Seventh month. He had spoken in the 5th of the sacred year, ver. 1. (Calmet) CHAPTER XXVIII. Letter. Literally, "book." (Haydock) --- It was probably sent at the beginning of the reign of Sedecias by his ambassadors, and is different from that sent by Baruch i. and chap. lii. 28. --- Prophets. Chaldean, "scribes." (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "false prophets," ver. 8. (Haydock) --- Daniel had begun to prophesy, the year of the world 3402. Ezechiel commenced only five years after the captivity of Jechonias. One prophet frequently instructs another, as Nathan did David, Daniel ix. 2., and 1 Peter i. 11. (Calmet) --- Jeremias declares that the captivity would continue long. He comforts and rebukes to chap. xl. (Worthington) Queen. Nohesta. --- Eunuchs. Real, (Hebrew) or "Grandee." (Chaldean) --- Engravers. Chap. xxiv. 2. Gamarias, the son of Saphan, is different. These two are unknown. Build. Establish yourselves, as you must remain a long time in captivity. We are exhorted not to be attached to the things of the world, to remind us that we shall not live long, chap. xvi. 2., and xxxv. 7., and 1 Corinthians vii. 29. Peace. We must submit to the magistrates, where we reside, Baruch i. 11., and 1 Timothy ii. 1. Prophets. There were many false ones, ver. 21., and Ezechiel xiii. --- Dreams. The prophets, or people. They are vain. Seventy. Dating from the 4th of Joakim to the 1st of Cyrus, the year of the world 3468. (Calmet) See chap.. xxv. 1, 11. (Haydock) An end. Septuagint, "these things." This version is much abridged. From ver. 15., to 21., is omitted in St. Jerome's and the Roman edition; but not in the Complutensian or Theodoret. (Calmet) --- Grabe inserts what is wanting, and places the 15th at the end of our 20th verse. (Haydock) Said. Expressing your confidence in Providence; or rather, if we join this with what follows, he rebukes them for trusting in false prophets, who represented their condition as worse than that of their brethren, who were left behind; whereas it was really better, ver. 17., and chap. xxiv. 2, 8. (Calmet) --- The deluded people suppose that the false prophets had been sent by God. (Worthington) CHAPTER XXIX. By night, or "early," de nocte, as soon as the night was over. (Haydock) Curse. Ver. 18. The malediction which has befallen the Jews, "overtake thee." (Worthington) --- Fire, in frying-pans, (see 2 Machabees vii. 5.) or cauldrons of boiling oil. This death shews that these were not the infamous judges who tempted Susanna, (Calmet) as the Jews quoted by (Haydock) St. Jerome, Salien, &c., would infer from ver. 23., and Daniel xiii. 57. They were stoned to death by the people, ibid. lxii.[Daniel xiii. 62. (Calmet) Folly. A crime, Judges xix. 23., and 2 Kings xiii. 12. --- Witness, the sovereign truth. (Calmet) And. God orders his prophet what to say, to an accusation sent from Babylon, in consequence of the former letter, ver. 5, 28. (Haydock) --- Nehelamite, "torrent," (St. Jerome) or "dreamer." We know of no place of this name. The second priest, (4 Kings xxv. 18.) a chief officer of the temple, chap. xxi. 1. Joiada, whose zeal had been conspicuous long before, under Joas, in persuading him to destroy the false prophets, 4 Kings xi. 17. Sophonias is exhorted to imitate him, by treating Jeremias in like manner. (Calmet) --- Thou. Hebrew, "ye should be officers." (Protestants) (Haydock) --- There were many chief priests. --- Raveth. Hebrew, "is possessed, and counterfeits the prophet." Such were to be slain, being confined till sentence had been passed, Deuteronomy xviii. 