“And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? fortify: Heb. leave to themselves”
Thus the wicked that consider not that God’s power is ever in a readiness for the defense of his, mock them as though they were weak and feeble. Of his companions that dwelt in Samaria.
“Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity: despised: Heb. despite”
This is the remedy that the children of God have against the derision and threatenings of their enemies, to flee to God by prayer. Let them be spoiled and led away captive.
“And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders.”
Let the plagues declare to the world that they set themselves against thee and against thy Church: that he prayeth only having respect to God’s glory and not for any private affection, or grudge.
“And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it. to hinder: Heb. to make an error to it”
Hebrew, make to stay , meaning the people.
“And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you. From all: or, That from all places ye must return to us”
They which brought the tidings, said thus, When you leave your work, and go either to eat or to rest, your enemies will assail you. That is, oftentimes.
“And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”
Who is ever at hand to deliver his out of danger: and therefore seeing they should fight for the maintenance of God’s glory, and for the preservation of their own lives and of theirs, he encourageth them to play the valiant men.
“And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah.”
To oversee them and to encourage them to their work.
“In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us.”
Meaning, to resist their enemies, if need required.
“So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put them off for washing. saving: or, every one went with his weapon for water”
That is, when they purified themselves, or else when they washed their clothes.