_Colour. Hebrew, "gold." Septuagint, "silver;" (Haydock) denoting the patriarchs, (Theodoret) chiefs, (Vatable) or ornaments of the temple. (Calmet) --- It had formerly glittered with gold; now there was nothing but smoke and ruins. (Worthington)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Best. Hebrew, "gold of Phaz," in Colchis, Genesis ii. 11. (Calmet) --- In Solomon's reign, they powdered their hair with gold dust. (Josephus, Antiquities viii. 7.) --- Vessels. Isaias xxx. 14._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sea-monsters. Literally, Lamia. Hebrew Tannim. (Haydock) --- The lamia has a face like a woman, and a body like beasts; and is cruel, yet feeds its young. (Worthington) --- The fabulous lamia is supposed to destroy all children, (Diod. Sic. xx.; Ovid, Fast. vi.) and cannot be meant. But the sea dog... [ Continue Reading ]
_Scarlet. Literally, "yellow;" croceis. (Haydock) --- Hebrew means purple. Those who have been educated in the most delicate manner, are forced to feed on the most disgusting things, 4 Kings vi. 25., and xviii. 27., and Deuteronomy xxviii. 54._... [ Continue Reading ]
_In her. Sodom was destroyed by God. Her temporal misery was short. (Haydock) --- Jerusalem was exposed to greater afflictions (Calmet) here, (Haydock) and her ingratitude and abominations were greater, Ezechiel xvi. 46._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Old ivory. Whiteness shews its age. (Pliny, [Natural History?] iii. 8.) --- As it grows old it turns yellow, and loses much of its value. But the ancients had the art of dyeing it scarlet. (Virgil, \'c6neid xii.; Homer, Iliad iv.; Ovid ii. Am. v.) (Calmet) --- Hebrew poninim may signify (Haydock) ... [ Continue Reading ]
_Coals. Hebrew, "blackness." Septuagint, "soot." (Haydock) --- The people were naturally brown. Fasting and distress cause them to turn black, chap. v. 10., and Joel ii. 6. (Calmet) --- They were so changed, that old acquaintances knew not one another. (Worthington)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_For. Literally, "by the barrenness of the earth." (Haydock) --- Such a death was, no doubt, more painful than to perish quickly by the sword. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Pitful. So their nature dictates. (Worthington) --- But hunger made them the reverse. Some think they slew their children, to prevent them being exposed to more cruel torments, (Calmet) as the people of Colchis do their sick. (Chardin.) --- Sodden: boiled or roasted; coxerunt, ver. 5., and Deuteron... [ Continue Reading ]
_Believed. God had so often protected this city against Sennacherib, Holofernes, &c. (Haydock) --- It had been also so strongly fortified, 2 Kings v. 6. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Priests. They too generally favoured (Haydock) the false prophets, chap. ii. 26., &c. They were judges, and condemned the innocent: or exposed (Calmet) the citizens to destruction, by not warning them to amend, (Haydock) and to submit to the Chaldeans. (Calmet) --- Impostors are called prophets, as... [ Continue Reading ]
_They. Septuagint, "Her guards have tottered in," &c. --- When. Protestants, "so that men could not touch their garments," as they were defiled. (Haydock) --- These hypocrites were afraid of touching blood, as they observed external ceremonies, while they disregarded the spirit of religion._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Depart. They were not ashamed to speak thus to others, or the citizens address the priests contaminated with blood. Even the Chaldeans looked upon the Jews with abhorrence, as an abandoned people. --- For they. Hebrew, "but they understood not, and wandered about. They, (Calmet) the Gentiles, said.... [ Continue Reading ]
_They, the Jews; or rather the prophet thus describes the Chaldeans, chap. v. 12., and Deuteronomy xxviii. 50._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Save. The Egyptians attempted it in vain, chap. xxxiv. 8., and xxxvii. 10._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Streets. There were enemies within as well as without. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Christ, &c. According to the letter, is spoken of their king, who is called the Christ; that is, the anointed of the Lord. But is also relates in the spiritual sense to Christ our Lord, suffering for out sins. (Challoner) (Isaias liii. 5.) (St. Augustine, City of God xviii. 33.) --- It literally sp... [ Continue Reading ]
_Rejoice. Edom had manifested her joy at the misfortunes of Juda. The prophet hints at this with a cutting irony, Psalm cxxxvi. 7., and Abdias 11. --- Come, as at a feast. Edom was visited five years after the Jews, chap. xlix. 7. --- Naked. Septuagint, "and shalt pour it out," (Haydock) or vomit. ... [ Continue Reading ]
_Accomplished, and sufficiently punished by exile, chap. l. 20., and Isaias xl. 2. --- Discovered. Genesis xliv. 16., and 3 Kings xvii. 18. (Calmet) --- In vain wouldst thou hid them. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER IV.... [ Continue Reading ]