Doings. Hebrew, "studies." So "Your studious pursuits" occurs, ver. 12, in many Hebrew manuscripts, though the printed copy have, "their;" and "spoiled" for apprised. (Kennicott) --- Forest, the temple, which is called Libanus, (Zacharias xi. 21.) and the houses built of cedar-wood, (4 Kings xxv. 9.; Calmet) particularly the royal palace of the forest, 3 Kings vii. (Haydock) CHAPTER XXI. Go. The contents of this chapter are of a more ancient date than those of the foregoing chapter; for the order of time is not always observed in the writings of the prophets. (Challoner) (Worthington) --- King Joakim, who succeeded Sellum, the year of the world 3394. (Usher) Myself, having none greater, Hebrews vi. 13. Oaths evince the insincerity of men, who distrust each other; but when God condescends to use them, it shews men's incredulity. --- House, the temple, or rather the palace, where the king was sitting at the gate, ver. 2. (Calmet) Galaad, the head of Libanus. By Galaad, a rich and fruitful country, is here signified the royal palace of the kings of the house of David; by Libanus, a high mountain abounding in cedar-trees, the populous city of Jerusalem. (Challoner) (Worthington) (Theodoret) --- Both mountains are connected. (St. Jerome) (Strabo xvi.) --- Yet the proper Galaad was at some distance, and on the side of Ammon very barren. The palaces had arisen from a miserable state to resemble Libanus. They shall surely be destroyed. (Calmet) --- The advantageous situation of Jerusalem should not protect it, no more than it had done Galaad, 4 Kings xv. 29. (Junius; Grotius) Prepare. Literally, sanctify; (Challoner) as various religious ceremonies were used before the declaration of war, and to know what would be the success. (Calmet) --- The Chaldeans were destined to execute God's decrees. (St. Jerome) --- Cedars; fine buildings, (ver. 14.; Calmet) and chiefs. (Haydock) Dead. He means the good king Josias, who by death was taken away, so as not to see the miseries of his country. --- Away. Sellum, alias Joschaz, who was carried captive to Egypt, (Challoner) ver. 12., and 4 Kings xxiii. 33. (Calmet) --- He was the fourth son of Josias, (1 Paralipomenon iii. 15.) and had probably the title of king after the death of Sedecias. (Worthington) Friend. Joakim forced his subjects to work for him for nothing. CHAPTER XXII. Wide. Hebrew, "measured;" large, and well-proportioned. --- Vermilion, This colour was invented in the town of Pontus, and was used for statues, &c. (Pliny, [Natural History?] xxxiii. 6., and xxxv. 6.) (Wisdom xiii. 14.) (Calmet) --- Hebrew shashar (Haydock) may mean indigo. (Junius) (Calmet) Cedar; Josias. (Calmet) --- Shall thy magnificent palaces secure thy empire? (Haydock) --- Him. Obey the Lord, in like manner, that thou mayst prosper. Sister. They shall not condole with his consort. Jerusalem. Chap. xxxvi. 30. He died indeed with or like his fathers, 4 Kings xxiv. 6. But it is not said that he was buried. (St. Jerome) --- The Chaldeans designed to send him to Babylon, (2 Paralipomenon xxxvi. 6.) but slew him on the road, (Usher, the year of the world 3405) or treated his corpse ignominiously after his arrival. (Grotius) Go; Jerusalem. The verbs are feminine. --- Lovers; citizens, or Egyptians, &c., chap. xxvii. 2. Pastors, or princes, whose expectations of aid will be frustrated, Osee xii. 1. Chaldean, "Thy leaders shall be scattered to all the winds." Jechonias: Joachin, (4 Kings xxiv. 6.; Worthington) or Chenias, who did not take warning by his predecessor's misfortune. --- Ring, or seal, if he were most dear to me, the prime minister of the greatest monarch, Aggeus ii. 24. (Calmet) --- Alexander the Great gave his ring to Perdiccas, designating him his successor, or regent. (Curtius x.) Mother; Nohesta, (4 Kings xxiv. 8.) who perverted, (Calmet) or did not correct him in his youth. (Haydock) Mind; ardently desiring and expecting to be liberated. (Calmet) Jechonias. Protestants, "Koniah, a despised broken idol? is he," &c. Alexandrian Septuagint, "Jechonias has been dishonoured as a vessel, or which there is no need, for he hath been snatched and cast," &c. (Haydock) Write this man barren. That is childless: not that he had no children, but that his children should never sit on the throne of Juda, (Challoner) ver. 28., Matthew i. 12., and Ezechiel xvii. 24. Zorobabel was of his seed, yet he never obtained the title or sovereign power of a king. The Machabees were of a different family. (St. Jerome) --- Joachin, or Jechonias, was restored indeed to some favour, (4 Kings xxv. 27.) but not to the kingdom, no more than any of his posterity, till Christ. (Worthington) Pastors. Successors of Josias (Calmet) and false prophets. (Menochius) Multiplied. The prophets subjoin tidings of peace to such as might cause affliction. (Theodoret) Pastors; Zorobabel, &c., as figures of Christ, and of the pastors of his Church. --- No more, as much as formerly. So many expressions must be understood. --- Branch. Septuagint, "orient." --- Reign. Zorobabel was not chief governor, (Calmet) though at the head of his tribe. (Haydock) --- The kingdom of Christ was not of this world, John xviii. 