_Ways. Religious rites, ver. 3. --- Fear. Worship, Leviticus xix. 14. --- Signs. They were designed to point out the seasons, Genesis i. 14. (Calmet) --- Heathens thought that they had a divine power. (Worthington)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Asunder. Isaias xliv. 8., Baruch vi. 3., and Wisdom xiii. 11. The pagans themselves laughed at such folly. (Calmet) --- If such things were gods, the makers and tools deserved more adoration: Fabri deorum vel parentes numinum, says Prudentius. The vanity of such idols was more easily discerned than... [ Continue Reading ]
_Tree. The ancient statues were ill-formed, (Diodorus 4.) before Dedalus brought the art to greater perfection, and gave them a living attitude._... [ Continue Reading ]
_There. Septuagint omit the three following verses; and from ver. 9., all these, &c., to the end of ver. 10., which Grabe inserts in a different character. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wise. Manuscript 2 has in the margin "kings," perhaps more correctly. (Kennicott)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Vanity, and shews them clearly to be foolish (Calmet) and wicked. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ophaz, or Phison, (Genesis ii. 11.; Calmet) the coast of Pegu, Faprobana, &c. (Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wrath. God is the true cause of all that terrifies mankind._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Heaven. This verse is in Chaldean, for the captives to use at Babylon, to defend themselves. It should be in a parenthesis, as it interrupts the discourse. Perhaps it was added during the captivity._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Voice. Thunder, (Psalm xxviii. 3.) which is usually the forerunner of rain. Lightning is occasioned by the inflamed exhalations of conflicting clouds._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Knowledge. If it were real, he would see the vanity of idols, ver. 8. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Portion. The Lord. (Haydock) (Psalm lxxii. 6.) --- Rod, to measure, (Psalm lxxiii. 2.) or the sceptre and ruler. (Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Shame. Idols. See if they will keep thee. Hebrew, "thy merchandise," or most precious effects._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Found by the enemy. Hebrew also, "find" me, being taught by affliction, chap. xxix. 13. (Calmet) --- Entering into sentiments of penance, they shall say, Woe, &c. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_North. He has announced this conqueror eight times. --- Dragons. Tannim means "huge reptiles," whether of sea or land. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_The way, &c. Notwithstanding man's free-will, yet he can do no good without God's help, nor evil without his permission. So that, in the present case, all the evils which Nabuchodonosor was about to bring upon Jerusalem, could not have come but by the will of God. (Challoner) (Worthington) --- This... [ Continue Reading ]
_Judgment. Chap xxx. 11., and Psalm vi. 1. Justice is not contrary to mercy. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Glory. This is repeated from Psalm lxxviii. 6. (Menochius) --- The prophet supposes that these nations will not repent, and that their sins are more enormous. To see God's people treated with greater severity, might scandalize the weak, while infidels would take occasion to abuse their own impunity... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER X.... [ Continue Reading ]