Make a chain: for the land is full of bloody crimes, and the city is full of violence.
Make a chain - symbol of the captivity (cf. Jeremiah 27:2, "Make thee bonds"). As they enchained the land with violence, so they shall be chained themselves. It was customary to lead away captives in a row, with a chain passed from the neck one to the other. Therefore translate, as the Hebrew requires, 'the chain'-namely, that usually employed on such occasions. Calvin explains it that the Jews should be dragged, whether they would or no, before God's tribunal, to be tried as culprits in chains. The next words favour this, "the land is full of bloody crimes."
Bloody crimes - rather, 'judgment of bloods;' i:e., with blood-sheddings, deserving the extreme judicial penalty. Compare Jeremiah 51:9, "Her judgment reacheth unto heaven."