Notes, Critical and Explanatory, on the Holy Scriptures

As in a wilderness, and droughty land, so that she may die.

P. " Hath done shamefully." R. " Reetius Hieronymus: et confusa est since the verb signifies to be oonvicted of a shameful action, and publicly brought to shame.

The nation did not seem to know that the Divine bounty provided those goods, which they ascribed to their allies. " He (God) answers to what was said above : I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread, and my water, my wool, and my flax, my oil, and my drink ; all which things she had received to employ them in the worship of God. But she turns to idols, and offers to Baal, the bread and wine, which strengthen, and make joyful the heart of man, and the oil, which enlightens every man that cometh into the world, and silver, and gold. That indeed Jerusalem abounded with gold and dim, and all riches, and made idols to Baal, the demon of the Sidoniaas, or as others judge more correctly, the Babylonian demon, whence he is also styled Bel, Ezekiel states in his volume, and the whole choir of pro- phets agrees." St. Jerome. u L.

" When in captivity at Babylon she shall not be able to celebrate the three solemnities of the Passover,, and Pentecost, and Tabernacles : she shall not enjoy the. celebration of the new moon, or Kalends, or of the Sabbath, or all the festivities which he includes in the general term." St Jerome. n " The vine and the fig-tree shall be destroyed amidst the general abundance : by the vine you should! understand joy, by the fig-tree sweetness, which shall be withdrawn through the calamities of most weighty bondage; and for this reason they shall be withdrawn, because the nation regarded them notan Divine gifts, but as rewards for impurity paid to her by her lovers as to a harlot She shall then have no fruit-trees, but all shall be a wild forest And since he began with the' metaphor of the forest, ha- ends by styling the enemies beasts that shall devour everything." Idem. a I shall punish her for the whole time devoted to idolatry. A lengthened and heavy ohastisememt in threatened.

Allusion is made to the bringing forth of the people out of Egypt. God promises a second deliver* anee like the former.

H. P. " Thou shalt" " J$hi : My mao, or husband.

This covenant with the ancient people foreshadowed the covenant with the Church. M Justice may here designate uprightness; judgment may denote lawfulness, as it were justly sad lawfully.

H. P. " Vineyards." Chald. and R. agree with St. Jerome, who read It differently, and Interpreted it of vine-dressers. "This then is promised by the discourse of the prophet, that the chiefs of this vineyard, coming forth from the Gentiles and from captivity among enemies, are of the Jewish race."

As the punishment of Achan in the valley of Acbor had been a preparation for victory (Josue 7), so chastisement shoo Id inspire hope for the return of the people. P. "A door of hope." L. " An entrance for hope." St Jerome writes : ** Hs promises that the plaee of tumult and valley ef strife, for so Aohor is Interpreted, should be changed into a door of hope, that is, should open the way to hope and patieaeey since they suffered punishments and torments, that by them they might attain In felicity."*