Sea. The Jews pretend that the Bosphorus' straits were dried up, to afford them a passage. (St. Jerome) --- But they must produce some stronger text to prove such a miracle. No obstacles shall be able to retard God's people, Isaias xi. 16. --- Assyria. After Epiphanes, the kingdom subsisted only about seventy years. --- Egypt. The Ptolemies excluded the natural princes, who have never regained the throne. They who had so often disturbed the Jews, were deprived of their power over them by the Syrians, and never could prevail there again after the Machabees. (Calmet) --- When the faithful are confirmed in their religion, the enemy cannot hurt them. (Worthington) CHAPTER X. Gates. Josephus (Jewish Wars vii. 12.) relates, that the heavy eastern gates flew open at midnight: and the priests officiating at Pentecost, heard a multitude crying, "Let us go hence." See Tacitus, History v. Johanan then declared, "O temple, I know thou wilt so be destroyed," as Zacharias foretold, Open, &c. (Kimchi; Lyranus; &c.) (Calmet) --- Libanus. So Jerusalem, and more particularly the temple, is called by the prophets, from its height, and from its being built of the cedars of Libanus. (Challoner) (Isaias x. 34., and Ezechiel xvii.) (St. Jerome) --- The destruction of both by Titus is predicted. (Worthington) --- Cedars. Thy princes and chief men. (Challoner) (Worthington) Fir and oak may signify the cities and towns of the Jews. --- Fenced. Septuagint, "well planted;" (Calmet) or "forest, planted all at once." (Haydock) --- "The temple was like a fortress." (Tacitus) Pride, or farther banks, covered with shrubs, among which lions dwelt, Jeremias l. 44. (Calmet) Feed, thou Zacharias; (Menochius) or the prophet announces what God will do. --- Slaughter, whom Herod and his successors, the Zealots, Eleazar, Simon, and John, so cruelly oppressed and brought to ruin. (Calmet) Hand. This alludes to the last siege of Jerusalem, in which the different factions of the Jews destroyed one another, and they that remained fell into the hands of their king, (that is, of the Roman emperor) of whom they had said, (John xiv. 15.) We have no king but C\'e6sar. (Challoner) --- The besieged slew each other daily, so that Vespasian did not hurry. (Josephus, Jewish Wars v. 2., and vi. 1. For this. Christ came to feed his flock. (Calmet) --- But the Jews would not receive him. (Haydock) --- Septuagint read (Calmet) locnani, as [in] ver. 11, "of slaughter into Chanaan, and I," &c. (Haydock) --- Two rods, or shepherds' staves, meaning the different ways of God's dealing with his people; the one by sweet means, called the rod of Beauty, the other by bands and punishments, called the Cord. And where both these rods are made of no use or effect by the obstinacy of sinners, the rods are broken, and such sinners are given up to a reprobate sense, as the Jews were. (Challoner) --- The first denotes God's general providence, as it is most seemly that all should be under him; the second means his particular care of the Jews. (Worthington) --- God uses both the crook and the whip, employing both severity and tenderness. Now all proves in vain. Month. That is, in a very short time. By these three shepherds probably are meant the latter princes and high priests of the Jews, whose reign was short. (Challoner) --- Ismael, Joseph, and Ananus, all obtained the dignity in one year; and as they and their predecessors were actuated by avarice, they could not fail being displeasing to God. Galba, Otho, and Vitellius were likewise cut off in little more than a year, when Vespasian succeeded, and his son took Jerusalem. (Calmet) --- The Jews pretend that Moses, Aaron, and Mary[Miriam] are here meant. (St. Jerome) --- But what reference can the prophet have to them? Not feed. This is the final sentence. God allowed them thirty-seven years to repent, after the death of Christ. All people. Hereupon all fell upon the Jews. CHAPTER XI. Poor converted to Christ, (Calmet) who retired to Pella, (Eusebius, Church History iv. 5.) as they had been warned of the impending storm, Matthew xxiv. 1., and Luke xxi. 20. Pieces. Sicles are usually understood. About fifty-one livres. The Jews bought the life of Christ for this sum; (Calmet) thirty pieces. (Worthington) The statuary. The Hebrew word signifies also a potter, (Challoner) and this seems to be the true meaning, Matthew xxvii. 3. The prophet is ordered to bring, thus to indicate what should be done by the traitor. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "cast them into the crucible to see if it be good, as I have been tried by them." (Haydock) Israel. The latter remained obstinate, (Calmet) while Juda, the real "confessor," (Haydock) embraced the gospel. After the destruction of the temple, the Jewish ceremonies were no longer (Calmet) observed or tolerated in the Church, as they had been, in order that the synagogue might be buried with honour. (St. Augustine) (Haydock) --- The Jews are rejected. (Worthington) A foolish shepherd. This was to represent the foolish, that is, the wicked princes and priests that should rule the people, before their utter destruction. (Challoner) --- Caligula, Claudius, or Nero, monsters of stupidity, may also be meant. To such the Jews preferred to submit: but they soon found out their mistake, when it was too late. Caligula and Nero would be adored in the temple! Hoofs, with excessive travelling. (Calmet) --- They shew no pity, but are wholly intent on their own pleasures. (Haydock) Shepherd. Septuagint, "ye who feed foolish things, forsaking," &c. (Haydock) --- Hebrew, "shepherd of nothing." --- Darkened. Caligula was slain, and had not sense to know what was for this real interest. His wife and only daughter were murdered. See Josephus, Antiquities xix. 1. (Suetonius) --- His maxim was, "Let them hate, provided they fear;" and he wished the Romans had "all but one neck," that he might cut it off. (Calmet) --- Antichrist, the destroyer, shall perish. (Worthington) A lintel of surfeiting. That is, a door into which they shall seek to enter, to glut themselves with blood: but they shall stumble, and fall like men stupified with wine. It seems to allude to the times of Antiochus, and to the victories of the Machabees. (Challoner) --- Yet it indirectly relates to the last siege of Jerusalem, and to Jesus Christ establishing his Church. Hebrew, "a cup of drowsiness," or trembling. