VII In this chapter the prophet tells them, that a final ruin is coming, ver. 1-6. A ruin just at the door, ver. 7-10. An unavoidable ruin, because of their sins, ver. 11-15. That their strength and wealth would be no fence against it, ver. 16-19. That the temple, which they trusted in, should itself be ruined, ver. 20- 22. That it should be an universal ruin, the sin that brought it being universal, ver, 23-27.

Verse 1. An end - An end of God's patience, and of the peace and welfare of the people.

Verse 4. Recompense - The punishment of them.

Verse 5. An evil - An evil and sore affliction, a singular, uncommon one.

Verse 6. An end - When the end is come upon the wicked world, then an only evil comes upon it. The sorest of temporal judgments have their allays; but the torments of the damned are an evil, an only evil.

Verse 7. The morning - The fatal morning, the day of destruction. Sounding - Not a mere echo, not a fancy, but a real thing.

Verse 10. Is come - Of your wickedness; pride and violence in particular.

Verse 11. None - They shall be utterly wasted for their sins. Wailing - The living shall not bewail their dead friends, because they shall judge the dead in a better case than the living.

Verse 12. Mourn - Men usually part with their estates grieving that they must transmit their right to others; but let them now think how little a while they could have kept them, and how little time they shall keep them who have bought them.

Verse 13. Yet alive - For if any should survive the captivity, yet the conqueror wasting and destroying all, would confound all ancient boundaries. Touching - The evils threatened are designed against all the multitude of Israel. Strengthen - Nor shall any one man of them all he able to secure himself, by any sinful contrivance.

Verse 14. They - The house of Israel have summoned in all fit for arms. None - There is not a man going to the war. Wrath - That displeasure which takes away their courage.

Verse 15. Without - In the countries. Within - The besieged city. Field - Whoever is in the field.

Verse 16. Iniquity - Either for the punishment of their iniquity, or for their iniquity itself.

Verse 18. Baldness - Either by pulling off the hair amidst their sorrows, or cutting it off in token of mourning.

Verse 19. Cast - That they may be the lighter to fly. Removed - Carried away into Babylon. Not satisfy - They shall afford them no comfort. Stumbling-block - This silver and gold they coveted immeasurably, and abused to pride, luxury, idolatry and oppression; this that they stumbled at and fell into sin, now they stumble at and fall into the deepest misery.

Verse 20. The beauty - The temple, and all that pertained to it, which was the beauty and glory of that nation. He set - God commanded it should be beautiful and magnificent. Images - Their idols. Far from them - I have sent them far from the temple.

Verse 21. It - My temple.

Verse 22. Turn - Either from the Jews, or from the Chaldeans, neither relieving the one nor restraining the other. Secret place - The temple, and the holy of holies. Robbers - The soldiers.

Verse 23. A chain - To bind the captives.

Verse 24. The pomp - The magnificence and glory, wherein they boasted; or the temple that the Jews gloried in.

Verse 26. Seek - But in vain. The priest - He shall have no words either of counsel or comfort to say to them. Ancients - Nor shall their senators know what to advise.