John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 5. The Lord was as an enemy , etc.] Who formerly was on their side, their God and guardian, their protector and deliverer, but now against them; and a terrible thing it is to have God for an enemy, or even to be as one; this is repeated, as being exceeding distressing, and even intolerable.
Mr. Broughton renders it, “the Lord is become a very enemy”; taking “caph” for a note of reality, and not of similitude; he hath swallowed up Israel ; the ten tribes, or the Jewish nation in general; as a lion, or any other savage beast, swallows its prey, and makes nothing of it, and leaves none behind: he hath swallowed up all her palaces : the palaces of Zion or Jerusalem; the palaces of the king, princes, nobles, and great men; as an earthquake or inundation swallows up whole streets and cities at once; (see Gill on “ Lamentations 2:2”); he hath destroyed his strong holds : the fortified places of the land of Israel, the towers and castles: and hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation ; exceeding great lamentation, for the destruction of its cities, towns, villages, and the inhabitants of them.
Matthew Henry Commentary
- The fate of Zedekiah. (Jer. 52:1-11) The destruction of Jerusalem (Jer. 52:12-23) The captivities. (Jer. 52:24-30) The advancement of Jehoiachin. (Jer. 52:31-34)
Jer. 52:1-11 This fruit of sin we should pray against above any thing Cast me not away from thy presence, Ps. 51:11. None are cast out of God's presence but those who by sin have first thrown themselves out Zedekiah's flight was in vain, for there is no escaping the judgment of God; they come upon the sinner, and overtake him, let him flee wher he will.
Jer. 52:12-23 The Chaldean army made woful havoc. But nothing is s particularly related here, as the carrying away of the articles in the temple. The remembrance of their beauty and value shows us the more the evil of sin.
Jer. 52:24-30 The leaders of the Jews caused them to err; but now the are, in particular, made monuments of Divine justice. Here is a account of two earlier captivities. This people often were wonders bot of judgment and mercy.
Jer. 52:31-34 See this history of king Jehoiachin in II Kin. 25:27-30 Those under oppression will find it is not in vain for them to hope an quietly to wait for the salvation of the Lord. Our times are in God' hand, for the hearts of all we have to deal with are so. May we be enabled, more and more, to rest on the Rock of Ages, and to loo forward with holy faith to that hour, when the Lord will bring agai Zion, and overthrow all the enemies of the church _________________________________________________
Original Hebrew היה1961 אדני136 כאויב341 בלע1104 ישׂראל3478 בלע1104 כל3605 ארמנותיה759 שׁחת7843 מבצריו4013 וירב7235 בבת1323 יהודה3063 תאניה8386 ואניה׃592
