Though I have bound [and] strengthened their
arms
As a surgeon sets a broken arm and swathes and binds it, and so
restores it to its former strength, or at least to a good degree
of strength again, so the Lord dealt with Israel; their arms were
broken, and their strength weakened, and they greatly distressed
and reduced by the Syrians in the times of Jehoahaz; but they
were brought into a better state and condition in the times of
Joash and Jeroboam the second; the former retook several cities
out of the hands of the Syrians, and the latter restored the
border of Israel, and greatly enlarged it; and as all this was
done through the blessing of divine Providence, the Lord is said
to do it himself. Some render it, "though I have chastised, I
have strengthened their arms" F21; though he corrected them
for their sins in the times of Jehoahaz, and suffered their arms
to be broken by their enemies, for their instruction, and in
order to bring them to repentance for their sins; yet he
strengthened them again in the following reigns: yet do
they imagine mischief against me;
so ungrateful were they, they contrived to do hurt to his
prophets that were sent to them in his name, to warn them of
their sins and danger, and exhort them to repent, and forsake
their idolatrous worship, and other sins; and they sought by all
means to dishonour the name of the Lord, by imputing their
success in the reigns of Joash and Jeroboam to their idols, and
not unto him; and so hardened themselves against him, and in
their evil ways.
F21 (Mtewrz ytqzx ytroy ynaw) "castigavi", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Vatablus, Cocceius, Tarnovius.
