Historical chapter commentary
Verse 1. 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 8:17. All Idumea received circumcision under Hyrcan.
Verse 2. Place. Cyrus probably granted an escort, as Artaxerxes did. 2 Ezra 2:7.—Servants. They had purchased many slaves, (1 Ezra 2:65) as some were very rich in captivity, and were treated like other subjects.—Oppressors. Stragglers of the army of Cambyses, and so forth though this was chiefly verified under the Machabees. Jeremiah 25:14 and 30:16. Calmet.
Verse 4. Parable. Septuagint θρηνον. “Lamentation.” Bible.—Or mournful canticle.
Verse 6. Persecuted. The Jews read incorrectly, “is persecuted.”
Verse 7. 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, and so forth verse 8) were also at rest. Bible.
Verse 9. Hell is personified, deriding the Chaldee monarch, Baltassar, who perished the very night after he had profaned the sacred vessels. Daniel 5:3. He probably received only the burial of an ass. verse 11. 19. Calmet.
Verse 12. 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. Lu. 10:18. 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.
Verse 13. North. And be adored as God in the temple of Jerusalem. Psalms 47:3. The Assyrian and Persian monarchs claimed divine honours. 4 Kennicott. 18:33. Judith 3:13.
Verse 15. Depth. Hebrew “sides,” (verse 13) or holes dug out of a cavern. Calmet.
Verse 16. Turn. From their respective holes in the monument.
Verse 19. 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.
Verse 20. 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.
Verse 22. Name. It shall lose all its splendour, and be mentioned only with abhorrence. 1 Peter 5:13.
Verse 23. Besom. Reducing it to a heap of rubbish, (Calmet. 13:21. Calmet.) as the event shewed. Watson.
Verse 25. Assyrian. 4 Kennicott. 19. Worthington.—Sennacherib, (Saint Jerome) Cambyses, or Holofernes. The sight of their chastisement would ben an earnest of the fall of Babylon. Calmet.—The allies of Assyria, ( Menochius.) or the enemies of God’s people, will also be punished. Calmet. 15. Bible.
Verse 28. Achaz. When Ezechias was just seated on the throne. The preceding and subsequent predictions were then delivered. Calmet. 13:20.
Verse 29. Rod. Achaz.—Bird. Ezechias will openly attack thee. 4 Kennicott. 18:8. Calmet.—Prot. “shall be a fiery flying serpent,” ( Bible.) like that erected by Moses. Numbers 21:9. Sennacherib and Assaraddon shall lay waste Philistia. verse 31 chapter 20:1. Calmet.—Though Achaz be dead, Ezechias and Ozias will destroy more of that nation. 4 Kennicott. 18:8 and 2 Chronicles 26. Worthington.
Verse 32. 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.
Sheol is the place of the dead.
Sheol is the place of the dead.
Sheol is the place of the dead.