Fire. Ismael, who slew Godolias, was of the royal family, Jeremias xli., &c. (Calmet) CHAPTER XIX. Month: the year of the world 3411, August 27. (Usher) --- Ezechiel had prophesied in the fourth year; they was silent a year and two months, or 430 days. He opened his mouth again in the sixth year, (chap. viii. 1.) and now in the seventh year he is ordered not to answer. (Worthington) --- We know not what the ancients wanted to know; but their design was evil. (Calmet) Judgest them; or, if thou wilt enter into the cause, and plead against them. (Challoner) --- Lay before them the iniquities of their fathers, and their own, which bring on the reprobation of the greatest part. God will form his Church out of a few of them and of the Gentiles. The return of a small number from captivity is also insinuated. Excelleth. Hebrew, "is beauty or a desire." Septuagint, "honeycomb." (Calmet) Scandals, &c., that is, the abominations or idols, to the worship of which they were allured by their eyes. (Challoner) --- Moses found them in this condition in Egypt, and he could not entirely reclaim them. (Calmet) --- Many still secreted their idols, chap. xxiii. 1., and Acts vii. 42. (Haydock) Egypt. Their disorders called for such severity. But God was restrained by the dangers (Calmet) of blasphemy, &c., to which the faithful and idolaters would thus have been exposed. (Haydock) --- He saved them as he had promised, though they did not deserve it. (Worthington) Brought. Literally, "cast," (Haydock) as if they had been reluctant. Live, and enjoy temporal felicity, which was chief promised, though the faithful observers of the law would obtain an eternal reward. Sign, as also to promote piety and instruction. Sabbaths. We only read of one man gathering sticks, and the people manna once on those days, Exodus xv., and xvi. But Moses does not mention all. (Calmet) --- Sabbath often denotes the whole law, which they transgressed; and as long as they retained an affection for idols, they could not observe the sabbaths so as to please God. CHAPTER XX. But. Literally, "And I did for," &c. This motive caused me to spare them. (Haydock) --- I punished only the most guilty adorers of the calf, and murmurers, &c., Numbers xiv. 28. (Calmet) --- Some were always preserved for a succession, ver. 9, 22. (Worthington) Again, or also. (Haydock) --- Four times are specified [in] ver. 13, 15, 21., which may allude to the adoration of the calf, the graves of concupiscence, the murmuring, and commerce with the women and idols of Moab, Exodus xxiii., and Numbers x., and xiv., and xxv. (Calmet) Not good. The laws and ordinances of their enemies: or those imposed upon them by that cruel tyrant the devil, to whose power they were delivered up for their sins; (Challoner) which may be styled the statutes of your fathers, &c., ver. 18. (Haydock) --- God is often said to do what he only permits. (Calmet) --- He abandoned them to their own perversity. (St. Jerome) (Deuteronomy xxxii. 21, 37.) --- If God had spoken of the Decalogue, &c., would he say such laws were not good, after he had testified that the observers shall live in them? ver. 11. He established the ceremonial law, at the same time. See Kimchi; Menochius, &c. Chaldean, "I have given them up to their foolish desires. They have established bad statutes and laws which will not give them life." This seems the best explanation. (Calmet) --- Hebrew, "Have I given.... and have I polluted them?" &c. (Manasse Ben. Israel.) The precepts had also a bad effect, and were given in condescension to the weakness of the people, (Origen) particularly the ceremonial part. (St. Just.[St. Justin Martyr?]; St. Chrysostom; St. Jerome, &c.) --- They did not justify, (St. Augustine) and were not good, compared with those of the new law. (St. Gregory, mor. xxviii. 9.) --- Thus Solon gave the Athenians "the best laws that they would receive," (Plutarch) though others more perfect might have been devised. (Calmet) I polluted them, &c. That is, I gave them up to such blindness, in punishment of their offences, as to pollute themselves with the blood of all their first-born, whom they offered up to their idols in compliance with their wicked devices. (Challoner) (Menochius) (Leviticus xviii. 