Isa 23:12, Jer 18:13, 31:4, 21, Lam 2:13 | JFB | STEP | 12. he —God. rejoice —riotously ( ). oppressed —"deflowered"; laying aside the figure "taken by storm"; the Arabs compare a city never taken to an undefiled virgin (compare , &c.). daughter of Zidon —Tyre: or else, sons of Zidon, that is, the whole land and people of Ph nicia (see on ) [MAURER ]. Chittim —Citium in Cyprus ( ). there also . . . no rest —Thy colonies, having been harshly treated by thee, will now repay thee in kind (see on ). But VITRINGA refers it to the calamities which befell the Tyrians in their settlements subsequently, namely, Sicily, Corcyra, Carthage, and Spain, all flowing from the original curse of Noah against the posterity of Canaan ( ).

Isaiah 23:12

12. he—God.

rejoice—riotously (Isa 23:7).

oppressed—"deflowered"; laying aside the figure "taken by storm"; the Arabs compare a city never taken to an undefiled virgin (compare Na 3:5, &c.).

daughter of Zidon—Tyre: or else, sons of Zidon, that is, the whole land and people of Ph nicia (see on Isa 23:2) [MAURER].

Chittim—Citium in Cyprus (Isa 23:1).

there also . . . no rest—Thy colonies, having been harshly treated by thee, will now repay thee in kind (see on Isa 23:10). But VITRINGA refers it to the calamities which befell the Tyrians in their settlements subsequently, namely, Sicily, Corcyra, Carthage, and Spain, all flowing from the original curse of Noah against the posterity of Canaan (Ge 9:25-27).

Jeremiah 18:13

13. (Jer 2:10, 11). Even among the heathen it was a thing unheard of, that a nation should lay aside its gods for foreign gods, though their gods are false gods. But Israel forsook the true God for foreign false gods.

virgin of Israel— (2Ki 19:21). It enhances their guilt, that Israel was the virgin whom God had specially betrothed to Him.

horrible thing— (Jer 5:30).

Jeremiah 31:4

4. I will build . . . thou shalt be built—The combination of the active and passive to express the same fact implies the infallible certainty of its accomplishment. "Build," that is, establish in prosperity (Jer 33:7).

adorned with . . . tabrets— (1Sa 18:6). Or, "adorn thyself with thy timbrels"; used by damsels on occasions of public rejoicings (Ex 15:20; Jud 11:34). Israel had cast away all instruments of joy in her exile (Ps 137:4).

dances—holy joy, not carnal mirth.

Jeremiah 31:21

21. waymarks—pillars to mark the road for the returning exiles. Caravans set up pillars, or pointed heaps of stones, to mark the way through the desert against their return. So Israel is told by God to mark the way by which they went in leaving their country for exile; for by the same way they shall return.

highway— (Isa 35:8, 10).

Lamentations 2:13

13. What thing shall I take to witness—What can I bring forward as a witness, or instance, to prove that others have sustained as grievous ills as thou? I cannot console thee as mourners are often consoled by showing that thy lot is only what others, too, suffer. The "sea" affords the only suitable emblem of thy woes, by its boundless extent and depth (La 1:12; Da 9:12).

Nun.