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Verse 2. 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 Chaldees; and surprising changes took place, all during the space of eight or nine years.
EXPLANATIONS
Baruch 2
Historical chapter commentary
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Verse 3. 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. Bible.—We should not know that a similar distress prevailed under Sedecias, if it had not been specified Lamentations 2:20 and 4:10. This prayer greatly resembles that of Daniel 9:4.
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Verse 4. Kings of Egypt and Babylon, while the Ammonites, and so forth derided us.
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Verse 5. Under; a proverbial expression. Deuteronomy 28:13.
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Verse 9. Watched, to punish. When he spares, he seems to slumber. Jeremiah 44:27. Calmet.
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Verse 12. Justices. So God’s law is frequently called, (Psalms 118) because its observance makes us just. Worthington.
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Verse 16. House: the temple, or from heaven. Calmet.
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Verse 17. Justice, and so forth 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. Isaiah 38:18. Psalms 113:17. Sirach 7:24.
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Verse 18. Of evil is not in Greek. A soul which bears grandeur with pain, like Esther, and humbles itself before God, is most graciously received. Bible.—Fail, by fasting. Such are the dispositions required for prayer. Psalms 68:3.
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Verse 19. Fathers. Greek adds, “and kings.”—Prayers. Greek “mercy.” We boast not of our good works. Bible.—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.” Bible.
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Verse 21. Serve, as Jeremias (25:9 and 27:7 and 28:14) repeatedly admonished.
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Verse 23. Footstep. It shall become a desert. Isa. 33:8. Lamentations 1:4.
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Verse 24. Place. The soldiers ransacked the tombs in hopes of plunder. Joakim was left unburied. This would be very affliction to the Jews. Jeremiah 8:1 and 22:19 and 36:30. Calmet.
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Verse 25. Banishment. Syr. “captivity;” (Theod.) or “by pestilence inflicted by God:” αποστολη. Grot. Jeremiah 32:36.
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Verse 26. Day. Its vessels were taken away, (Calmet. 1:8) and few were left to attend. Calmet.—Grotius answers this difficulty. Houbig.—The prophet foresees the event. Worthington.
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Verse 30. Heart, and be seriously converted, ( Bible.) as the prophets had foretold. Osee 2:7. and so forth
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Verse 33. Neck. Lit. “back,” insensible of stripes.
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Verse 34. Thereof. Lit. “of them;” eis. But ei is more ( Bible.) conformable to the Greek. Calmet.
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Verse 35. Another. Greek “an everlasting covenant,” ( Bible.) by Christ, (Maldon.) prefigured by that which Nehemias renewed. 2 Ezra 9:38. Calmet.—The law of Moses was in force till Christ came. His law continues unto the end. Worthington.
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Another reading is, even as he has done.
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See Jeremiah 32:36.