Verse 2

Israel, or Judea, in all its parts. (Worthington) --- In five or six years' time all shall be destroyed.

Verse 3

Set, as accusers, to increase thy confusion.

Verse 5

One. A second shall not be necessary, Nahum i. 9. (Calmet)

Verse 6

Awaked. Justice seems to have slept. (Haydock) See ver. 10., and Jeremias i. 12.

Verse 7

Destruction, (contritio.) St. Jerome reads "contraction," as also [in] ver. 10. Protestants, "the morning." (Haydock) --- Chaldean, "the reign." (Calmet) --- Hebrew tsephira, is variously rendered. (Haydock) --- Joy. Hebrew, "echo or cry" of people in the vintage.

Verse 10

Budded; figurative expressions, denoting a speedy vengeance. (Calmet) --- Chaldean, "the reign is open, the ruler has flourished, the wicked hath appeared." In this reign of Nabuchodonosor ye shall be chastised. (Haydock) --- Septuagint or rather Theodotion, from whom many things have bee supplied according to St. Jerome, (Calmet) have, "The deceit (or thick foliage; Greek: ploke) has gone forth, the rod," &c. (Haydock)

Verse 11

Iniquity. What other fruit could be expected from wickedness? It draws on chastisement. --- Noise, or grandees. None will repent, and therefore none shall escape, from the highest to the lowest.

Verse 13

Sold, as in the year of jubilee, Leviticus xxv. 25. (Calmet) --- Now there shall be no recovery. (Worthington) --- They shall be driven from the land. --- Although. By supplying the former negation, (Calmet) we may render "Nor," &c., (Haydock) which seems better. (Calmet) --- It may also mean, "those who are now alive" shall witness these things. (Haydock) Back. It is not a mere threat.

Verse 14

CHAPTER VII.

Ready. He describes the vain attempts of the Jews to make resistance.

Verse 16

Doves, not daring to vent their complaints. (Calmet)

Verse 17

Water; urine, (St. Jerome) sweat, &c., the usual effects of fear.

Verse 18

Heads. They cut their hair in times of penance and of mourning.

Verse 19

Iniquity. Riches have fostered their passions: they will not now procure food or liberty, Sophonias i. 18. (Calmet) --- The riches of the idols invited the enemy to plunder. (Worthington)

Verse 20

And. Protestants, "As for the beauty of his ornament, he set it in majesty: but they made the," &c. The sacred ornaments of the temple, appointed by God, (Haydock) have been converted into idols, and shall be carried to Babylon, ver. 21. (Calmet)

Verse 22

Secret: the inward sanctuary, the holy of holies. (Challoner) --- God would guard it no longer. (Calmet)

Verse 23

Shutting up. Hebrew, "chain," for imprisonment and captivity. (Challoner) --- Pronounce sentence upon all.

Verse 24

Sanctuary; the temple of God, or of idols, chap. vi. 3.

Verse 25

Distress. When the enemy is before the city, they will see their error; but it will be too late. They shall not obtain peace, Jeremias xxxviii. 1.

Verse 26

Ancients. Priests shall afford no consolation, nor counsellors any advice. They shall be all confounded. (Calmet) --- During the captivity a few only were found to give instruction, Malachias ii. (Worthington)