_Me. God answers the preceding prayer, and announces the rejection of the synagogue, alluding to the armies which prevailed in the days of the Machabees. --- Not. St. Paul explains this of the conversion of the Gentiles, Romans x. 20. (Calmet) --- It cannot regard the Jews, who are spoken of in the... [ Continue Reading ]
_Gardens, to the impure Venus and Adonis. --- Bricks, to the Manes. (Calmet) --- Tegula porrectis satis est velata coronis_ Et sparsæ fruges parvaque mica salis. (Ovid, Fast. x.)... [ Continue Reading ]
_Idols: to have dreams, (Strabo xvi.) and commit impurities. --- Broth of swine's flesh, which was prohibited, Leviticus xi. 7._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Unclean. Thus acted the hypocritical Pharisees. --- Smoke. A just punishment of those who had sought the smoke of human applause._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Bosom: good measure, Luke vi. 38. Rewards and punishments will be eternal._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hills. Some offered sacrifices to God, others to idols; both unlawfully. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Whole. The good grain is preserved amid the general corruption. (Haydock) --- A few of the Jews were chosen to believe in Christ._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Mountains of Judea, (Deuteronomy iii. 25.) which the captives shall recover, as a figure of those who shall embrace the Christian faith._... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER LXV. _ Plains. Hebrew Sharon, in the land of Basan. --- Achor, near Jericho, called after Achan, (Calmet) who perhaps was more correctly styled Achor, Josue vii. 26., and Osee ii. 15. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Fortune. Hebrew, "Gad," the sun, Genesis xxx. 11. --- Upon it. Symmachus, "without me." Septuagint, "to fortune." Hebrew, "to Meni," the moon, or Queen of heaven, Jeremias vii. 18., and xliv. 17. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Chosen. Free-will is clearly expressed, as rewards are, ver. 13. (Worthington)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Servants; Christians, (Calmet) particularly the elect. (Haydock) --- When the Romans approached Jerusalem, the Christians retired to Pella, and had plenty. (Houbigant)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Execration. They can wish to be preserved from nothing worse. --- Name. The faithful shall be no longer called Jews. (Calmet) --- They shall be hated, while the name of Christian shall point out God's servants. (Worthington)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Amen, or "of truth." False gods shall be neglected. They shall not swear by them, as formerly, Sophonias i. 5. --- Christ usually adopted the asseveration, Amen, Amen, to enforce his truths. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_New earth, in eternity, (Clarius) or here indeed, (2 Peter iii. 3., &c.; Houbigant) having purified the former by the general conflagration, which many assert will take place at the end of 6,000 years. (St. Jerome; St. Augustine, &c.) At the return of the captives, the country flourished again unde... [ Continue Reading ]
_Fill up. To die soon was deemed a misfortune, Psalm liv. 24., and Exodus xx. 12. Virtue is the measure of the Christian's life, and God will reward those who labour even late, Matthew xx. 13. --- Accursed. This age will not be spared. Both just and wicked shall be immortal in eternity. (Theodoret)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_A tree. Septuagint, "of the tree of life," Jeremias xviii. 8. (Calmet) --- Continuance. Hebrew, "My elect shall long enjoy the works," &c. (Haydock) --- They shall not build for others to enjoy._... [ Continue Reading ]
_In. Hebrew, "for trouble." Chaldean, "death." Septuagint, "malediction." The children shall not be cut off; and baptism shall secure their salvation._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Straw. People of the most perverse tempers shall become mild by the influence of the gospel, and shall dwell together in perfect concord. (Calmet) --- Food, according to the sentence, Genesis iii. 14. (Menochius) --- The devil's power is abridged, chap. xi. 6. (Calmet) --- The proudest Gentiles are... [ Continue Reading ]