2:1 How hath the Lord a covered the daughter of Zion with a
cloud in his anger, [and] cast down from b heaven to the
earth the beauty of Israel, and remembered not his c
footstool in the day of his anger!
(a) That is, brought her from prosperity to adversity.
(b) Has given her a most sore fall.
(c) Alluding to the temple, or to the ark of the covenant,
which was called the footstool of the Lord, because they
would not set their minds so low, but lift up their
heart toward the heavens.
2:3 He hath cut off in [his] fierce anger all the d horn of
Israel: he hath drawn back his e right hand from before
the enemy, and he burned against Jacob like a flaming fire,
[which] devoureth on every side.
(d) Meaning the glory and strength, as in (1Sa 2:1).
(e) That is, his comfort which he was wont to send us, when
our enemies oppressed us.
2:4 He f hath bent his bow like an enemy: he stood with his
right hand as an adversary, and slew all [that were]
pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of
Zion: he poured out his fury like fire.
(f) Showing that there is no remedy but destruction where
God is the enemy.
2:7 The Lord hath cast off his altar, he hath abhorred his
sanctuary, he hath given up into the hand of the enemy the
walls of her palaces; they have made a g noise in the
house of the LORD, as in the day of a solemn feast.
(g) As the people were accustomed to praising God to the
solemn feasts with a loud voice, so now the enemies
blaspheme him with shouting and cry.
2:8 The LORD hath purposed to destroy the wall of the daughter
of Zion: he hath stretched out a line, he hath not withdrawn
his hand from destroying: therefore he made the rampart h
and the wall to lament; they languished together.
(h) This is a figurative speech as that was, when he said
the ways lamented, (La 1:4) meaning that this sorrow
was so great that the insensible things had their part
of it.
2:13i What thing shall I take to witness for thee? what thing
shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? what shall
I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter
of Zion? for thy breach [is] great like the sea: who can
heal thee?
(i) Meaning that her calamity was so evident that it needed
no witnesses.
2:14 Thy prophets have k seen vain and foolish things for
thee: and they have not revealed thy iniquity, to turn away
thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and
causes of banishment.
(k) Because the false prophets called themselves seers, as
the others were called, therefore he shows that they
saw amiss because they did not reprove the people's
faults, but flattered them in their sins, which was the
cause of their destruction.
