And the sword shall abide on the cities
Or "shall fall" {y}, and continue; meaning the sword of the Assyrians, whereby Ephraim should be brought into subjection to them, and the king of Assyria become king over them; his sword should be drawn, and rest upon them, not only on their chief city Samaria, besieged three years by him, but upon all their other cities, which would fall into his hands, with the inhabitants of them: and shall consume his branches, and devour [them];
that is, the towns and villages adjoining to the cities; which were to them as branches are to a tree, sprung from them, and were supported by them; and, being near them, prospered or suffered as they did: some render it, "his bars" F26, as the word is sometimes used, and interpret it of the great men and nobles of the land. So the Targum,
``and it shall slay his mighty men, and destroy his princes;''with which Jarchi agrees; because of their own counsels;