Verse 4
4. called to contend—that is, with Israel judicially (Job 9:3; Isaiah 66:16; Ezekiel 38:22). He ordered to come at His call the infliction of punishment by "fire" on Israel, that is, drought (compare Ezekiel 38:22- :), [MAURER]. Rather, war (Numbers 21:28), namely, Tiglath-pileser [GROTIUS].
devoured the . . . deep—that is, a great part of Israel, whom he carried away. Waters are the symbol for many people (Numbers 21:28- :).
did eat up a part—namely, all the land (compare Amos 4:7) of Israel east of Jordan (1 Chronicles 5:26; Isaiah 9:1). This was a worse judgment than the previous one: the locusts ate up the grass: the fire not only affects the surface of the ground, but burns up the very roots and reaches even to the deep.
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