Jeremiah 13:22

“And if thou say in thine heart, etc.] Not daring to express it with the mouth; and which, notwithstanding, God, that knows the heart, was privy to, and could discern all the secret workings of it; putting such a question as this: wherefore come these things upon me? all these calamities, the invasion and siege of the enemy, famine, sword, captivity, etc.: the answer returned is, for the greatness of thine iniquity; the enormous crimes the Jews were guilty of, such as idolatry, blasphemy, etc. which were attended with aggravated circumstances: or, “for the multitude of thine iniquity”f273; their sins being so many, as well as great: are thy skirts discovered, and thy heels made bare; being…”

“if thou say--connecting this verse with "What wilt thou say" (Jer 13:21)? skirts discovered--that is, are thrown up so as to expose the person (Jer 13:26; Isa 3:17; Nah 3:5). heels made bare--The sandal was fastened by a thong above the heel to the instep. The Hebrew, is, "are violently handled," or "torn off"; that is, thou art exposed to ignominy. Image from an adulteress.”

“Made bare - Rather, “ill-used, treated with violence.” The long flowing robes worn by ladies of rank, are to be laid aside, that they might do menial work, bare-legged, like slaves. The ill-usage to the heels is the having to tramp barefoot, a thing very painful to women accustomed to the seclusion of the female apartments. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Thy skirts - Probably these phrases are fetched from the usual practice of soldiers when they have conquered a place and taken prisoners, to strip them. By skirts is meant the lower part of their bodies covered with the lower part of their garments. Jeremiah 13:26”

“if: Deu 7:17, Deu 8:17, Deu 18:21; Isa 47:8; Zep 1:12; Luk 5:21, Luk 5:22 Wherefore: Jer 5:19, Jer 16:10, Jer 16:11 the greatness: Jer 2:17-19, Jer 9:2-9; Hos 12:8 skirts: Jer 13:26; Isa 3:17, Isa 20:4, Isa 47:2, Isa 47:3; Lam 1:8; Eze 16:37-39, Eze 23:27-29; Hos 2:3, Hos 2:10; Nah 3:5 made bare: or, shall be violently taken away Jeremiah 13:23”

“This will befall the daughter of Zion for her sore transgressions. Therefore will she be covered with scorn and shame. The manner of her dishonour, discovery of the skirts (here and esp. in Jer 13:26), recalls Nah 3:5, cf. Isa 47:3; Hos 2:5. Chr. B. Mich. and others understand the violent treatment of the heels to be the loading of the feet with chains; but the mention of heels is not in keeping with this. Still less can the exposure of the heels by the upturning of the skirts be called maltreatment of the heels; nor can it be that, as Hitz. holds, the affront is simply specialized by the mention of the heels instead of the person. The thing can only mean, that the person will be driven…”