They that did eat delicacies are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace ash heaps.
Read Chapter 4
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Scarlet. Literally, "yellow "croceis. (Haydock)
Hebrew means purple. Those who have been educated in the most delicate manner, are forced to feed on the most disgusting things, 4 Kings vi. 25., and xviii. 27., and Deuteronomy xxviii. 54.
Here is considered famine as to dainties of nutritions. First is noticed the affliction from that famine, second, the comparison. As there in Verse 6: "For the chastisement of the daughter of my people has been greater than the punishment of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment, on hand being laid on it."
Such famine is indicated by two signs. One sign is death, as expressed in Verse 5: "Those perish in the streets." And by vile foods by those who were brought up in purple." As by expelling foods from their mouth: "lie on ash heaps." That is, they avidly devour vile foodstuffs. As literally expressed in 4 Kings, Chapter 7 (The Syrians flee). As said in Job 6:7: "My appetite refuses to touch them; they are as food that is loathsome to me."