21., and 4 Kings iii. ultra[last verse], and xxi. 6. (Calmet) --- Offered. Protestants, "caused to pass through the fire all," &c., chap. xvi. 21. --- For their. Protestants, "that I might make them desolate to the end, that," &c. Called high. Hebrew, "Bamah," (Haydock) out of contempt. (Calmet) --- The Jews were so much attached to the high places, that they called the altar of the Lord by the same name. Thus heretics are convicted by the very names they use, calling sacrifice service, &c. (Worthington) Stones. This was the secret intention of the ancients, (ver. 1.; Haydock) and of many in captivity, who were only praise-worthy compared with those at Jerusalem, chap. xi. 15. Out. I will not allow you to follow idols with impunity. (Calmet) Of people. That is, a desert, in which there are no people; (Challoner) meaning Judea, to which they should return. Covenant of the gospel, by the powerful attractions of grace, Luke xiv. 24., John vi. 69., and vii. 46., and 2 Corinthians x. 4. Israel. They shall continue in exile; or the rebel Jews who will not believe in Christ, shall be cast off. (Calmet) Walk, &c. It is not an allowance, much less a commandment to serve idols; but a figure of speech, by which God would have them to understand, that if they would walk after their idols, they must not pretend to serve him at the same time: for that he would by no means suffer such a mixture of worship. (Challoner) (St. Jerome) --- Continue, if you dare, to serve idols. I will still bring you back. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "take away each your devices; and then if you hear me, and defile not my," &c. (Haydock) --- God would rather have idolaters leave him wholly, than halt between two, (3 Kings xviii.) neither hot nor cold; (Apocalypse iii.) for such dishonour God's name the most, Romans ii. 24. (Worthington) Mountain. The foregoing verse, to make the sense complete, must be understood so as to condemn and reject that mixture of worship which the Jews then followed. In this verse God promises to the true Israelites, especially to those of the Christian Church, that they should serve him in another manner in his holy mountain, the spiritual Sion, and shall be accepted of by him. (Challoner) Committed. This is a picture of the converts to Christianity. (Calmet) Of the south. Jerusalem lay towards the south of Babylon, where the prophet then was, and is here called the forest of the south field, and is threatened with utter desolation. (Challoner) See chap. xxi. (Calmet) --- In Jerusalem there were good and bad. (Worthington) Burned, with war and famine, Jeremias xxi. 14. (Calmet) --- North, from Egypt to Mesopotamia. (Theodoret) --- Nabuchodonosor invaded those parts. (Haydock) Parables. They were easy enough to understand, but the Jews would not comprehend them no more than our Saviour's words, John x. 24. (Calmet) Just. But had not God declared the contrary, chap. xviii? The time was not yet arrived; or, he rescued the just from death, though he permitted them to experience the other common miseries. (Calmet) --- He preserved them from eternal death. (Estius) --- The just often means those who are so only in appearance, chap. xvi. 51. (Calmet) --- Temporal afflictions fall upon all; but the just derive benefit from them, while the wicked fall into eternal misery. (St. Jerome) (Worthington) North, including all the country belonging to Israel. Back, (ver. 30.) without doing execution, Jeremias l. 9. (Calmet) Bitterness. Septuagint, "pains," like those of child-bearing, Isaias xxi. 3. Melt. Literally, "decay," Josue vii., &c. --- Knee. Chap. vii. 17. (Haydock) My son. He speaks, according to St. Jerome, to the sword of Nabuchodonosor; which was about to remove the sceptre of Israel, whom God here calls his son. (Challoner) --- This title belonged to all Israel, Exodus iv. 22. (Worthington) --- The Hebrew seems to be corrupt, and we may adhere to the Vulgate or to the Septuagint, (Calmet) which has, "Sword be sharp, and raging to slay victims; be sharp to shine, ready for destruction; cut, reduce to nothing, remove all wood." (Haydock) --- Syriac, "be ready to scatter the race of my son," &c. Hebrew, "Where shall we rejoice, sceptre of my son, thou sword which despisest every tree?" (Calmet) --- Protestants, "It contemneth the rod of my son as every tree?" (Haydock) Slayer. He had conquered many nations before he attacked Israel. Let none boast of being the scourges of the Lord. Fled, with Sedecias, by night. --- Thigh, in