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Awake, awake! Put on your strength, Zion. Put on your beautiful garments, Jerusalem, the holy city, for from now on the uncircumcised and the unclean will no more come into you.
Verse 1. Thee. Judea was no more laid waste by its ancient enemies. The persecution of Epiphanes did not continue long. Many have attacked the Church; but they cannot overcome her, nor will she cease to preach the truth, and to continue pure and holy.
Shake yourself from the dust! Arise, sit up, Jerusalem! Release yourself from the bonds of your neck, captive daughter of Zion!
For the LORD says, “You were sold for nothing; and you will be redeemed without money.”
Verse 3. Money. The Chaldees acted impolitically in leaving the country without inhabitants, and Cyrus will derive no immediate advantage from your return. Calmet.—The Jews had not injured the Chaldees, nor mankind the devil. But both had offended God, who out of mercy paid their ransom. Worthington.
For the Lord GOD says: “My people went down at the first into Egypt to live there; and the Assyrian has oppressed them without cause.
Verse 4. Assyrian. Pharao, (Sa. Tirinus.) or rather Nabuchodonosor, ( Calmet.) and the princes of Assyria, who acted tyrannically. Bible.
“Now therefore, what do I do here,” says the LORD, “seeing that my people are taken away for nothing? Those who rule over them mock,” says the LORD, “and my name is blasphemed continually all day long.
Verse 5. Long, by the Chaldees, weak Jews, and strangers, who misconstrue my conduct towards my people, and represent it as the effect of injustice, or of weakness.
Therefore my people shall know my name. Therefore they shall know in that day that I am he who speaks. Behold, it is I.”
Verse 6. Here. Jesus Christ appears, the Redeemer foretold so long before.
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
Verse 7. Peace. He come like a conqueror to save his people. It may also be applied to the prophets and apostles, ( Calmet.) as Saint Paul explains it. Romans 10:15. Menochius.
Your watchmen lift up their voice. Together they sing; for they shall see eye to eye when the LORD returns to Zion.
Verse 8. Watchmen, prophets. The angels sung at the birth of Christ. Lu. 2:14.
Break out into joy! Sing together, you waste places of Jerusalem; for the LORD has comforted his people. He has redeemed Jerusalem.
The LORD has made his holy arm bare in the eyes of all the nations. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Verse 10. Arm. The Saviour. Lu. 1:51.
Depart! Depart! Go out from there! Touch no unclean thing! Go out from among her! Cleanse yourselves, you who carry the LORD’s vessels.
Verse 11. Lord, the Levites departing from Babylon. 1 Ezra 1:7. Numbers 3:6 and 4:5. and so forth Calmet.—Saint Paul proves hence that communication with infidels in spiritual things is always unlawful. 2 Corinthians 6:17. Worthington.
For you shall not go out in haste, neither shall you go by flight; for the LORD will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.
Behold, my servant will deal wisely. He will be exalted and lifted up, and will be very high.
Verse 13. Servant, Christ. In vain do the Jews attempt to apply this to any other. It is wonderful that Grotius should follow their steps, and understand Jeremias to be meant; though elsewhere he allows that the prophet speaks only of the Messias. De Verit. verse 19.—This author has been of great prejudice to religion. The Chaldee and many modern Jews have been compelled by evidence to apply this to the Messias. See Geir. and so forth Jesus was pleased to assume the form of a servant. Philippians 2:7.
Just as many were astonished at you— his appearance was marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men—
Verse 14. Of men, who have disfigured the countenance of our Saviour with buffets, and so forth The Jews would not receive him under this abject form, though it had been foretold equally with his elevation. Calmet.
so he will cleanse many nations. Kings will shut their mouths at him; for they will see that which had not been told them, and they will understand that which they had not heard.
Verse 15. Sprinkle with baptism, ( Bible.) and his manifold graces. Calmet.—Septuagint “so many nations shall wonder at him.” Bible.—Mouth, out of reverence. How many great princes have submitted to his yoke? Calmet.—Beheld. The Gentiles ( Menochius.) embrace the faith, at the sight of Christ’s miracles. Calmet.
or, sprinkle