Verse 2

Potter's. Thus God would shew his dominion over all, Romans ix. 21.

Verse 3

Wheel. Hebrew, "stones." Septuagint, "seats;" or "wheel." (Chaldean) (Exodus i. 16.) See Ecclesiasticus xxxviii. 32. (Calmet)

Verse 4

Broken. So Providence ordered it. (St. Jerome) --- How should this idea humble man! (Calmet) --- A potter may mould afresh the clay as long as it is soft, but God can change the hardest heart. (Worthington)

Verse 8

Shall repent, having free-will, though prevented by grace. (St. Jerome)

Verse 12

Hopes. Chap. ii. 25. Septuagint, "we are valiant men." (Haydock)

Verse 13

Virgin. The disorders of Israel are thus enhanced. (Calmet)

Verse 14

Snow. It continues on Libanus seven or eight months, (La Roque quoted. Univ. Hist. ii. p. 363) or all the year; (Tacitus, Hist. v. 6.) and hence the mountain is justly denominated "white," as the Alps and Albion are from albon. (Bochart; Parkhurst, p. 155.) (Haydock) --- Away. Yet my people abandon me, to serve idols! Hebrew may have many other senses to the same purpose. Septuagint, "Shall the mountain springs fail, or snow from Libanus? Shall a stream forcibly driven by the wind, turn aside?" (Haydock) --- The laws of nature are observed by inanimate things, and shall my people be so foolish as to follow mere vanity.

Verse 15

Ancient; followed by the patriarchs, chap. vi. 16.

Verse 16

Head, through contempt (Calmet) and pity, Lamentations ii. 15.

Verse 17

Burning. Hebrew kadim, "eastern," (Haydock) coming from Desert Arabia, Exodus x. 13. (Calmet) --- Back. Thus the Lord now treats the synagogue. (St. Jerome)

Verse 18

Prophet. Jeremias will not cease to upbraid us with our transgressions; or we have guides as good as him, and we shall not be left destitute, as he would intimate. --- Tongue, detraction; or make him suffer for what he says. In all the transactions of this prophet, Christ was foreshewn; (Calmet) and here, particularly, the Jews demand the crucifixion. (St. Jerome) (Worthington)

Verse 20

Remember, &c. This is spoken in the person of Christ, persecuted by the Jews, and prophetically denouncing the evils that should fall upon them in punishment for their crimes. (Challoner) --- Jeremias had prayed earnestly for the people, chap. xiv. 17. (Haydock)

Verse 21

Therefore. He foretells of the event, and approves of the chastisement of the impenitent, (Calmet) whose "impurity might be a bad precedent for others.["] (St. Jerome) See chap. xvii. 18.

Verse 22

For. Protestants, "when." (Haydock) --- Robber. So Nabuchodonosor and all professional conquerors are styled. (Calmet)

Verse 23

Destroy. Hebrew, "with them." use them as vessels of ignominy: abutere. (Haydock)

Verse 27

CHAPTER XVIII.