Fire is gone out of a rod of her branches. — The rods, as shown in Ezekiel 19:11, are the royal sceptres of her kings. It was by the sin and folly of these kings, together with the sins and follies of the whole people, that judgment was drawn down upon them. Many of them did their full share of the evil work; but a “rod” is here spoken of in the singular, with especial reference to the last king, Zedekiah, who finally brought on the utter ruin of both himself and his people.
This is... and shall be. — It is a lamentation now in the half accomplished desolation; it shall remain for a lamentation when all shall be fulfilled.