“Son of man, set thy face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them,”
Mountains, where idols were chiefly adored. Here their votaries find death. (Worthington) — Israel, including all God’s people, as the sacred writers make no distinction (Calmet) after the destruction of Samaria.
“And your altars shall be desolate, and your images shall be broken: and I will cast down your slain men before your idols. images: or, sun images”
Idols. Protestant marginal note, “sun-images,” as [in] ver. 6. The sun was much worshipped, chap. viii. 16. (Haydock)
“And I will lay the dead carcases of the children of Israel before their idols; and I will scatter your bones round about your altars. lay: Heb. give”
Bones. The Chaldeans violated the tombs, Baruch ii. 24., and Jeremias viii. 1. (Calmet)
“Yet will I leave a remnant, that ye may have some that shall escape the sword among the nations, when ye shall be scattered through the countries.”
Some. Providence still preserves some faithful or penitent souls. (Worthington)
“And they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations whither they shall be carried captives, because I am broken with their whorish heart, which hath departed from me, and with their eyes, which go a whoring after their idols: and they shall lothe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations.”
Broken. Adversity has made them repent.
“Thus saith the Lord GOD; Smite with thine hand, and stamp with thy foot, and say, Alas for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel! for they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.”
Foot, through indignation or pity. (Calmet)
“So will I stretch out my hand upon them, and make the land desolate, yea, more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath, in all their habitations: and they shall know that I am the LORD. more: or, desolate from the wilderness”
From, or, “more than,” (Haydock) as Hebrew may signify. Deblatha was in the land of Moab, Numbers xxxiii. 46. (Calmet)