“To bring upon us great plagues, such as never happened under the whole heaven, as it came to pass in Jerusalem, according to the things that were written in the law of Moses;”
Heaven. After the death of Josias, the nation was exposed to the greatest misery. Its kings were imprisoned by the Egyptians, and then by the Chaldeans; and surprising changes took place, all during the space of eight or nine years.
“That a man should eat the flesh of his own son, and the flesh of his own daughter.”
Daughter. This is not mentioned in sacred history to have happened when this was written, (Calmet) except in the siege of Samaria. Some of the captives of Israel might be now at Babylon, as the places to which they had been sent were under the same king; and they confess their common transgressions and chastisements. All distinction of the kingdoms was now at an end. Some might also have been reduced to this extremity, when Joakim or Jechonias were besieged and taken. (Haydock) — We should not know that a similar distress prevailed under Sedecias, if it had not been specified [in] Lamentations ii. 20., and iv. 10. This prayer greatly resembles that of Daniel ix. 4.
“Moreover he hath delivered them to be in subjection to all the kingdoms that are round about us, to be as a reproach and desolation among all the people round about, where the Lord hath scattered them.”
Kings of Egypt and Babylon, while the Ammonites, &c., derided us.
“Thus we were cast down, and not exalted, because we have sinned against the Lord our God, and have not been obedient unto his voice.”
Under; a proverbial expression, Deuteronomy xxviii. 13.
“Wherefore the Lord watched over us for evil, and the Lord hath brought it upon us: for the Lord is righteous in all his works which he hath commanded us.”
Watched, to punish. When he spares, he seems to slumber, Jeremias xliv. 27. (Calmet)
“O Lord our God, we have sinned, we have done ungodly, we have dealt unrighteously in all thine ordinances.”
Justices. So God’s law is frequently called, (Psalm cxviii.) because its observance makes us just. (Worthington)
“O Lord, look down from thine holy house, and consider us: bow down thine ear, O Lord, to hear us.”
House: the temple, or from heaven. (Calmet)
“Open thine eyes, and behold; for the dead that are in the graves, whose souls are taken from their bodies, will give unto the Lord neither praise nor righteousness:”
Justice, &c. They that are in hell shall not give justice to God: that is, they shall not acknowledge and glorify his justice, as penitent sinners do upon earth. (Challoner) — And all in the grave are incapable of making known God’s perfections. An appeal to his glory is thus often made, Isaias xxxviii. 18., Psalm cxiii. 17., and Ecclesiasticus vii. 24.
“But the soul that is greatly vexed, which goeth stooping and feeble, and the eyes that fail, and the hungry soul, will give thee praise and righteousness, O Lord.”
Of evil is not in Greek. A soul which bears grandeur with pain, like Esther, and humbles itself before God, is most graciously received. (Haydock) — Fail, by fasting. Such are the dispositions required for prayer, Psalm lxviii. 3.
“Therefore we do not make our humble supplication before thee, O Lord our God, for the righteousness of our fathers, and of our kings.”
Fathers. Greek adds, “and kings.” — Prayers. Greek, “mercy.” We boast not of our good works. (Haydock) — Mercy may denote prayer or humiliation. Theodoret gives a better sense: (Calmet) “We trust not in the just works of our fathers, or of ourselves, to receive any pity.” (Haydock)
“Thus saith the Lord, Bow down your shoulders to serve the king of Babylon: so shall ye remain in the land that I gave unto your fathers.”
Serve, as Jeremias (xxv. 9., and xxvii. 7., and xxviii. 14.) repeatedly admonished.
“I will cause to cease out of the cites of Judah, and from without Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of joy, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: and the whole land shall be desolate of inhabitants.”
Footstep. It shall become a desert, Isaias xxxiii. 8., and Lamentations i. 4.
“But we would not hearken unto thy voice, to serve the king of Babylon: therefore hast thou made good the words that thou spakest by thy servants the prophets, namely, that the bones of our kings, and the bones of our fathers, should be taken out of their place.”
Place. The soldiers ransacked the tombs in hopes of plunder. Joakim was left unburied. This would be very afflicting to the Jews, Jeremias viii. 1., and xxii. 19., and xxxvi. 30. (Calmet)
“And, lo, they are cast out to the heat of the day, and to the frost of the night, and they died in great miseries by famine, by sword, and by pestilence.”
Banishment. Syriac, “captivity;” (Theodoret) or “by pestilence inflicted by God:” apostole. (Grotius) (Jeremias xxxii. 36.)
“And the house which is called by thy name hast thou laid waste, as it is to be seen this day, for the wickedness of the house of Israel and the house of Juda.”
Day. Its vessels were taken away, (chap. i. 8.) and few were left to attend. (Calmet) — Grotius answers this difficulty. (Houbigant) — The prophet foresees the event. (Worthington)
“For I knew that they would not hear me, because it is a stiffnecked people: but in the land of their captivities they shall remember themselves.”
Heart, and be seriously converted, (Haydock) as the prophets had foretold, Osee ii. 7., &c.
“And return from their stiff neck, and from their wicked deeds: for they shall remember the way of their fathers, which sinned before the Lord.”
Neck. Literally, “back,” insensible of stripes. (Calmet)
“And I will bring them again into the land which I promised with an oath unto their fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and they shall be lords of it: and I will increase them, and they shall not be diminished.”
Thereof. Literally, “of them;” eis. But ei is more (Haydock) conformable to the Greek. (Calmet)
“And I will make an everlasting covenant with them to be their God, and they shall be my people: and I will no more drive my people of Israel out of the land that I have given them.”
Another. Greek, “an everlasting covenant,” (Haydock) by Christ, (Maldonat) prefigured by that which Nehemias renewed, 2 Esdras ix. 38. (Calmet) — The law of Moses was in force till Christ came. His law continues unto the end. (Worthington)