συνετὸν ἀκροατὴν] Heb. ‘skilled in whispering,’ i.e. in incantations. The word is used in plur., ver. 20, of charms or amulets; in xxvi. 16, of whispered prayer. The Greek is not easy to understand perhaps it transfers the idea to the listening for the sounds of mystic charms; or to secret initiation into mysteries: ἀκροᾶσθαι had something of this sense in regard to philosophy, Plutarch. Vit. Alex. vii.

4. νεανίσκους] Delitzsch remarks how the revival of the glory of Solomon (under Uzziah and Jotham) was followed by a repetition of Rehoboam-like folly. Cf. Eccles. x. 16. Many of the kings of Judah came to the throne early, Manasseh at twelve, Ahaz at twenty (?) Josiah at eight, Jehoiachin at eighteen. Ahaz seems to have been wayward (Isai. vii. 12, 13), and, Nero-like, concerned with artistic fripperies (2 Kings xvi. 10—12), instead of weightier matters, and despite of religion.

ἐμπαῖκται] The Heb. word is difficult; it recurs only in lxvi. 4 where Lxx. has ἐμπαίγματα. The meaning seems to be properly abstract : ‘childishnesses,’ ‘petulances.’ The Heb. word for ‘children’ in ver. 12 is akin ; but Lxx. there differs (see note). ἐμπαῖκται occurs in N.T., 2 Pet. iii. 3, Jude 18. Cf. Wisdom xvii. 7, and Exod. x. 2, ὅσα ἐμπέπαιχα.

5. συμπεσεῖται] Heb. ‘shall oppress one another,’ best taken as reflexive. Unless LXX. read ABBREVfor ABBREVthis verb seems to assimilated in meaning to the next. συμπίπτειν seems to admit some suggestion of a hostile intent.

προσκόψει] Heb. ‘shall rage against,’ or ‘insult.’ The Greek stumbling, as though purposely, against a dignified or infirm elder, to make him fall; Lat. offendere. As an interpretation, it is not without merit : see Kay's note on ver. 6–8.