_Anointed, often implies one chosen for some great work. Cyrus was to ruin the empire of Babylon, and to set the nations at liberty. He was a proof of the Deity by executing his decrees. --- Cyrus. Some copies of the Septuagint seem to have read Greek: kurio, "to the Lord," incorrectly. (St. Jerome)... [ Continue Reading ]
_Brass. Babylon had 100 such gates. (Herodotus i. 179.)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Treasures. See Pliny, [Natural History?] xxxiii. 3. He overcame the rich king of Lydia, &c._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Likeness of Christ. --- Known me. Before the Jews had shewn Cyrus the prophecies, he did not attribute his success to the Lord, and even afterwards he seems not to have left the superstitions of his country, as his sacrifices to idols are described. He resembled Nabuchodonosor and the philosophers,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Create evil, &c. The evils of afflictions and punishments, but not the evil of sin. (Challoner) --- I afflict and comfort my people._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Saviour. Thus the ancient saints thirsted for the coming of Christ. His figure is styled the just, chap. xli. 2, 25. --- Him. Christ, born of the virgin, in time, and of God from all eternity. I have appointed Cyrus to be his precursor, to set the captives free. (Calmet) --- He has been spoken of b... [ Continue Reading ]
_Earthen. Literally, "Samian." (Haydock) --- Samos was famous for its pottery. (Pliny, [Natural History?] xxxv. 12.) Hebrew, "Clay, disputest thou against the potters of the earth?" He shews the folly of idols, after having proved his own divinity. (Calmet) --- Protestants, "Let the potsherds strive... [ Continue Reading ]
_Forth. As such language would be improper to parents, so it is wrong to complain that God places us in any situation. (Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_To me. Ask what will come to pass, or direct me how to act._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Justice. Cyrus shall punish the Chaldeans and restore the Jews. (Calmet) --- The prophet returns to him after having mentioned a greater Saviour, ver. 8. (Houbigant)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Stature: the people of Saba were the tallest and best proportioned in Arabia. (Agathar. v. 50.) --- Cyrus possessed all these countries. He sent the Egyptians home in the third year of his reign, at Babylon, the year of the world 3470, Ezechiel xxix. 11. They never became subject to the Jews; but e... [ Continue Reading ]
_Saviour. We confess that thou hast delivered the Jews; or rather, we acknowledge that thou, O Christ, art true God under the veils of thy human nature, and Saviour of all. Cyrus was only a feeble representation of thee._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Confusion. Idolaters shall be confounded, when they shall behold the glory of the elect._... [ Continue Reading ]
_In vain. Hebrew, "to be a chaos," Genesis viii. 2._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Earth. The pagan oracles were given chiefly in mountains, where the impostures of the priests might escape detection. They were also generally ambiguous, or mere guesses. The declarations of the true prophets were quite the reverse. --- In vain; without reward. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Gentiles: converts, (Haydock) or Jews, returning from Babylon._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Me. He transports his auditors to the times succeeding the captivity, when the completion of the prophecies will be evident._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Myself, having none greater, Hebrews vi. 13. --- Justice: sure. --- To me. All that are born belong to me. The Jewish women had seldom recourse to midwives, (Exodus i. 19., and 1 Kings iv. 19.; Calmet) no more than the Ethiopians. (Ludolf. i. 14.) --- Swear, by the true God. (Haydock) --- Oaths on... [ Continue Reading ]
_Empire. Cyrus shall make this confession, (1 Esdras i. 2.) and all who embrace the religion of Christ, shall attribute all their virtue to him._... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER XLV.... [ Continue Reading ]