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Verse 3. Everlastingly. is such a short-lived creature an object worthy of thy eternal wrath? Job 13:25 and 14:1. Psalms 102:13.
EXPLANATIONS
Baruch 3
Historical chapter commentary
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Verse 4. Dead; banished, (verse 11. Ezekiel 37:5) or of the ancient patriarchs. This motive is frequently urged.
Exodus 32:13. Leviticus 26:41. Deuteronomy 9:27. Daniel 3:35. Jeremiah 15:1. Calmet.—People in sin and misery seem dead, (verse 11) yet may revive by grace. Worthington.
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Verse 5. Hand. Save us by thy power, and for thy own name’s sake. Joshua 7:9.
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Verse 8. Offence. Greek “debt.” Parents might sell their children. Matthew 18:25. God threatens his rebellious people, that they shall be forced to borrow. Deuteronomy 28:44. Calmet.
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Verse 9. Hear. God replies. Bible.—The Church has long read this has holy scripture, on the eves of Easter and Pentecost. Worthington.—This second part contains an instruction respecting true wisdom; which is to be found in God alone, ( Calmet.) in in the people to whom he is pleased to communicate it. Bible.
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Verse 11. Grown. Houbigant, “growing.” Five years had not elapsed: (Cappel.) yet they knew their captivity would be long.—Dead. Some might yield to idolatry. Daniel 3:7. 12. Bible.—They were in a manner buried, (Psalms 87:5) and forced to dwell among people where they were exposed to many defilements, as if they had been near a dead body. Leviticus 11:25.
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Verse 13. Peace. There is none for the wicked; but only for the observers of the law.—For ever. Many read, “upon the land,” conformably to the Greek.
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Verse 15. Treasures? How few are truly wise and virtuous! The great men of the world have missed their aim. Israel has received the law. Yet where is the fruit of it? This is developed in the sequel.
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Verse 16. Nations of Assyria? and so forth They esteemed themselves as lords of nature, and delighted in hunting. The beasts and birds are subject to them. Genesis 1:26. Jeremiah 27:6. Daniel 2:38. Calmet.
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Verse 18. Unsearchable? Shall they not find the fruit of their works? Worthington.
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Verse 20. Men; heirs of those conquerors, and equally in the dark. Calmet.
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Verse 22. Theman, the capital city of Edom. Challoner.—Eliphaz was king. Jeremiah 49:7.—The Phœnicians, so famous for industry, had no idea of true wisdom, no more then the Ismaelites, and so forth Calmet.
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Verse 23. Agar, the mother of the Ismaelites. Challoner.—Merrha, probably in Arabia.—Fables. This may be a reproach, or a commendation. Those nations delighted in enigmatical and sententious discourses. 3 Kennicott. 10:1. Calmet.—Instructors of mankind deserve praise, not those who devise false gods for lucre. Saint Augustine de Civ. Dei. vi. 5. and so forth Worthington.
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Verse 24. Possession. All the world belongs to him: yet how few partake of his wisdom!
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Verse 26. Giants, before and after the deluge. Genesis 6. Noe and Israel were preferred before them.
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Verse 29. Clouds? No human industry can procure this blessing. God alone is the dispenser of it. Deuteronomy 30:12. Calmet.—His grace makes the discovery easy. Matthew 11:30. Worthington.
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Verse 32. Evermore. Lit. “in the eternal time,” or so long ago; ( Bible.) designed to continue, while kingdoms shall change. Eccle. 1:4.
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Verse 33. Trembling. The sun stops, goes back, or withdraws its light, at his command. Joshua 10:12 and 4 Kennicott. 20:9. Matthew 27:45. Job 36:30.
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Verse 34. Watches. They are like his soldiers. Judges 5:20. Sirach 43:12. Calmet.
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Verse 38. Earth, and so forth by the mystery of the incarnation, by means of which the son of God came visibly amongst us, and conversed with men. The prophets often speak of things to come as if they were past, to express the certainty of the event of the things foretold. Challoner. Calmet.—Most of the Fathers prove Christ’s divinity from this text. Worthington. See Tert. c. Prax. 6. S. Cyp. c. Jud. ii. 5. Eus. Dem. vi. 19.—If we explain it of wisdom, it comes to the same purpose, as Christ is the wisdom of God. 1 Corinthians 1:30. Compare Proverbs 8:30. Sirach 24:12. Wisd. 9:10 which no one ever suspected to be interpolated. Calmet. Pref.