"Bitter” rendered “cruel” by Drusius. To be “bitter” in mind means passively, to be grieved, or distressed, or discontented, 1 Samuel 22:2; and actively, to be revengeful, cruel, or inhuman, Jude 18-25—“Hasty” signifies to be rash, inconsiderate, or soon excited and made angry. It is obvious that the order is reversed; what follows is mentioned first, and then what precedes it; for to be hasty in entertaining anger is first, and then follows cruelty in executing it. A similar order is found in the next verse; the worst feature is mentioned first, that the nation would be “terrible;” and then what is less, that it would be “fearful.” This is what is often done by the writers of both of the Old and New Testament.—Ed.