IX The prophet's lamentation continues over their adultery, deceit, idolatry, which God would certainly punish, and they should be laid waste, when they should sufficiently lament, ver. 1-22. No trust in ourselves, but in God, who will punish all nations, ver. 23- 26.

Verse 2. A lodging place - Some retiring place, though it were but some mean hut in the wilderness.

Verse 5. Weary - They use industry, and contrivance in it, they spare no labour.

Verse 7. Try them - By melting them, I will bring upon them, the fire of the Chaldean war, that shall purge away those deceits in which they trust, that the remnant may be purified. For how - I have tried all other means.

Verse 10. Wailing - The prophet having taken up a lamentation for the slaughter of the people, now re-assumes it for the desolation of the whole land. The mountains shall not be able to secure them, nor the valleys to feed them.

Verse 12. Who is - Is there not a wise man among you, that will search into the cause of all these threatened judgments.

Verse 16. A sword - But I will follow them with the sword, 'till they be destroyed, such of them as were appointed for destruction; for otherwise, they were not all consumed, a full end was not to be made.

Verse 17. Women - Who were hired to tear their hair, and beat their breasts, with other mourning postures, a foolish custom which has obtained in most ages and countries. Cunning - Such as are most skilful in it.

Verse 20. Every one - It denotes how large and universal the mourning shall be.

Verse 21. Death - The unavoidableness of the ruin is expressed metaphorically, alluding to the storming of a city, wherein there is no respect had to sex, youth, or age.

Verse 22. As the handful - They shall be no more regarded than a few scattered ears that drop out of the reapers hand, which either lie on the ground and are eaten by birds, or trod to dirt by beasts. None - None shall have so much respect to them, as to afford burial.