Gog. This name, which signifies hidden, or covered, is taken in this place either for the persecutors of the Church of God in general, or some arch persecutor in particular; such as Antichrist shall be in the latter days. See Apocalypse xx. 8. And what is said of the punishment of God, is verified b... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jaws. Thus Cambyses treated the son of Psammenites. God has the most absolute dominion over all monarchs, ver. 7._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Visited, or rather "shall visit" Judea. (Chaldean) (Grotius) --- Cambyses invaded Egypt twelve years after the Jews had returned, and came upon them two years later, designing to plunder them, at the instigation of their malevolent neighbours. He had sustained great losses in Egypt, and was arrived... [ Continue Reading ]
_Midst. Literally, "navel." Hebrew, "Thabor," intimating a mountain rising in a plain, Judges ix. 7. (Calmet) --- Alluding to this intended blunder of the Jews lately returned, he speaks of Antichrist and of all heretics, who seek to pervert or suppress Catholics rescued from the power of the devil,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Tharsis. Septuagint, "Carthage, and all their villages." The merchants or naval forces of Cambyses spurred him forward, (see Psalm lxxvii. 6.) as well as the Arabs, Cuthites, &c., 1 Esdras iv. 8. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Latter. Cambyses had punished Egypt, his turn came, and all his designs were baffled._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Prophets. See Isaias xiv., and xvi. 21., and xxvi. 1., and Jeremias xxx. 3., and 23., and Joel ii. 30., and iii. 1., &c._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Israel. The Jews shall be full of dismay, (ver. 20.) as the tyrant will vent some threats; (Calmet) or this commotion was in his own army. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sword. The Jews were not in a condition to make resistance. (Calmet) --- Cambyses had his brother Smerdis slain. But another was set on the throne; whereupon, mounting his horse in a fury, he wounded himself with his sword in the thigh, which mortifying, caused his death after twenty days. (Herodot... [ Continue Reading ]
_Pestilence. His wound might be thus described. --- Blood. Thus was he punished for shedding that of innocent people. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER XXXIII.... [ Continue Reading ]