Verse 1

Together, in love. (St. Jerome) --- Hebrew, "gather" the wood or chaff, (Calmet) your wicked deeds, lest they prove the fuel of fire, chap. i. 18. (Haydock) --- He addresses the Jews and all their neighbours. (Calmet) --- Though you deserve no love, God will receive the penitent. (Worthington)

Verse 2

The day. Hebrew, "to-day." (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "before you become as a passing flower." Protestants, "before the day pass as the chaff." (Haydock)

Verse 3

Just. Hebrew, "justice." (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "righteousness, and answer the same." (Haydock) --- Scarcely the innocent will escape. (Menochius) --- The prophet does not specify the crimes of the Philistines, as Ezechiel (xxv. 15.) does. (Calmet)

Verse 4

Shall be, or "is." The prophets often represent future things as past, to shew the certainty of the event. The destruction of other cities by the Chaldeans, gave the Jews to understand what they had to expect, as all sin must be punished sooner or later. (Worthington) --- Psammetichus, and his son, Nachao, probably fell upon these cities. (Calmet) --- The former besieged Azotus for twenty-nine years. (Herodotus ii. 157.) --- Afterwards Nabuchodonosor reduced the country, beginning with the house of God, Jeremias xlvii. 4., and Ezechiel xxv. 15, &c. (Calmet)

Verse 5

Coast. Literally, "line," (Haydock) with which land was measured. (Calmet) --- Reprobates. Hebrew cerethim, (Haydock) or Cerethi, of whom David's guards were formed. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "people sprung the Cretans," whence some (Theodoret) of the Philistines came, perhaps rather than from Cyprus, as was conjectured, Genesis x. 14. --- Chanaan. So the Philistines are styled contemptuously. They adored the same idols, Wisdom xii. 23.

Verse 6

Shepherds. Merchants shall come no longer, the country being subdued by Nabuchodonosor, and by the Machabees, ver. 7. --- Alexander ruined Gaza. (Curtius iv.)

Verse 8

Borders, helping the Chaldeans. This brought on their ruin. (St. Jerome) --- They were always disposed to seize the country.

Verse 9

Dryness. Septuagint, "Damascus shall be abandoned as a heap on the barn-floor, and disappearing for an age." (Haydock) --- This city is threatened with the rest, Isaias xvii. 1. (Calmet) --- Ever. Septuagint refer this to Damascus, others to Ammon, &c. (Haydock) --- The latter nations were in desolation for a long time; but had re-established themselves, when the Machabees reduced them again, Jeremias xlviii., and 1 Machabees v. 6.

Verse 11

Own place. The Jewish religion could be practised only at Jerusalem, so that this is one of the most striking predictions of the conversion of the world. The Jews in vain attempt to restrain it to the captives returning. See St. Jerome. (Calmet) --- They shall inform many of the truth, and be the means of their conversion. (Haydock) --- But God shall be adored in every place. (Menochius)

Verse 12

Ethiopians. Hebrew Cushim, denotes also the Arabs, &c., who fell a prey to the Chaldeans. (Calmet)

Verse 13

The beautiful city. Ninive, which was destroyed soon after this, viz., in the sixteenth year of the reign of Josias. (Challoner) (the year of the world 3378.) --- Hebrew, "he shall make Ninive desolate." (Haydock) --- This famous and potent city was at last destroyed. (Worthington) See Jonas iii. 4. (Calmet)

Verse 14

Bittern and the urchin. Hebrew kaath and kippod, are terms to us (Haydock) unknown. --- Threshold. Hebrew, "the pomegranates," supposed to be an ornament of the doors. --- Raven. Septuagint also read arb better than choreb, "the desolation or the sword." See Isaias xxxiv. 11. (Calmet) --- Chereb has both meanings, "a raven, or sword." (St. Jerome) --- I will. Hebrew, "he has uncovered her cedar," (Calmet) her fine palaces and apartments. Septuagint, "for the cedar is its height, (or pride) this is the city given to evils, that," &c. (Haydock)

Verse 15

Beside, or equal. This was true, Jonas i. 2. (Calmet) --- The founder intended that no city should ever equal it. (Diodorus ii.) St. Jerome applies what is here said of Ninive to the Church in the times of antichrist, (Rondet.) or to a fallen soul. Any nation may abandon the faith: but the whole Church cannot fail. [Matthew 16:18] (Haydock)

Verse 18

CHAPTER II.