20. (Calmet) Time, before you will return. (Haydock) --- Sophonias read the letter, approving of its contents, (St. Jerome) though this is not certain. He took no violent steps against Jeremias, as Phassur had done. (Haydock) Sit, in an honourable station, or they shall all die. (Calmet) Book. This was spoken in the reign of Sedecias, for the people's conviction. The prophet had received orders to write in the 4th year of Joakim, chap. xxxvi. 1. (Calmet) Come. Some in St. Jerome explain this and the following chapter of the end of the world, when all shall confess Christ. Others refer them to the preaching of the gospel alone. (Estius) (Tirinus) --- But the return from captivity is specified, as prefiguring that event. (St. Thomas Aquinas, &c.) (Calmet) --- It is probable that many of the ten tribes returned to Samaria, chap. xxxi., and Ezechiel xxxiii. (Worthington) To Juda. All the race of Abraham are concerned. The kingdom was no longer divided. We. Jeremias is ordered to express the alarms of the captives, at the news of the destruction of Jerusalem, or rather of the Chaldean empire, by Cyrus. They were naturally afraid that they would also suffer. Bear. Literally, "beet," generat. But it has here the former signification, (Haydock) pariat. (Vatable) --- Yellow. The Babylonians are in great anxiety. (Calmet) Great, and terrible for this city, the outer walls of which shall be demolished, (Berosus; Calmet) and all its glory perish. (Haydock) --- Of it. Cyrus liberated the Jews, 1 Esdras i. Strangers. Idols. The people were not so prone to worship them. Yet the Jews were almost constantly subject to foreigners (Calmet) despectissima pars servientium, Macedonibus invalidis....sibi ipsis reges imposuere. (Tacitus, Hist. 5.) --- Christ granted a more perfect liberty to the faithful, John viii. 33. (Calmet) David. That is, Christ, of the house of David. (Challoner) (Ezechiel xxxvii. 24., and Osee iii. 5.) --- Grotius and some modern Jews, in opposition to their ancestors, (Chaldean; Kimchi, &c.) and to all Christians, would understand Zorobabel, though he was never possessed of the title or authority of king. (Calmet) --- The prophecy may allude to him, but it is fulfilled only in Christ. (Theodoret) Nations, which are now no more. Grabe supplies ver. 10, 11, 15., and 22. (Haydock) --- Judgment, like a father, (Calmet) though the chastisement may seem cruel, ver. 14. (Haydock) --- Hebrew, "with justice, but I will not deny thee for ever." Chaldean, "utterly." (Calmet) --- Only the Church is preserved continually. All other kingdoms change. (Worthington) Up. There is none to judge thy cause, or to be thy physician. (Calmet) Lovers. Nations which had seduced thee to worship their idols. (Haydock) --- Enemy. This judgment (ver. 11.) was requisite. (Calmet) Prey. The Romans utterly overturned the Macedonian empire, (Haydock) as the former had done the Persian, and they the Chaldean monarchy, which has risen on the ruins of the Assyrian empire. But the Jews rise as it were from their ashes. (Calmet) Close. Septuagint, "remove the healing plaster from thy painful wound." (Haydock) Temple. After 70 years, it was rebuilt. The Church was founded on a rock. [Matthew xvi. 18. (Worthington) Play, or laugh. (Calmet) --- Protestants, "make merry," chap. xxxi. 4. --- Lessened. The Jews were as numerous in our Saviour's time (Haydock) as ever they had been. (Calmet) Leader. Zorobabel, the figure (Theodoret) of Christ, who is here meant. (Calmet) --- He springs from Jacob. (Worthington) --- The sceptre was not taken away till his coming, Genesis xlix. (Haydock) --- Who. Cyrus alludes to this passage in his decree, 1 Esdras i. (Calmet) --- The prediction is fully verified in Christians. (St. Jerome) --- Christ is near to God, being one, John xiv. (Worthington) Wicked, at Jerusalem, or rather the Chaldeans; and the Jews, who crucified their Messias. (St. Jerome, &c.) (Calmet)