God’s judgment upon Babylon.
The destruction of Babylon is further prophecied, for their pride, 8. arroganeie, 10. and sorcerie.
1Come down, sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne for the daughter of the Chaldeans, for thou shalt no more be called delicate and tender.Scendi, ponti a seder nella polvere, o vergine figlia di Babilonia: non è più in trono la figliuola de' Caldei: tu non continuerai ad esser chiamata molle, e delicata.COME downe, sitte in the dust ô Virgin daughter of Babylon, sitte on the ground: there is no throne for the daughter of the Chaldees, because thou shalt no more be called nice and tender.Descende, sede in pulvere, / virgo filia Babylon: / sede in terra; non est solium / filiæ Chaldæorum, / quia ultra non vocaberis / mollis et tenera. 2Take a millstone and grind meal: uncover thy shame, strip thy shoulder, make bare thy legs, pass over the rivers.Dà di mano alla macina, e fa della farina: svela la tua deformità, scuopri gli omeri, e le gambe, valica i fiumi.Take a mil, and grinde meale: make bare thy turpitude, discouer the shoulder, vncouer the thighes, passe the riuers.Tolle molam, et mole farinam; / denuda turpitudinem tuam; / discooperi humerum, revela crura, / transi flumina. 3Thy nakedness shall be discovered, and thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and no man shall resist me.La tua ignominia sarà scoperta, e vedrassi il tuo obbrobrio: farò le mie vendette, e nissun uomo a me si opporrà.Thyne ignominie shal be discouered, and thy reproch shal be seene: I wil take vengeance, and no man shal resist me.Revelabitur ignominia tua, / et videbitur opprobrium tuum; / ultionem capiam, et non resistet mihi homo. 4Our redeemer, the Lord of hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel.Redentore nostro è colui, che si chiama Signor degli eserciti, il Santo d'Israele.Our redemer, the Lord of hostes is his name the holie one of Israel.Redemptor noster, Dominus exercituum nomen illius, / Sanctus Israël. 5Sit thou silent, and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called the lady of kingdoms.Statti muta, e nasconditi nelle tenebre, o figlia de' Caldei; perchè tu non sarai più chiamata la signora dei regni.Sitte holding thy peace, and enter into darkenes ô daughter of the Chaldees: because thou shalt no more be called the ladie of kingdomes.Sede tacens, et intra in tenebras, / filia Chaldæorum, / quia non vocaberis ultra / domina regnorum. 6I was angry with my people, I have polluted my inheritance, and have given them into thy hand: thou hast shewn no mercy to them: upon the ancient thou hast laid thy yoke exceeding heavy.Io mi adirai contro del popol mio, rendei come profana la mia eredità, e la posi in tua mano: tu non avesti misericordia di essi: e sopra i vecchi aggravasti forte il tuo giogo.I was angrie agaynst my people, I haue contaminated mine inheritance, and haue geuen them into thy hand: thou hast not shewed mercies to them: vpon the ancient thou hast made thy yoke exceding heauie.Iratus sum super populum meum: / contaminavi hæreditatem meam, / et dedi eos in manu tua: / non posuisti eis misericordias; / super senem aggravasti jugum tuum valde.
7And thou hast said: I shall be a lady for ever: thou hast not laid these things to thy heart, neither hast thou remembered thy latter end.E dicesti: In sempiterno sarò signora: e non pensasti a queste cose, né ti se' ricordata di quel, che era per accaderti alla fine.And thou hast sayd: I wil be a ladie for euer: thou hast not put these thinges vpon thy hart, neither hast thou remembred thy later end.Et dixisti: In sempiternum ero domina. / Non posuisti hæc super cor tuum, / neque recordata es novissimi tui. 8And now hear these things, thou that art delicate, and dwellest confidently, that sayest in thy heart: I am, and there is none else besides me: I shall not sit as a widow, and I shall not know barrenness.E adesso ascolta queste cose, tu che vivi nelle delizie, e se' piena di arroganza, e dici in cuor tuo: io sono, e altra non è fuori di me: non sarò mai vedova, né saprò che sia sterilità.And now heare these thinges thou that art delicate, and dwellest confidently, that sayest in thy hart: I am, and there is none eles beside me: I shal not sitte a widow, and I shal not know barrennesse.Et nunc audi hæc delicata, / et habitans confidenter, / quæ dicis in corde tuo: / Ego sum, et non est præter me amplius; / non sedebo vidua, / et ignorabo sterilitatem. 9These two things shall come upon thee suddenly in one day, barrenness and widowhood. All things are come upon thee, because of the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great hardness of thy enchanters.Avverranno a te queste cose subitamente in un sol giorno: tu sarà sterile, e vedova. Tutto questo verrà sopra di te per la moltitudine de' tuoi malefizi, e per la crudeltà somma de' tuoi incantatori.These two thinges shal come to thee sodenly in one day, barrennesse and widowhood. Al thinges are come vpon thee, because of the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the vehement hardnes of thine inchanters.Venient tibi duo hæc / subito in die una, / sterilitas et viduitas: / universa venerunt super te, / propter multitudinem maleficiorum tuorum, / et propter duritiam incantatorum tuorum vehementem. 10And thou hast trusted in thy wickedness, and hast said: There is none that seeth me. Thy wisdom, and, thy knowledge, this hath deceived thee. And thou hast said in thy heart: I am, and besides me there is no other.E nella tua malizia ti confidasti, e dicesti: Non è chi mi vegga. La tua sapienza, e la tua scienza ti sedusse, e dicesti: Io sono, e altra non è fuori di me.And thou hast confidence in thy malice, & hast sayd: There is none that seeth me. Thy wisdome; and thy knowlege, this hath deceiued thee. And thou hast sayd in•thy hart: I am, and beside me there is none other.Et fiduciam habuisti in malitia tua, / et dixisti: Non est qui videat me. / Sapientia tua et scientia tua, / hæc decepit te. / Et dixisti in corde tuo: / Ego sum, et præter me non est altera.
