Lecture 15

^1:15^ Samech. The Lord has taken away all my mighty men out of the midst of me: he has called against me the time, to destroy my chosen men: the Lord has trodden the winepress for the virgin daughter of Judah.

15. Here he describes in detail the misery of servitude.

And first, as regards the first captivity under Jekoniah, the grandson of Josiah (2 Kgs 24:13–14).

Second, as regards the last captivity, which was under Zedekiah (2 Kgs 25:1, 20–21, and Jer 52:28–30), at Zion has spread forth her hands (Lam 1:17).

Concerning the first, he does two things.

Because first, he weeps over the captivity of men;

second, over the withdrawal of consolation, at therefore am I weeping, and my eyes run down with water (Lam 1:16).

Concerning the first, he does three things.

First, he presents the captivity of those who were eminent in dignity: mighty men, princes, to whom it belongs to do great things; because, with the others remaining behind, these were taken away into captivity. The Lord of hosts shall take away from Jerusalem, and from Judah the valiant and the strong (Isa 3:1).

Second, those who were eminent in virtue: he has called against me the time, apt for destruction, to destroy my chosen men, pre-eminent in virtue. When I shall take a time, I will judge justices (Ps 74:3). In the day of revenge I will visit this sin also of theirs (Exod 32:34). All things have their season (Eccl 3:1).

Third, the affliction of those who were pre-eminent in purity, or even in piety; the winepress, that is, affliction, for the virgin daughter, either literally or for the people themselves, who were until then like a virgin, who were also made captive. The shout, as it were, of them that tread grapes shall be given out against all the inhabitants of the earth (Jer 25:30).

Here is where the letter (I.e., the letter that precedes each new verse. There is not always agreement as to the proper division of the verses.) ought to be prefixed according to the Gloss; but it is better that it is prefixed in what follows, because it proceeds by threes.