John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 8. The Lord hath purposed to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion , etc.] Either the wall of the city, as Aben Ezra; or the wall that encompassed the temple, and all the outward courts of it, as Dr. Lightfoot thinks; this the Lord had determined to destroy, and according to his purposes did destroy it, or suffer it to be demolished; and so all were laid open for the enemy to enter: he hath stretched out a line ; a line of destruction, to mark out how far the destruction should go, and bow much should be laid in ruins; all being as exactly done, according to the purpose and counsel of God, as if it was done by line and rule; (see Isaiah 34:11); he hath not withdrawn his hand from destroying ; till he made a full end of the city and temple, as he first designed: therefore he made the rampart and the wall to lament : the “chel” and the wall; all that space between the courts of the temple and the wall that surrounded it was called the “chel”; and so the Targum, the circumference or enclosure; and these were laid waste together, and so said to lament: according to others they were two walls, a wall the son of a wall, as Jarchi interprets it; an outward and an inward wall, one higher than another; a low wall over against a high wall; which was as a rampart or bulwark, for the strength and support of it: they languished together ; or fell together, as persons in a fit faint away and full to the ground.
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 חשׁב2803 יהוה3068 להשׁחית7843 חומת2346 בת1323 ציון6726 נטה5186 קו6957 לא3808 השׁיב7725 ידו3027 מבלע1104 ויאבל56 חל2426 וחומה2346 יחדו3162 אמללו׃535