11Evil shall come upon thee, and thou shalt not know the rising thereof: and calamity shall fall violently upon thee, which thou canst not keep off: misery shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know.Verrà sopra di te la sciagura, né saprai donde nasca; e piomberà sopra di te una calamità, cui tu non potrai colle espiazoni allontanare: verrà repentinamente sopra di te una non preveduta miseria.Euil shal come vpon thee, and thou shalt not know the rysing therof: and calamitie shal fal violently vpon thee, which thou canst not expiate: miserie shal come vpon thee sodenly, which thou shalt not know.Veniet super te malum, / et nescies ortum ejus; / et irruet super te calamitas / quam non poteris expiare; / veniet super te repente miseria / quam nescies. 12Stand now with thy enchanters, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, in which thou hast laboured from thy youth, if so be it may profit thee any thing, or if thou mayst become stronger.Stattene co' tuoi incantatori, e colla turba de' tuoi maghi, co' quali avesti tanto da fare fin dalla tua adolescenza, se per sorte ciò possa giovarti alcun poco, o se tu possa divenire più forte.Stand with thine inchanters, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, in which thou hast traueled from thy youth, if perhaps it may profite thee any thing, or if thou mayst become stronger.Sta cum incantatoribus tuis / et cum multitudine maleficiorum tuorum, / in quibus laborasti ab adolescentia tua, / si forte quod prosit tibi, / aut si possis fieri fortior. 13Thou hast failed in the multitude of thy counsels: let now the astrologers stand and save thee, they that gazed at the stars, and counted the months, that from them they might tell the things that shall come to thee.In mezzo alla moltitudine de' tuoi consiglieri tu ti perdi: sorgano, e diano a te salute gli auguri del cielo, che contemplavan le stelle, e contavano i mesi, affin di predire a te il futuro.Thou hast fayled in the multitude of thy counsels: let the astrologers of the heauen stand and saue thee, which did contemplate the starres, and count the monethes, that by them they might tel thinges that shal come to thee.Defecisti in multitudine consiliorum tuorum. / Stent, et salvent te / augures cæli, / qui contemplabantur sidera, / et supputabant menses, / ut ex eis annuntiarent ventura tibi. 14Behold they are as stubble, fire hath burnt them, they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flames: there are no coals wherewith they may be warmed, nor fire, that they may sit thereat.Ecco ch'ei son diventati come paglia, il fuoco gli ha divorati: non potran liberare le anime loro dalle fiamme: elle non sono un fuoco fatto per iscaldarsi, oppur per sedervi a crocchio.Behold they are become as stuble, fire hath burnt them, they shal not deliuer their soule from the hand of the flame: there are no coles, wherwith they may be warmed, nor fire, that they may sitte therat.Ecce facti sunt quasi stipula, / ignis combussit eos; / non liberabunt animam suam / de manu flammæ; / non sunt prunæ quibus calefiant, / nec focus ut sedeant ad eum.
15Such are all the things become to thee, in which thou hast laboured: thy merchants from thy youth, every one hath erred in his own way, there is none that can save thee.Così sarà di tutte quelle cose, per le quali ti desti all'anno: quei, che teco aveano commercio dalla tua adolescenza son fuggiti ognuno per la sua strada: non è chi si salvi.So are the thinges become vnto thee, in whatsoeuer thou hast traueled: thy merchants from thy youth, euerie one hath erred in his owne way, there is none that can saue thee.Sic facta sunt tibi in quibuscumque laboraveras: / negotiatores tui ab adolescentia tua, / unusquisque in via sua erraverunt; / non est qui salvet te.
