Verse 1
1. Rivers of Babylon Beside the Euphrates, Tigris, Chebar, (Chaboras,) (Ezekiel 1:1,) and Ulai, (Ulaeus,) near Susa, (Daniel 8:2; Daniel 8:16,) the vast plains of the Euphrates and Tigris were everywhere intersected with a network of canals, chiefly for irrigation.
We sat down The word may signify that they abode or dwelt there, or that they “sat down” for rest or conversation. It also indicates a habit of meeting, and that the captives were chiefly distributed throughout the rich province of Babylonia proper.
We wept… we remembered Zion An elegiac description of inimitable tenderness. The mention of these gatherings by the rivers seems to suggest that it was a custom, and Phillips supposes, that, as it was prior to the period of synagogues, they might nevertheless frequent such localities as suitable places for worship, and there, in the open air, perform divine service. Such an instance is recorded Acts 16:13; Acts 16:16. Hengstenberg thinks they met there to weep. Similar to this has been the Jewish custom, more or less regularly observed for fifteen hundred years, and regularly for about seven hundred years, of meeting at the “place of ‘wailing,” so called, by the southwest wall of the area of their ancient temple in Jerusalem, to bewail their ruined nation and altars.
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