From the first-born—unto—the maid-servant that is behind the mill— That is, from the highest to the lowest. It was usual for the lowest slaves to be employed in the drudgery of the mill; and, therefore, the prophet Isaiah uses this idea, to express the abject state of slavery to which Babylon should be reduced: Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon: sit on the ground, take the millstones and grind meal, Isaiah 47:1-2. Dr. Shaw observes, that most families in those countries still grind their wheat and barley at home, having two portable mill-stones for that purpose; the uppermost whereof is turned round by a small handle of wood or iron, which is placed in the rim. When this stone is large, or expedition is required, then a second person is called in to assist; and as it is usual for the women alone to be concerned in this employment, who seat themselves over-against each other, with the mill-stones between them; we may see not only the propriety of the expression in this verse, of sitting behind the mill, but the force of another, Matthew 24:41 that two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Travels, p. 231.
All the first-born of beasts— The beasts were involved in this common calamity, most probably, for the reason we have assigned upon another occasion; namely, their subserviency to the cause of idolatry.