12 She has wearied (herself) with toil; yet her great rust doesn't go forth out of her; her rust doesn't (go forth) by fire.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
(l) She hath wearied [herself] with lies, and her great scum went not forth out of her: her scum [shall be] in the fire.
(l) The city has flattered herself in vain.
She hath wearied herself with lies,.... With serving idols, which were lying vanities; by trusting to the alliances of neighbouring nations, which deceived her; or by committing sin, in which there was no satisfaction; or it may be understood of wearying of God with their sins, and particularly with her lying promises of repentance and reformation:
and her great scum went not forth out of her; notwithstanding her promises; or notwithstanding the admonitions given, and the chastisements inflicted on her, yet she continued hardened in her sins, impenitent and unreformed:
her scum shall be in the fire; like a pot that boils over, its scum falls into the fire, and is consumed there; and in no other way, but by the fire of divine judgments, or the burning of the city, could the wickedness thereof be consumed. The Targum is,
"and they shall not go out of her that work iniquity; in the fire shall she be burnt, because of the multitude of her sins.''
herself--rather, "she hath wearied Me out with lies"; or rather, "with vain labors" on My part to purify her without being obliged to have recourse to judgments (compare Isaiah 43:24; Malachi 2:17) [MAURER]. However, English Version gives a good sense (compare Isaiah 47:13; Isaiah 57:10).
She - Jerusalem. With lies - Her allies, their promises, their forces, and their idols, all prove a lie to the house of Judah. Her scum - Her unrepented sins shall be punished in the fire that burns their city.
*More commentary available at chapter level.