surprise and grief, ver. 17. God. Perhaps you will say it is only a trial: but what will be your sentiments, when you behold the king and his people led away? (Calmet) --- Protestants, "Because it is a trial; and what if the sword contemn even the rod? it shall be no more, saith." (Haydock) Tripled. Let the war be very bloody. Nabuchodonosor often invaded Judea. (Calmet) --- He raised the siege, but returned. (Vatable) Ready. Literally, "covered," ( amicti. Haydock) in the scabbard, and quite new and sharp. Rabbath. They had formed a league with Sedecias, and Nabuchodonosor thought of punishing them first. (Haydock) --- But they joined his forces, Jeremias xii. 6., and xxvii. 3. Shuffling. Hebrew, "polishing." Syriac, &c., "shooting an arrow upwards." He was undetermined which to attack first, and perhaps wrote Jerusalem on one and Rabbath on another arrow; (St. Jerome, &c. Calmet) or which way the arrow fell the army followed. (Haydock) --- Many nations have adopted such superstitious practices. --- Idols. Hebrew Teraphim, Genesis xxxi. 19. (Calmet) --- Entrails. The Chaldeans taught the Lydians and they the Tuscans. (Grotius) --- At first this was done only to see if the victims were sound. (Cicero, Div.) Right of one going by Thapsacus and Damascus, and not through the Desert Arabia, for thus Rabbath would have been to the right. God permitted this divination to succeed in his wrath. The devil pushed the Chaldeans forward, lest the Jews might be converted. (Calmet) --- I they had attacked Rabbath first, they would probably have succeeded, as they did five years after. But the time of vengeance was come for Jerusalem, (Haydock) and they were directed to assault it. (Worthington) --- Voice: the din of war, (Haydock) or of soldiers, trumpets, &c. Vain. They shall think that Nabuchodonosor is wasting his time. --- Sabbaths. Hebrew, "they have people who swear to them;" false prophets, or the Egyptians, on whom they depend. Septuagint, "and counting the weeks," like Aman, Esther iii. 7. --- Iniquity, or perfidy of Sedecias, chap. xvii. 15. (Calmet) Remembered. Hebrew, "caused....to be remembered," (Haydock) sinning publicly. (Calmet) Thou profane, &c. He speaks to king Sedecias, who had broken his oath, and was otherwise a wicked prince. (Challoner) --- Hebrew, "Criminal, (sentenced to die) wicked," &c. (Calmet) Diadem, Some think this was th ornament of the high priest, (St. Jerome; Chaldean) denoting that he should perish as well as the king. (Haydock) --- This. The royal crown of Juda had exalted Sedecias from a private state and condition to the sovereign power, as the loss of it brought down Jechonias, &c. (Challoner) --- It shall be given go Godolias. (Chaldean) Hebrew, "it is not (Haydock) or shall be no more" the same, or for the posterity of Sedecias. None of the tribe of Juda was truly king after him, till the Messias. (Sanctius; Tirinus, &c.) (Genesis xlix. 10.) (Calmet) Iniquity. Or, I will overturn it, viz., the crown of Juda, for the manifold iniquities of the kings: but it shall not be utterly removed till Christ come, whose right it is; and who shall reign in the spiritual house of Jacob (that is, in his Church,) for evermore. (Challoner) --- Hebrew also, "sideways." Thou shalt no more wear the tiara erect, (Haydock) like a king: (Hesychius) or rather, thy iniquity or punishment shall be most grievous. --- Him; Christ, or (Calmet) Nabuchodonosor. (Vatable) (Menochius) Reproach, by which they had reproached and insulted over the Jews, at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem. (Challoner) (chap. xxv. 6., and Sophonias ii. 8.) --- They were punished five years later (Calmet) by the same Babylonians whom they had encouraged. (Worthington) Sheath. The sword of Babylon, after raging against many nations, was shortly to be judged and destroyed at home by the Medes and Persians. (Challoner) --- After Nabuchodonosor had chastised the nations around for 18 years, after the ruin of Jerusalem, he returned and died in peace. Yet he first became like a beast, ver. 31., and Daniel iv. 30. The rest of the prophecy regards his successors. Cyrus waged war upon them, and Baltassar was slain in a conspiracy. See Isaias xlvii., and Jeremias l. (Calmet) --- At last the sword fell upon Babylon itself. (Worthington) Brutish, or devoid of sense. (Haydock) --- Hebrew, "burning;" smiths. (Calmet)