36. (Calmet) --- He alone imparts justice to others. (Worthington) Saved: less disturbed. The world shall be redeemed, Luke ii. 14., and Ephesians ii. 14. --- Just. Hebrew, "Justice," by whom we are made just. He is the true God, Colossians ii. 9, 14. No man could bear this title: and Grotius insidiously attempts to apply it to the Jews, though the Chaldean, &c., clearly speak of the Messias. He [Grotius] must be read with great caution. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "This is his name, which the Lord will call him, Josedech. In the prophets. My," &c. (Haydock) --- Josedech means "the Lord justice." (Calmet) --- Symmachus, "Lord, justify us." Land. The deliverance from Egypt and Babylon were emblems of man's redemption, which was accomplished by far greater miracles. Prophets of falsehood. He directs his discourse to them, and afterwards to the priests, being filled with amazement at their impending ruin. Adulterers; impostors or idolaters. --- Cursing of the Lord, or the abuse of his sacred name. (Calmet) --- Unlike. Hebrew, "not right." (Haydock) Defiled. Hebrew, "hypocrites." My priests retain the appearance of religion, to join with impostors in deluding the people. Jerusalem. These were far worse, as they pretended to be inspired by God, whereas those of Samaria publicly adhered to Baal; so that the people must have been foolish to have been deceived by them. (Calmet) Gall, or something mortally bitter, chap. ix. 15. (Haydock) Own. To rely on private judgment, and not on the Church, is a mark of falsehood. (Worthington) Blaspheme. Hebrew, "despise;" or Septuagint, "reject disdainfully the word of the Lord, you," &c., chap. vi. 14., and viii. 11. Counsel. Hebrew, "secret." Which of you is acquainted with his designs? I will inform you, that your perdition is at hand, ver. 20. (Calmet) Not send. The want of mission proves a prophet or preacher to be false. (Worthington) I should. Some copies read avertissent, "they would have turned," conformably with the Hebrew, &c., and we should suspect that this was a mistake of the transcriber, if St. Jerome did not agree with the Vulgate in his commentary, (Calmet) though not in express terms: (Haydock) "I also should not have abandoned them to impurity....Let us behold how heretics, having once given way to despair,...seek the gratification of their sensual appetite." (St. Jerome) Off? Can you so easily penetrate my designs, or escape my fury? Am I like your idols of yesterday? Septuagint and Theodotion, "I am a God at hand," &c., which agrees with the sequel. (Calmet) Dreams, as if God had favoured them with his revelations. (Haydock) --- Fathers; the false prophets of Baal, whom these imitate. Dream, to those who are really sent by God, (Calmet) and recognized, 1 Corinthians xiv. 29. (Haydock) Pieces? True prophets will have a zeal fo the conversion of souls, chap. xx. 9., and Hebrews iv. 12. CHAPTER XXIII. Neighbour, causing those whom I have sent to be disregarded. Use. Hebrew also, "sharpen, or render smooth," and insinuating, Psalm xlix. 16. (Calmet) Wonders. Protestants, "lightness." Septuagint, "frauds," or pretended miracles. (Haydock) --- False prophets cannot work true miracles: but it is more difficult to distinguish these than the former mark of being lawfully sent, ver. 21. (Worthington) Burden, Massa, (Haydock) denotes a weight, or sometimes a prediction. (Calmet) Burden of the Lord. This expression is here rejected and disallowed, at least for those times: because it was then used in mockery and contempt by the false prophets, and unbelieving people, who ridiculed the repeated threats of Jeremias under the name of his burdens. (Challoner) Answered. I will make you alter your language by chastisements. Take. Hebrew of the Masorets, (Calmet) "I, even I, will utterly forget (Protestants; Haydock) or abandon you." (Chaldean) But the sense of the Septuagint and Vulgate seems preferable. (Calmet) Engravers. Hebrew, "those who enclose," 4 Kings xxiv. 14., and 1 Kings xiii. 19. Season. Appearing in autumn and ripe in spring, Micheas vii. 1. (Calmet) Regard. Literally, "know," with love, Psalm i. 6. (Haydock) --- Jechonias was treated with honour, (4 Kings xxv. 27.) as well as Daniel (ii. 48.) and Zorobabel, of the same family, chap. xxix. 5. The captives, under Sedecias, (ver. 8.) were much more abused, chap. xxix. 17. (Calmet) --- This is the literal sense; the mystical shews that the good shall be rewarded. (Worthington) Up, till the Messias appear, and the true Israel of God, his disciples, to whom the promises chiefly pertain. They will continue for ever. If this answer does not give satisfaction, as it ought, we may say that the Jews did not comply with the condition, and were therefore abandoned to the Romans. (Calmet) Egypt, to which they fled contrary to the prophet's advice, 4 Kings xxv. 26.