Of thee. He alludes to the name Emmanuel. Christ preached, and his own would not receive him, John i. 11., and 26. (Calmet) --- He continues with us, concealed under the sacramental species [of the Eucharist]. (Menochius) CHAPTER XII. Burden. That is, a prophecy against Babylon. (Challoner) --- Nimrod began the kingdom, Genesis x. Belus and Ninus brought it to great eminence. But after 1240 years, Babylon was taken by Cyrus. (Worthington) --- Isaias delivered the seven following chapters in the first year of Ezechias, chap. xiv. 28. Mountain of Media, whence Darius came. It was usual to erect a signal, (chap. xxx. 17., and Jeremias vi. 1.) to call troops together. (Calmet) Sanctioned. The Medes and Persians were appointed by God to punish Babylon. (Worthington) Kings. Darius styles himself king of the Medes and Persians, Daniel vi. 12. Many princes and nations composed his army. Heaven. Where it seems to touch the horizon. Thus the countries beyond the Euphrates are often designated. CHAPTER XIII. Near. Though one hundred and seventy-two years distant. Burnt. Black with despair, Nahum ii. 10., and Joel ii. 6. Desolate. This was effected in the course of many centuries. (Calmet) --- The building of Seleucia caused Babylon to be deserted. (Pliny, [Natural History?] vi. 27.) --- Hence we know not at present where it was situated. Stars. This is not to be taken literally, but only implies that the people shall be in as much consternation (Calmet) as if the world were at an end, ver. 13. (Haydock) (Grotius) (Matthew xxiv. 27., Apocalypse vi. 12., and Jeremias iv. 23.) World. The vices of all nations were concentrated at Babylon. (Calmet) Precious. Rare, (Worthington) or sought after for destruction, ver. 17. Heaven. With thunders. Land. Baltassar shall be abandoned by his allies. Cr\'9csus had been already defeated, before Cyrus invested Babylon. Medes. Who had set themselves at liberty about twenty years before this. They were not solicitous about gold, Ezechiel vii. 19., and Sophonias i. 18. Gomorrha. Towards the end of the Macedonian empire. (Calmet) --- The Persians kept wild beasts in it. (St. Jerome) --- The palace of Nabuchodonosor subsisted in the days of Benjamin, (Calmet) but could not be approached on account of serpents. (Tudel. p. 70.) Tents. To dwell, (Calmet) or to traffic. (Theodoret) --- Another city was built, but not so large, nor in the same place. (Worthington) Beasts. Hebrew tsiim, "fishermen." --- Serpents. Hebrew ochim. Septuagint, "echo," (Haydock) or "reeds." Babylon was built on a marshy situation, and Cyrus having let out the waters of the Euphrates, they could never be effectually stopped. --- Ostriches. Or swans. --- Hairy. Goats, chap. xxxiv. 14. (Calmet) Owls. Or jackals, which resemble foxes, and going in packs, will devour the largest creatures. (Bochart) (Haydock) --- But St. Jerome explains it of birds, Job xxviii. 7., and Leviticus xiv. --- Sirens, fabulously supposed to be sweet singing women with wings. --- Thannim denotes some great sea monsters, such as whales or sea calves. (Calmet) Prolonged. Babylon was taken one hundred and seventy-two years after. (Calmet) --- Yet this time is counted short, compared with the monarchy, which had lasted a thousand years. (Worthington) --- Ground. Cyrus restored the Jews; yet all did not return at that time. --- Stranger. Converts, Esther viii. 17. All Idumea received circumcision under Hyrcan. Place. Cyrus probably granted an escort, as Artaxerxes did, 2 Esdras ii. 7. --- Servants. They had purchased many slaves, (1 Esdras ii. 65.) as some were very rich in captivity, and were treated like other subjects. --- Oppressors. Stragglers of the army of Cambyses, &c., though this was chiefly verified under the Machabees, Jeremias xxv. 14., and xxx. 16. (Calmet) Parable. Septuagint, Greek: threnon. "Lamentation." (Haydock) --- Or mournful canticle. Persecuted. The Jews read incorrectly, "is persecuted." Earth. Subject to, or bordering upon the Assyrian empire. Under Darius the Mede, (the Cyaxares of Xenophon) and Cyrus, the people were little molested. (Calmet) --- The neighbouring princes ( fir-trees, &c., ver. 8.) were also at rest. (Haydock) Hell is personified, deriding the Chaldean monarch, Baltassar, who perished the very night after he had profaned the sacred vessels, Daniel v. 3. He probably received only the burial of an ass, ver. 11, 19. (Calmet) O Lucifer. O day-star. All this, according to the letter, is spoken of the king of Babylon. It may also be applied, in a spiritual sense, to Lucifer, the prince of devils, who was created a bright angel, but fell by pride and rebellion against God. (Challoner) (Luke x. 18.) (Calmet) --- He fell by pride, as Nabuchodonosor did. (Worthington) --- Homer (Iliad xix.) represents the demon of discord hurled down by Jupiter to the miserable region of mortals. North. And be adored as God in the temple of Jerusalem, Psalm xlvii. 