and all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another; and all the kingdoms of the world, which are on the surface of the earth. The king of Sheshach will drink after them.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 25–26. Zambri, sprung from Cethura, and dwelling in Arabia, ( Calmet.) or Persia, (Saint Jerome) where Pliny (vi. 28.) places the Zamarenians.—Elam. Persians, ( Bible.) by the sword of Alexander, (Saint Jerome) or Cyrus subdued those who were subject to the Medes, and united the two nations.—North. Armenia, and so forth subdued by Cyrus and by Alexander.—Brother. When Cyrus stood up for the Persians. All shall drink, as at a feast, ( Calmet.) of this bitter wine.—Face, and forming the empire of Babylon. Bible.—Sesac. That is Babel, or Babylon; which after bringing all these people under her yoke, should quickly fall and be destroyed herself. Challoner.—The Chaldees are not expressed, to avoid their resentment. The sh in sheshac, is at the same distance from the end as b in Babel is from the beginning of the alphabet. See Saint Jerome Bible. 2 Timothy 4:17.—Yet they are not elsewhere spared. Calmet. 49. and so forth Sesac was probably the idol, “anais or the moon.” Calmet.—The Sacean feasts were very dissolute, like the saturnalia at Rome. Dio. Chrys. iv. Strabo xi. Calmet.—Cyrus took Babylon after he had conquered the rest of Asia, and then seizing Nabonides at Borsippe, which was sacred to Anais, “the moon,” ( Calmet.) or Diana, (Strabo xv.) suffered him to die in peace. Berosus in Jos. c. Ap. 1.—Thus fell the king of Sesac, an idol worshipped both at Borsippe and at Babylon.