“For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.”
Prolonged. Babylon was taken one hundred and seventy-two years after. (Calmet) — Yet this time is counted short, compared with the monarchy, which had lasted a thousand years. (Worthington) — Ground. Cyrus restored the Jews; yet all did not return at that time. — Stranger. Converts, Esther viii. 17. All Idumea received circumcision under Hyrcan.
“And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors. whose: Heb. that had taken them captives”
Place. Cyrus probably granted an escort, as Artaxerxes did, 2 Esdras ii. 7. — Servants. They had purchased many slaves, (1 Esdras ii. 65.) as some were very rich in captivity, and were treated like other subjects. — Oppressors. Stragglers of the army of Cambyses, &c., though this was chiefly verified under the Machabees, Jeremias xxv. 14., and xxx. 16. (Calmet)
“That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased! proverb: or, taunting speech golden: or, exactress of gold”
Parable. Septuagint, threnon. “Lamentation.” (Haydock) — Or mournful canticle.
“He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth. a continual: Heb. a stroke without removing”
Persecuted. The Jews read incorrectly, “is persecuted.”
“The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.”
Earth. Subject to, or bordering upon the Assyrian empire. Under Darius the Mede, (the Cyaxares of Xenophon) and Cyrus, the people were little molested. (Calmet) — The neighbouring princes (fir-trees, &c., ver. 8.) were also at rest. (Haydock)
“Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. Hell: or, The grave chief: Heb. leaders, or, great goats”
Hell is personified, deriding the Chaldean monarch, Baltassar, who perished the very night after he had profaned the sacred vessels, Daniel v. 3. He probably received only the burial of an ass, ver. 11, 19. (Calmet)
“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning ! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! O Lucifer: or, O day star”
O Lucifer. O day-star. All this, according to the letter, is spoken of the king of Babylon. It may also be applied, in a spiritual sense, to Lucifer, the prince of devils, who was created a bright angel, but fell by pride and rebellion against God. (Challoner) (Luke x. 18.) (Calmet) — He fell by pride, as Nabuchodonosor did. (Worthington) — Homer (Iliad xix.) represents the demon of discord hurled down by Jupiter to the miserable region of mortals.
“For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:”
North. And be adored as God in the temple of Jerusalem, Psalm xlvii. 3. The Assyrian and Persian monarchs claimed divine honours, 4 Kings xviii. 33., and Judith iii. 13.
“Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.”
Depth. Hebrew, “sides,” (ver. 13.) or holes dug out of a cavern. (Calmet)
“They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;”
Turn. From their respective holes in the monument.
“But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet.”
Grave. Strangers seized the crown of Baltassar, and neglected his sepulchre: or if we explain it of Nabuchodonosor, his tomb was probably plundered, (Calmet) as the Persians did not spare that of Belus. In the reign of Alexander, the tombs of the kings were covered with water, and filled with serpents. (Arrian. vii.)
“Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned.”
Thy. Septuagint, “my.” Thou hast been a murderer instead of a shepherd. — Ever. The children and monarchy of Nabuchodonosor presently perished. Evilmerodac and Baltassar reigned but a short time, and left no issue to inherit the throne.
“For I will rise up against them, saith the LORD of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the LORD.”
Name. It shall lose all its splendour, and be mentioned only with abhorrence, 1 Peter v. 13.
“I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the LORD of hosts.”
Besom. Reducing it to a heap of rubbish, (chap. xiii. 21.; Calmet) as the event shewed. (Watson)
“That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders.”
Assyrian. 4 Kings xix. (Worthington) — Sennacherib, (St. Jerome) Cambyses, or Holofernes. The sight of their chastisement would be an earnest of the fall of Babylon. (Calmet) — The allies of Assyria, (Menochius) or the enemies of God’s people, will also be punished, chap. xv. (Haydock)
“In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden.”
Achaz. When Ezechias was just seated on the throne. The preceding and subsequent predictions were then delivered, chap. xiii. 20.
“Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent. cockatrice: or, adder”
Rod. Achaz. — Bird. Ezechias will openly attack thee, 4 Kings xviii. 8. (Calmet) — Protestants, “shall be a fiery flying serpent,” (Haydock) like that erected by Moses, Numbers xxi. 9. Sennacherib and Assaraddon shall lay waste Philistia, ver. 31., and chap. xx. 1. (Calmet) — Though Achaz be dead, Ezechias and Ozias will destroy more of that nation, 4 Kings xviii. 8., and 2 Paralipomenon xxvi. (Worthington)
“What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the LORD hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it. trust: or, betake themselves unto it”
Nations. Surprised that Ezechias should escape, while the power of the Philistines was overturned so easily; or when the king sent ambassadors to his allies, to announce the defeat of Sennacherib by the angel. All confessed that this was an effect of the divine protection towards Sion. (Calmet)