Historical chapter commentary
Verse 2. Iniquities. The history of Susanna shews that the captives were not all free from sin, which alone prevented their liberation. Lamentations 3:44. Calmet.—God is willing and able to save. He punishes for sin, to cause us to repent. verse 20. Worthington.
Verse 4. Justice. They arraign unjustly. None call upon the just God, but trust in idols.—Iniquity. They kill themselves, while they strive to injure others. Psalms 7:15. Mic. 2:1.
Verse 5. Basilisk, or viper. Calmet.—The young ones “burst through the viper’s sides.” Pliny x. 62.—So the works of the wicked are useless or destructive.
Verse 8. Peace, or prosperity. They quarrel with all, and ruin themselves. Psalms 13.
Verse 9. Therefore. The wicked Jews nevertheless confess that their sins prove their destruction.
Verse 10. Dead. The Jews will not recognize Christ, notwithstanding the prophecies and miracles.
Verse 11. Judgment, that God would avenge us, (verse 9) and regard our fasts. Calmet. 58:3.
Verse 14. In. Where truth is disregarded, there can be no justice.
Verse 16. Himself, to arrest his arm, stretched out to chastise his son; or to second him. There is nothing in man to stop God’s vengeance. He therefore pardons out of his own goodness. Calmet. 59:2 and 63:4. Calmet.—He became man to redeem us, as no pure mortal could do it. Worthington.
Verse 17. Justice. None can blame his conduct.
Verse 19. On. Hebrew “is standard-bearer.” Aq. Saint Jerome—Cyrus, the figurative redeemer, proceeds rapidly.
Verse 20. To Sion. Septuagint “from Sion, and will turn away iniquity from Jacob. (21) And this,” and so forth Bible.—Saint Paul hence proves that the Jews will at last be converted. Romans 11:26. The return of the captives prefigured this event. Calmet.
Verse 21. Covenant. Note here a clear promise of perpetual orthodoxy to the Church of Christ. Challoner.—She hath still the spirit of truth. Worthington. Matthew 28:20.—None will apply this to the synagogue, which is visibly in the dark, and abandoned. Calmet.