Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister
Sodom
Namely, the first after mentioned, the source and spring of the
rest; the causes and means of which are declared; and the same,
as is suggested, was the sin of Jerusalem: namely,
pride;
which was the sin of the devils, and the cause of their ruin; the
sin of our first parents, by which they fell, and destroyed
themselves, and their posterity; and is the prevailing,
governing, sin of human nature: it has been the ruin of kingdoms
and states, of cities and particular persons; a sin hateful to
God, and destructive to man: fulness of bread;
the land of Sodom was very fruitful before it was destroyed; it
was like the garden of the Lord, ( Genesis
13:10 ) ; it brought forth plentifully, so that there was
great fulness of provision, of all sorts of food, which is meant
by bread: this, considered in itself, was not sinful, but a
blessing; it was the Lord's mercy and goodness to them that they
had such plenty; but it was their sin that they abused it; luxury
and intemperance, eating and drinking to excess, are here meant;
which led on to that sin, and kindled the flames of it, and were
the fuel to it, which has its name from them; and, besides, this
fulness of good things enjoyed by them was the source of their
pride, and served to increase that, as before mentioned:
and abundance of idleness was in her and in her
daughters;
or, "peace of rest" F2; prosperity and ease, security and
quietness, at leisure, and without labour; two words are used to
express the same thing, and to denote, as Kimchi observes, the
abundance of it: sloth and idleness, as they often arise from the
goodness and fruitfulness of a country, said fulness of
provision, so they are the cause of much sin and wickedness; for,
if persons are not employed in some business or another, either
of the head or hand, they will be doing evil: neither did
she strengthen the hands of the poor and needy;
though she had such abundance of food to supply them with, and so
much leisure to attend to their distress; but her pride would not
suffer her to do it; and she was too idle and slothful to regard
such service; perhaps more is intended than is expressed; that
she weakened the hands of the poor and needy, and cruelly
oppressed them; which is often done by proud men, in great
affluence and at leisure, which they abuse to bad purposes.