16:57 Before thy wickedness was {i} uncovered, as at the time of [thy] reproach of the daughters of Syria, and all [that are] around {k} her, the daughters of the Philistines, who despise thee on every side.
(i) That is, till you were brought under by the Syrians and Philistines, 2Ch 28:19.
(k) Which joined with the Syrians, or compassed about Jerusalem.
16:57 Before - The time of her pride was, when they were not yet afflicted, and despised by the Syrians. And all - The nations that were round about and combined in league against the house of David. Her - Syria, the chief whereof were the Philistines.
16:1-58 In this chapter God's dealings with the Jewish nation, and their conduct towards him, are described, and their punishment through the surrounding nations, even those they most trusted in. This is done under the parable of an exposed infant rescued from death, educated, espoused, and richly provided for, but afterwards guilty of the most abandoned conduct, and punished for it; yet at last received into favour, and ashamed of her base conduct. We are not to judge of these expressions by modern ideas, but by those of the times and places in which they were used, where many of them would not sound as they do to us. The design was to raise hatred to idolatry, and such a parable was well suited for that purpose.
