A burdensome stone, &c.— A stone of burden to all people: all that heave it, shall be crushed in pieces, &c. It was the custom among the inhabitants of Palestine, even in St. Jerom's days, to place round stones of prodigious weight in their towns, villages, and castles, wherewith the youth used to exercise themselves, according to their different strength; some raising them as high as their knees, and others as high as their heads; which efforts frequently occasioned very dangerous accidents. It is to this custom that the prophet alludes here; and many think that it is one of this kind of stones which is mentioned 1 Kings 1:9 and alluded to, Eccl'us, Sir 6:21.
All the people of the earth— It is obvious, that by all is meant only many; as it is expressed, Ezekiel 38:6; Ezekiel 38:9; Ezekiel 38:15. "Thou and many people with thee."