HAYDOCK CATHOLIC BIBLE COMMENTARY ON THE OLD TESTAMENT

ISAIAS 3

CHAPTER III.

Ver. 1. Strong. Heb. and Sept. imply, "woman." H. --- Validam. S. Cyp. Test. i. --- After the death of Christ, the Jews had none strong. S. Jerom --- Strength. Heb. "staff," or support (Lev. xxvi. 26.) in the dreadful famine which fell on Jerusalem. Lam. iv. 5. 10. Who then shall rely on the power of any man? C. ii. 22. C. --- The Jews were depressed at the sieges of their city, and will be so till the end of the world. W.

Ver. 2. Prophet. Ezechiel was taken away under Jechonias. Other prophets were disregarded, and the cunning man, (ariolus, which may be understood in a good or bad sense. C.) every false prophet was silent, when danger threatened.

Ver. 3. Countenance. Sept. "the admired counsellor," (H.) who came into the king's presence. --- Architect. 4 K. xxiv. 14. C. --- Eloquent. Lit. "mystic." H. --- Aquila and Sym. "enchanter."

Ver. 4. Effeminate. Heb. "babes." Sept. "scoffers." Aquila, &c. "changers," (C.) who give way to unnatural excesses. Rom. i. 27. H. --- Some manifest a prudence beyond their years: but the last kings of Juda did not. 2 Par. xxxvi. 1. Eccle. x. 16.

Ver. 5. People. They were divided, whether they should continue to obey Nabuchodonosor, or listen to the Egyptians. Ismael slew Godolias. Jer. xli.

Ver. 6. Garment. They were ready to follow any, who was not quite destitute, like themselves. Jer. xxxix. 10. --- Ruin. Fallen people.

Ver. 7. Clothing. The indigent were excluded from dignities, for fear lest they should seek to enrich themselves by unjustifiable means. Ex. xviii. 22. Plut. in Sol. Pliny xvi. 19. C.

Ver. 8. For. The prophet tells what will happen. M. --- And their. Sept. "are sinful, disbelieving what regards the Lord. Wherefore now their glory is brought low." H. --- They must have followed a very different Hebrew copy from ours. C.

Ver. 9. Shew, (agnitio.) "Knowledge." W. --- Impudence, &c. C. --- Hacurath (H.) occurs no where else. C. --- From their countenance we may judge that they are proud, &c. M.

Ver. 10. Well. Jeremias (xxxix. 11.) was treated by the enemy with great respect. Sept. "having said, let us bind the just man, for he is troublesome, (H.) or displeasing (C.) to us. Hence they," &c. H. Wisd. ii. 12. Many of the Fathers quote it thus. But our version agrees well with the original, as Isaias joins consoling predictions with those which are of a distressing nature. C. --- Yet the Sept. seem to have thrown light on the Heb. by supplying an omission from the book of Wisdom. Houbig. --- Thus all must be explained of the wicked, whose malice shall be punished. --- He shall. S. Jer. and all versions read, "they shall eat the fruit of their doings, or devices." Fructum adinventionum suarum comedent. H. --- All who hear of this must applaud the just God for acting well in their punishment. According to the Sept. Christ and his adversaries are clearly pointed out. S. Jer.

Ver. 12. Women. "Let no women be our senate, as the impious Porphyrius objects." The scribes and Pharisees sought for lucre and pleasure. The teacher approved by the Church must excite tears and not laughter; he must correct sinners, and pronounce no one blessed. S. Jer. H. --- The last kings of Juda were real tyrants, and weak as women. C. --- Blessed. Prot. marg. and the text has, "lead thee."

Ver. 16. Pace. Prot. "and making a tinkling with their feet," (H.) by means of little rings round their legs. C. Stridore ad se juvenes vocat. S. Jer. ep. xlvii. --- The daughters of Sion, denote all the cities and villages which were defaced by the Chaldees, and still more by the Romans, forty years after Christ. S. Jer. W.

Ver. 17. Bald. Like slaves. Deut. xxi. 12. --- Hair. Heb. and Sept. "shame."

Ver. 18. Of shoes. Heb. "gold tissue." Ps. xliv. 14. This term occurs no where else, and many of these superfluous ornaments are not well known. But we may conclude that they are pernicious to a state, and hateful to God. C. --- Decorem...invitatorem libidinis scimus. Tert. cult.

Ver. 24. Stench. The Jews are noted on this account, as if in consequence of this curse, or of their being confined to prisons, &c. FÅ“tentium JudÃ¦orum et tumultuantium sÃ¦pe tÃ¦dio percitus. --- M. Aurelius "was often weary of the stinking and seditious Jews." Marcellin ii.

Ver. 25. Fairest. They shall not be spared. C. --- "As they have perished by their beauty, their fairest," &c. Chal.

Ver. 26. Ground. The posture of captives. Lam. i. 1.