Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
Maktesh—rather, "the mortar," a name applied to the valley of Siloam from its hollow shape [JEROME]. The valley between Zion and Mount Olivet, at the eastern extremity of Mount Moriah, where the merchants dwelt. Zechariah 14:21, "The Canaanite," namely, merchant [Chaldee Version]. The Tyropœon (that is, cheese-makers') valley below Mount Akra [ROSENMULLER]. Better Jerusalem itself, so called as lying in the midst of hills (Isaiah 22:1; Jeremiah 21:13) and as doomed to be the scene of its people being destroyed as corn or drugs are pounded in a mortar (Proverbs 27:22) [MAURER]. Compare the similar image of a "pot" (Ezekiel 24:3, Ezekiel 24:6). The reason for the destruction is subjoined, namely, its merchant people's greediness of gain.
all the merchant people—literally, the "Canaanite people": irony: all the merchant people of Jerusalem are very Canaanites in greed for gain and in idolatries (see on Hosea 12:7).
all . . . that bear silver—loading themselves with that which will prove but a burden (Habakkuk 2:6).
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