Jer 4:30, Eze 23:16, 40 | JFB | STEP | 30. when thou art spoiled —rather, "thou, O destroyed one" [MAURER ]. rentest . . . face with painting —Oriental women paint their eyes with stibium, or antimony, to make them look full and sparkling, the black margin causing the white of the eyes to appear the brighter by contrast ( ). He uses the term "distendest" in derision of their effort to make their eyes look large [MAURER ]; or else, "rentest," that is, dost lacerate by puncturing the eyelid in order to make the antimony adhere [ROSENMULLER ]. So the Jews use every artifice to secure the aid of Egypt against Babylon. face

Jeremiah 4:30

30. when thou art spoiled—rather, "thou, O destroyed one" [MAURER].

rentest . . . face with painting—Oriental women paint their eyes with stibium, or antimony, to make them look full and sparkling, the black margin causing the white of the eyes to appear the brighter by contrast (2Ki 9:30). He uses the term "distendest" in derision of their effort to make their eyes look large [MAURER]; or else, "rentest," that is, dost lacerate by puncturing the eyelid in order to make the antimony adhere [ROSENMULLER]. So the Jews use every artifice to secure the aid of Egypt against Babylon.

face—rather, thy eyes (Eze 23:40).

Ezekiel 23:16

16. sent messengers . . . into Chaldea— (Eze 16:29). It was she that solicited the Chaldeans, not they her. Probably the occasion was when Judah sought to strengthen herself by a Chaldean alliance against a menaced attack by Egypt (compare 2Ki 23:29-35; 24:1-7). God made the object of their sinful desire the instrument of their punishment. Jehoiakim, probably by a stipulation of tribute, enlisted Nebuchadnezzar against Pharaoh, whose tributary he previously had been; failing to keep his stipulation, he brought on himself Nebuchadnezzar's vengeance.

Ezekiel 23:40

40. messenger was sent—namely, by Judah (Eze 23:16; Isa 57:9).

paintedst . . . eyes— (2Ki 9:30, Margin; Jer 4:30). Black paint was spread on the eyelids of beauties to make the white of the eye more attractive by the contrast, so Judah left no seductive art untried.