2 Kings 21:13

the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab The figures are taken from the occupation of the builder. The builder employs line and plummet that he may carry out his work exactly according to the plan prescribed. But here the pattern is one of utter destruction, which God Himself threatens to carry out after the fashion of Samaria and the house of Ahab, which the previous generation had beheld utterly destroyed. Samaria and the house of Ahab were famous for building (see 1 Kings 22:39 note). Hence the peculiar fitness of the figure. These great builders, with all that they had built, were swept away and just so should it be with Jerusalem. The way in which a portion of the judgement was carried out is described by the Chronicler: -The Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh in chains (R.V.) and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon".

asa man wipeth a dish The description is of a thing that is done with, and will be used no more. -To turn it upside down", is literally -to turn it upon the face thereof", a rendering which brings out very completely the intention of using the dish no more. Such God declares will be His manner of dealing with Jerusalem. The verb rendered -wipe" is the same which is used Genesis 7:4, -Every living substance … will I destroy", and in Numbers 5:23 -he shall blot them out", and in the solemn sentence, Exodus 32:33, -him will I blot outof my book". The original very markedly shews that God's wipingwas to be a wiping out.