For the LORD hath turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel: for the emptiers have emptied them out, and marred their vine branches.
Ver. 2. For the Lord hath turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel] Both the ten tribes carried captive already and the other two (vexed by Sennacherib's invasion) have taken their turns, and have had their part of bitter affliction; and shalt thou, O Nineveh, altogether escape unpunished? Never think it. Especially since thou hast exceeded thy commission, and exercised an unheard of cruelty upon God's people; for he was but a little displeased, but ye have helped forward the affliction, Zechariah 1:15. See Trapp on " Zec 1:5 "
For the emptiers have emptied them out] The Assyrians have spoiled and pillaged till they have left neither men nor means behind them; such clean work they have made, sweeping all before them, like a sweeping rain that leaveth no food, Proverbs 28:3. Omnia corradunt et converrunt.
And marred their vine branches] That is, their sons and their daughters, saith Lyra; their cities and villages, say others; like a malicious vinedresser, that not only cuts off the luxurious or barren branches, but pulls up the young sprouts by the roots, and so mars the vineyard. The Assyrians endeavoured utterly to destroy the whole seed of Abraham without any mercy or compassion; and this undid them. The jealous and just God cannot bear with such boars out of the wood, that waste his vines, Psalms 80:13 .