Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations; they set up their ensigns [for] signs.
Ver. 4. Thine enemies roar] When they give the onset, or after the victory; our roaring boys are so called by a woeful prolepsis, here, for hereafter.
They set up their ensigns for signs] They set them up upon the very temple (as if they had conquered God himself), those their trophies and monuments of victory, Posuerunt signa sua, signa (Kimchi). Some refer us for the sense of these words to Ezekiel 21:21; others render them thus, They have brought in their signs, or profane pictures, for the sacred signs; and so have polluted these holy places (R. Solom.). Besides what Antiochus did (concerning which see the books of Maccabees and Josephus) in aftertimes, the arms of Rome were set upon the temple, and a swine engraven over the gate; this was the abomination of desolation foretold by our Saviour, Matthew 24:15 .