Psalms 78:46

“He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives.] He not only pitied them himself, but caused them to be pitied by others, even by their enemies; he has the hearts of all men in his hands, and can turn them as he pleases; as he sometimes turned their hearts to hate his people, (<19A525>Psalm 105:25), so he turned them to pity them, as he promised he would when they turned to him, (<143009>2 Chronicles 30:9), so he did, by stirring up Cyrus to proclaim liberty to them, and his successors to encourage and assist in rebuilding their city and temple.”

“He gave also their increase unto the caterpillar - The increase or the produce of their fields. Exodus 10:12-14. The word חסיל châsı̂yl - is supposed to denote a species of locust rather than the caterpillar. It literally means the devourer. In our version, however, it is uniformly rendered caterpillar as here; 1Ki 8:37; 2 Chronicles 6:28; Isaiah 33:4; Joel 1:4; Joel 2:25. It occurs nowhere else. And their labor unto the locust - The fruit of their labor; the harvests in their fields. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Labour - The herbs which were come up by their care and labour. Psalms 78:47”

“gave also: Psa 105:34, Psa 105:35; Exo 10:12-15; Joe 1:4-7, Joe 2:25; Amo 7:1, Amo 7:2; Rev 9:2-11 the caterpillar: Chosal, from chasal, to consume, eat up, is rendered βρουξοϚ or βρουχος by the LXX, in Ch2 6:28, and Aquila here, and also the Vulgate in Chron. and Isa 33:4 and Jerome here, bruchus, the chaffer, which every one knows to be a great devourer of the leaves of trees. The Syriac in Joe 1:4; Joe 2:25, renders it tzartzooro, which Michaelis, from the Arabic tzartzar, a cricket, interprets the mole-cricket, which in its grub state is also very destructive to corn, grass, and other vegetables, by cankering the roots on which it feeds. Psalms 78:47”