood; everyone exerted himself to the uttermost, according to his ability, to shed blood, or cause it…

In thee have they set light by father and mother Through whom they received their being from God; by whom they were brought into the world, brought up and educated; and to whom they owed great respect, honour, and obedience; but, on the contrary, they wanted affection to their persons, showed great…

Thou hast despised mine holy things The holy place, the temple, and the worship of it; holy persons, the priests that officiated there; holy sacrifices offered up by them; the holy word of God read and explained; and all holy ordinances there administered.

In thee are men that carry tales to shed blood Innocent blood, as the Targum; such who go from house to house, as pedlars do, with their wares or spices, as the word [[0]] signifies; hence the Syriac version renders it “merchants”; and carry tales and lies of innocent persons, and stir up others…

In thee have they discovered their father’s nakedness Or, “he discovered” [[1]], or “uncovered”, it being in the singular number; though the Targum, Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and all the Oriental versions, read in the plural; this, though committed, was done but by a few; it being a sin not so…

And one hath committed abomination with his neighbour’s wife, &c.] The sin of adultery, which is an abominable sin; it is so to God, and it should be so to man: or, “a man hath committed” [[2]]; some man of note, a great man; for this sin prevailed among the princes and nobles: or “everyone”; it…

In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood. &c.] Innocent blood, as the Targum; judges upon the bench, whose office it is to take the part of the innocent, and clear him from unjust charges; and protect him from the violence of wicked and unreasonable men; that lay things to his charge, which, if…

Behold, therefore, I have smitten mine hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made As one amazed at it; or as filled with indignation against it; or as grieved and distressed at it; so Jarchi and Kimchi: or else as rejoicing at the punishment going to be inflicted on them for it.

Can thine heart endure Or “stand” [[3]]: surely it must fall within thee; become like water, and melt as wax, be it ever so hard and adamantine: or can thine hands be strong in the days that I shall deal with thee? surely they must become weak, and drop, and not be able to hold a weapon for…

And I will scatter thee among the Heathen, and disperse thee in the countries Not only cause them to be carried captive to some one place, as Babylon; but to be scattered and dispersed throughout the various provinces of it, and in other nations, as chaff is by the winds; signifying hereby the…

And thou shalt take thine inheritance in thyself in the sight of the Heathen No longer be the inheritance of God, but their own; and not have God to be their portion and inheritance, but themselves; and a poor portion and inheritance that must be, being in captivity, poverty, and distress; enjoying…

And the word of the Lord came unto me The word of prophecy from the Lord, as the Targum: saying; as follows:

Son of man, the house of Israel is to me become dross Vile, despicable, useless, and unprofitable; to which the wicked of the earth are compared, and here the Lord’s professing people, they differing nothing from them, being sadly degenerated; formerly they were as silver, and so they might be…

Therefore thus saith the Lord God, because ye are all become dross King, princes, nobles, prophets, priests, as well as the common people; the apostasy was general, in city and country; scarcely any exceptions to be made: therefore will I gather you into the midst of Jerusalem; from the several…

As they gather silver, and brass, and iron, and lead, and tin, into the midst of the furnace As refiners of metal do; though not together, as here, but each metal apart.

Yea, I will gather you, and blow upon you in the fire of my wrath Not only gather them in wrath, as before; but blow upon them in wrath, which is often compared to fire in Scripture; and besides, the city and temple of Jerusalem were to be burnt, and were burnt with material fire, in consequence of…

As silver is melted in the furnace, so shall ye be melted in the midst thereof This is repeated for the greater confirmation of it; and the people might assure themselves that it would verily be, as was threatened: and ye shall know that I the Lord have poured out my fury upon you; feel it upon…

And the word of the Lord came unto me The word of prophecy from the Lord, as the Targum: saying; as follows:

Son of man, say unto her, thou land Thou land of Israel, as the Targum: thou art not cleansed; from filthiness, by the fire of divine judgments; or reformed from sins, by the instructions, cautions, and exhortations of the prophets; none of these things had any effect upon her to make her wiser and…

There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, &c.] Not of the prophets of the Lord, but of her prophets; such as were agreeable to her, the false prophets.

Her priests have violated my law Or, “forced it” [[8]]; they gave a wrong explanation of it, made it speak what it should not; they wrested the sense and meaning of it, and did and taught things contrary to it; they broke it themselves, who should have instructed others in it, and exhorted them to…

Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey The king and his nobles, those of the first rank and quality, who ought to have protected the persons and property of the meaner sort; these were like “wolves” themselves, subtle, voracious, and cruel, preying upon harmless persons,…

And her prophets have daubed them with untempered mortar Palliated their sins, declared it to be right to shed the blood they did; and seize on the estates of men; but this, though it might for a while satisfy the consciences of these princes, and stop the clamours of the people against them; yet…

The people of the land have used oppression The common people, the more powerful among them, such as were in greatest authority in cities and towns, in neighbourhoods and families, the richest among them; these oppressed the poor, and those that were under them, the servants of them, and tenants to…

And I sought for a man among them among the princes, priests, prophets, and people of the land, who acted the part as above described; for otherwise, no doubt, there were good people in the land, as Jeremiah, Baruch, and others, but not among these: that should make up the hedge; that was broken…

Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them Like a mighty torrent, carrying all before it: I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath; by the sword, famine, pestilence, and captivity: their own way have I recompensed on their heads, saith the Lord; brought just punishment upon them,…