3. The Assyrian and Persian monarchs claimed divine honours, 4 Kings xviii. 33., and Judith iii. 13. Depth. Hebrew, "sides," (ver. 13.) or holes dug out of a cavern. (Calmet) Turn. From their respective holes in the monument. Grave. Strangers seized the crown of Baltassar, and neglected his sepulchre: or if we explain it of Nabuchodonosor, his tomb was probably plundered, (Calmet) as the Persians did not spare that of Belus. In the reign of Alexander, the tombs of the kings were covered with water, and filled with serpents. (Arrian. vii.) Thy. Septuagint, "my." Thou hast been a murderer instead of a shepherd. --- Ever. The children and monarchy of Nabuchodonosor presently perished. Evilmerodac and Baltassar reigned but a short time, and left no issue to inherit the throne. CHAPTER XIV. Name. It shall lose all its splendour, and be mentioned only with abhorrence, 1 Peter v. 13. Besom. Reducing it to a heap of rubbish, (chap. xiii. 21.; Calmet) as the event shewed. (Watson) Assyrian. 4 Kings xix. (Worthington) --- Sennacherib, (St. Jerome) Cambyses, or Holofernes. The sight of their chastisement would ben an earnest of the fall of Babylon. (Calmet) --- The allies of Assyria, (Menochius) or the enemies of God's people, will also be punished, chap. xv. (Haydock) Achaz. When Ezechias was just seated on the throne. The preceding and subsequent predictions were then delivered, chap. xiii. 20. Rod. Achaz. --- Bird. Ezechias will openly attack thee, 4 Kings xviii. 8. (Calmet) --- Protestants, " shall be a fiery flying serpent," (Haydock) like that erected by Moses, Numbers xxi. 9. Sennacherib and Assaraddon shall lay waste Philistia, ver. 31., and chap. xx. 1. (Calmet) --- Though Achaz be dead, Ezechias and Ozias will destroy more of that nation, 4 Kings xviii. 8., and 2 Paralipomenon xxvi. (Worthington) Nations. Surprised that Ezechias should escape, while the power of the Philistines was overturned so easily; or when the king sent ambassadors to his allies, to announce the defeat of Sennacherib by the angel. All confessed that this was an effect of the divine protection towards Sion. (Calmet) Moab. Which would be visited in three years' time (chap. xvi. 14.) either by Ezechias, or by Sennacherib, though history be silent on this head. The Moabites had been very cruel, Amos i. and ii. --- Night. Suddenly. (Calmet) --- Their misery was so much the greater. (Worthington) --- Ar. The capital. (Calmet) House. Protestants, "he is come up to Baith," (Haydock) or the royal family is gone to the temple of their idol, Chamos, to lament. (St. Jerome) (Menochius) (Calmet) --- Shaven. As in mourning, Jeremias xlviii. 37. Itself. Every one shall deplore his own distress. My. A charitable heart will grieve for the misfortune of an enemy. (Worthington) --- I shall join in the general lamentations, though Moab has always been so great an enemy of Israel. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "the heart of Moab cries in itself to Segor." (Haydock) --- We will retire thither. (Chaldean) --- Bars. Princes. Protestants, "his fugitives shall, " &c. --- Heifer. Strong and ungovernable. Hebrew, "to Heglath and to Shelishia for," &c., though we may as well adhere to the Vulgate, Septuagint, &c. Nemrim. Or Nemra, (Numbers xxxii. 3.) to the north of Segor. (Calmet) --- The country around hence became barren. (St. Jerome) Willows. That is, as some say, the waters of Babylon; others render it a valley of the Arabians, (Challoner) or "of crows," to which their bodies will be exposed, chap. lvii. 6. Cry. Of iniquity, or rather of grief. Dibon. Septuagint, &c., read, "Dimon," which signifies, "blood." I will give it a better claim to this appellation. --- Lion. Nabuchodonosor. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "I will bring the Arabs up on Dimon, and will take away the seed of Moab, and Ariel, and the remnant of Adama." (Haydock)