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "as courts shaken." (Haydock) --- Jerusalem first drank the cup herself; and then under the Machabees, made others suffer. --- Juda. Never before Epiphanes had the Jews fought against their brethren. Then the apostates became most terrible, 1 Machabees i. 55., and ii. 7, 19. (Calmet) --- Thus none persecute the Catholic faith more than those who have perfidiously abandoned it. (Haydock) --- When the gospel began to be preached, the obstinate Jews opposed it, Acts iv., &c. (Worthington) Stone. It was customary to have such huge stones for people to try their strength. (St. Jerome) --- Ruptures and wounds were frequently the consequence, Ecclesiasticus vi. 22. The nations which attacked God's people, paid dear for their victory. (Calmet) --- All fight against the Church; (Menochius) yet she prevails. (Haydock) Blindness. The cavalry of the Syrians proved useless against a few (Calmet) champions under God's protection. (Haydock) Let. Septuagint, "We shall find for us the inhabitants of Jerusalem, in the Lord Almighty, their God." (Haydock) --- Judas always exhorted his men to trust in the Lord, 1 Machabees iii. 18. (Calmet) --- Mocbai, the initials of "who is like thee among the strong, O Lord," (Exodus xv. 11.; Haydock) is supposed to have been his motto, (Calmet) written on his banners; and some assert, that it occasioned the appellation of Machabees. (Haydock) --- "Strengthen for me." (Aquila) Furnace. Septuagint, "firebrand among wood, and as a burning lamp amid straw." (Haydock) --- Left. The Samaritans shall fall as well as the Idumeans. --- Place. The temple and city had been deserted, while the troops of Epiphanes occupied the citadel, 1 Machabees iii. 45., and iv. 38. David. The Machabees were not of this family, but Levites, born at Modin, in Ephraim. (Calmet) Hath. Septuagint, "is weak." --- Offended. Such shall repent and be pardoned, like David. (Haydock) --- They shall imitate his valour. The posterity of David shall no more cause the people to go stray. --- Of God. He seems to allude to Christ's birth. David's offspring shall not ascend the throne; but their virtue shall be conspicuous; they shall give birth to Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. (Calmet) Prayers. Septuagint and Chaldean, "pity." (Haydock) --- After the Machabees more synagogues were erected, and the people were more faithful; yet this chiefly regards the new law, in which the spirit prays with us ineffably, Romans viii. 26. (Calmet) --- Me. So far the prophet speaks in Christ's name. He afterwards relates how the people will grieve for him, beating their breasts, Luke xxiii. 48. This was clearly verified in Christ, John xix. 31. (Menochius) --- But in the gospel we read, him whom they have pierced, as the context seems here to require. (Haydock) --- Some Hebrew copies read in like manner, (Calmet) the Erfurth Manuscript 2 having aliu, "on him," though Michaelis remarks not this important variation. The Jewish transcriber would not alter his text to make it conformable to the New Testament. (Kennicott) --- Septuagint, "they shall look upon me for having insulted," or skipped. (Calmet) --- Yet "St. John did not much regard what the Greek contained, but interpreted word for word as he had read in Hebrew," as the other sacred writers did when there was any material difference. St. Jerome, quoted by Kennicott. (Dis. ii. p. 347, &c.) (Haydock) --- Adopting this reading, we may explain this of Judas, whom the people greatly bewailed, 1 Machabees ix. 20. He was a figure of Christ, whom the prophet had chiefly in view. All the Jews who embraced the faith verify this prediction, (Calmet) as those particularly did who had been instrumental to the death of our Saviour, and afterwards entered into themselves, Acts ii. 37. Both Jews and Gentiles have all contributed by their sins to crucifying their Lord; and, at the last day, all shall look on him as their judge or as their deliverer. --- Pierced. Hebrew dakaru. (Haydock) --- Septuagint have transposed d and r, which are very similar, and read rokdu, "have danced," or derided. (St. Jerome) --- The original implies, have outraged or blasphemed, as well as pierced. They shall henceforward cease to despise God and his law. (Calmet) Adadremmon. A place near Mageddon, where the good king Josias was slain, and much lamented by his people. (Challoner) --- It was not far from Jezrahel, 2 Paralipomenon xxxv. The lamentation for Josias represents that of impenitent sinners at the day of judgment. (St. Jerome) (Worthington) --- Septuagint translate the proper names, "of the pomegranate which is cut down in the field." (Haydock) --- All from ver. 8 may be explained of Judas. Apart. Bands of men and of women mourning, went with musical instruments separately through the streets, and into the country; as they still do in the East. (Calmet) --- On such occasions, as well as in times of prayer, continence is observed. (St. Jerome) Nathan. Zorobabel was his descendant. --- Semei, the son of Gershom, 1 Paralipomenon vi. 16. (Calmet) --- "From this tribe the doctors are chosen." (St. Jerome) --- The pious of all ranks bewail the death of Christ, and the share which they had in it. (Haydock) --- He had done good to many; and therefore we may presume that many would grieve in every tribe. (Menochius)