Ver. 1. Go down to the house of the king of Judah.] To the palace royal of Jehoakim, son of Josiah, who reigned after that his brother Jehoahaz was carried captive to Egypt. (2 Kings 23:34)
Ver. 2. Thou and thy servants.] Thine attendants and officers, who, too oft, are evil instruments. This made the primitive Christians pray for the emperor, that God would send him Senatum fidelem, faithful counsellors. Tertul. Apol.
Ver. 3. Execute ye judgment and righteousness.] Make good laws, and see that they be well executed. This the prophet presseth quasi ad fastidium, ever and anon, over and over, as the likeliest means to prevent future judgments; so Phineas found it. See Jeremiah 21:12.
Ver. 4. For if ye do this thing indeed.] Heb., If doing you do this word, i.e., If seriously and sedulously ye do it. Then shall there enter in…kings sitting.] See Jeremiah 17:25.
Ver. 5. That this house shall become a desolation.] This stately edifice, the place of thy royal residence. Note here the prophet’s boldness, and learn that truth must be spoken, however it be taken.
Ver. 6. For thus saith the Lord concerning the king’s house,] i.e., Concerning the whole kingdom of Judah, saith Junius. Thou art Gilead unto me, and the head of Lebanon,] i.e., High and happy, as these fruitful mountains, famous for spicery and other things desirable. (Genesis 37:25) Yet surely I will make thee a wilderness.] Like as I have made them when the ten tribes were carried away captive.
Ver. 7. And I will prepare destroyers.] Heb., Sanctify them; that is, send them on mine errand, and let them forward. God’s holy hand is in all such desolations. Every one with his weapons.] Or, Tools rather, to fell with. And they shall cut down.] Sonat icta securibus ilex.
Ver. 8. And many nations shall pass, &c.] By a personification of passengers admiring the utter ruin of so famous a city, the prophet setteth forth the cause of their desolations.
Ver. 9. Because they have forsaken the covenant &c.] In promptu causa est. Heinous sins brings hideous plagues. Ingentia beneficia, flagitia, supplicia. Magdeburg.
Ver. 10. Weep not for the dead, neither bemoan him.] Lament no more for the good Josiah, lately slain in war, and yet dead in peace: Ne fletote, neque condoletote: there is no such cause, everything counted; neither shall ye have leisure so to do, because of later miseries befalling you thick and threefold. Weep ye rather for his son Challum, carried captive into Egypt; and there miserably handled, without hope of return.
Ver. 11. Which reigned instead of Josiah his father.] But was too hasty, stepping into the throne before his elder brother Jehoiakim; and therefore soon after dethroned, carried down to Egypt, and, as some say, there put to death. See 2 Kings 23:33 2Ch 36:2. [See Trapp on “2Ki 23:33”] [See Trapp on “2Ch 36:2”]
Ver. 12. But he shall die in the place.] See on Jeremiah 22:11.
Ver. 13. Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness.] This was Jehoiakim, cuius iniusta et insana aedificia hic accusantur; who would needs be building, but whether by fight or by wrong dealing, regarded not. This was to incur that curse. (Isaiah 5:8 Habakkuk 2:9,12) [See Trapp on “Isa 5:8”] [See Trapp on “Hab 2:9”] [See Trapp on “Hab 2:12”] Such injurious and therefore accursed builders were the pyramid makers in Egypt, Tarquinius Priscus, Caligula, Nero, Phocas, who is said to have heard this voice from heaven, Though thou shouldst erect thine edifice as high as heaven— “ Aedificans aure, sedesque in sidera mittens, ” yet sin, that lieth at the foundation, will soon overturn all. Bernard inveigheth against some in his time, who did, with great care and cost, erigere mutes, negligere mores, build high manors, but not amend their manners, which should have been their chief care. That useth his neighbour’s service.] His “neighbour” he was, though his vassal and poor labourer. And giveth him not for his work.] This is a crying sin. (Deuteronomy 24:14,15 James 5:4) [See Trapp on “Jas 5:4”] Sueton.; Niceph.
Ver. 14. I will build me a wide house.] Heb., A house of measures, or dimensions; such as is the Turk’s Seraglio, two or three miles in compass, or rather such as is Westminster Hall, built by William Rufus, who found much fault with it for being too little, saying it was fitter for a chamber than for a hall for a king of England; and taking a plot for one more spacious to be added unto it, he came to an untimely end. Sarcophago contentus, shut up in a little grave, which yet was more honour than this ambitious prince attained to; for he was “cast out and buried with the burial of an ass,” as it followeth. (Jeremiah 22:19) And large chambers.] Heb., Widened or winded; thoroughly aired. Thus, with those Megarensians, spoken of by Plato, he built as if his life had been riveted upon eternity. And cutteth him out windows.] Some render it, and the original will bear it, That teareth my windows -scil., To enlarge and beautify therewith his new building: he took in, belike, a piece of God’s house. This was such a piece of sacrilege as the very heathens abhorred. A certain King of Sicily, to enlarge his palace, pulled down an old temple; but the emperor, Marcus Antoninus, calleth it a beastly and lewd action, not to be spoken of without shame, protesting that it was a matter of wonder and scandal, not only to him, but to the whole city and senate of Rome; and therefore he blamed the king exceedingly for it. Our William the Conqueror is much cried out upon for throwing down thirty-six mother churches in Hampshire for the making of his New Forest, to hunt in. Daniel’s History. Coenacula perstabilia. Et lacerat sibi fenestras meas. -Trem. Camden’s Britain.