And Huzzab shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up, and her maids shall lead [her] as with the voice of doves, tabering upon their breasts.
Ver. 7. And Huzzab shall be led away captive] The queen; so called because she stood firm, and was best underlaid of any other, as was thought. Some render it, quae firma stabat, ducta est in exilium. She that was wont to stand at the king's right hand, as Psa 45:9 which is a place both of dignity and of safety. As Christ is at God's right hand, Psalms 110:1, so the Church is at his, Psalms 45:9, and he hath led captivity captive, Ephesians 4:8, spoiled principalities and powers, made an open show of them, triumphing over them in himself, Colossians 2:15. This is the saints' happiness: they are out of gunshot, more than conquerors, even triumphers, 2 Corinthians 2:14 .
She shall be brought up] Whither she would not, to take horse or coach to go into captivity, as Queen Zenobia was brought in triumph to Rome, in golden fetters, by Aurelianus, the emperor.
And her maids shall lead her] Her maids of honour. The gyneceum or seraglio or harem shall fall into the hands of rude soldiers, and by them be hurried away into a far country. Neither is it without desert: for omne malum fere ex Gynaeceo; Women are many times means of such mischief, and for their miscarriages men "fall by the sword, and the mighty in the war; the gates also of the city lament and mourn," Isaiah 3:11; Isaiah 3:25,26, even for the ladies' gallantry, whereof we have here an inventory. What a deal of trouble bred Jezebel in Israel, Athaliah in Judah, those two late turbulent queen mothers in Scotland and France! of which latter and her Cardinal Lorraine, one made this stinging distich,
“ Non audet Stygius Pluto tentare quod audet
Effraenis Monachus, plenaque fraudis anus. ”
As with the voice of doves ] Mourning secretly to themselves, and groaning inwardly (In morem columbaram mussitantium, Isaiah 38:14; Isa 59:11), as not suffered to bark at those that carry them captive (as Hecuba, Queen of Troy, did, and is therefore famed to be turned into a bitch), or to fill the air with complaints of their hard fortunes, as they call it, or to ease their grief by loud lamentations; but forced to smother it, and take it all to themselves, which is no small aggravation of it; for Expletur laehrymis egeriturque dolor (Ovid). Their tongues and their tears are women's best weapons. Et hic fere lasciviae, luxus, et libidinis finis est, saith Gualther here. Lo such, for the most part, is the end of lasciviousness, luxury, and lust. Let women be warned.
Tabering upon their breasts] Not singing and playing on instruments, after their ladies, as once; but moaning and groaning and knocking their breasts, for the greatness of their grief and heaviness; whereof this is an excellent and eloquent description.