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Menochius
Virgin; delicate. (Menochius)
Worthington
Cyrus overthrew this empire, (Calmet) which now felt its share of misery. (Worthington)
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Haydock
Shame. Hebrew tsammathec, Canticle of Canticles 4:1, 4. Protestants, "thy locks, make bare the legs, uncover the thigh, pass," etc. (Haydock)
Thou shalt be reduced to a state of the most abject slavery, Exodus 11:5., and Supra[Isaias] 3:17., and 20:4. The Barbarians sold their slaves naked.
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Calmet
Polluted; deemed or declared unclean. But thou hast sought to gratify thy vindictive temper, in punishing my people. (Calmet)
Worthington
The sins of both called down vengeance. (Worthington)
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Two. The empire and the people shall be removed at once.
Enchanters; princes or magicians, who gave them evil counsel, ver. 12.
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Calmet
Know. All this shews the vanity of magic, which cannot announce future events to do any good. (Calmet)
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Months, to tell which would prove lucky, Esther 3:7.
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Calmet
Thereat, to warm themselves, (Haydock) or to adore. (Calmet)
Strabo xv
In Cappadocia are to be seen "Pyratheia,...in which the magi keep a perpetual fire, and sing hymns about the space of an hour." (Strabo xv.)
Calmet
These were a sort of open temples. (Calmet)
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Diodorus ii
Merchants. The city was well situated for trade, Isaias 13:20. (Diodorus ii.)
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Babylon not hitherto ouercome at last was brought to miserie and destruction.
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Concordance Nahum. 3.
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Gods people cōtaminating themselues with sinne, were suffered to fal into ignominious captiuitie; but God geueth them grace of repentance, & then seuerely punisheth their vnmerciful afflicters & persecuters.
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Apoc. •.
Concordance Insea 51.
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St Hippolytus † AD 235 Treatise on Christ and Antichrist 35
… Behold, they shall all be as sticks for the fire; so shall they be burned, and they shall not deliver their soul from the flame. Because thou hast coals of fire, sit upon them; so shall it be for thy help. Thou art wearied with change from thy youth. Man has gone astray (each one) by himself; and there shall be no salvation for thee.”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 22.6
… “Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground; there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldæans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate. Take the millstone and grind meal; uncover thy locks, make bare the legs, pass over the rivers; thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen.”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 77.5
… She no longer entered the church of God but, like Miriam the sister of Moses, she sat apart without the camp, till the priest who had cast her out should himself call her back. She came down like the daughter of Babylon from the throne of her daintiness, she took the millstones and ground meal, she passed barefooted through rivers of tears.
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St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Defence of His Flight. (Apologia de Fuga.) 9
… Like the tyrant of Babylon , they attack more furiously; they shew pity to none, but mercilessly ‘upon the ancient,’ as it is written, ‘they very heavily lay the yoke,’ and ‘they add to the grief of them that are wounded
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St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 4.18
… Give no more heed, pray, to astrologers; for of these the divine Scripture saith, Let the stargazers of the heaven stand up and save thee , and what follows: Behold, they all shall be consumed as stubble on the fire, and shall not deliver their soul from the flame
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 2.9
… Is the Son, therefore, less than the Spirit because He was sent by the Spirit? Thus you have the record, that the Son declares Himself sent by the Father and His Spirit. “I am the beginning,” He saith, “and I live for ever, and My hand hath laid the foundations of the earth, My right hand hath made the heaven to stand abidingly;”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 19
… “Thou hast had,” he saith, “five husbands, and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband.” ( c. iv. 18 .) So also His Father makes great account of prophecy, when He sets Himself against the honor paid to idols: “Let them declare to you,” saith He, “what shall come upon you” (
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 14.11
… “Let now the astrologers stand and save thee, they that gazed at the stars and counted the months, that from them they might tell the things that shall come to thee,”
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Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis 2.5.3
… What does Ezekiel the prophet say of them? “Sodom,” he says, “shall be restored to her former condition.” But why, in afflicting those who are deserving of punishment, does He not afflict them for their good?—who also says to Chaldea, “Thou hast coals of fire, sit upon them; they will be a help to thee.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis 2.10.6
… “The Lord will wash away the filth of the sons or daughters of Zion, and shall purge away the blood from the midst of them by the spirit of judgment, and the spirit of burning.” Of the Chaldeans he thus speaks: “Thou hast the coals of fire; sit upon them: they will be to thee a help.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 5.15
… But that we say that God brings fire upon the world, not like a cook, but like a God, who is the benefactor of them who stand in need of the discipline of fire, will be testified by the prophet Isaiah, in whose writings it is related that a sinful nation was thus addressed: “Because thou hast coals of fire, sit upon them: they shall be to thee a help.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 6.56
… nor would one visit “with a rod the transgressions of those who forsake the law of the Lord, and their iniquities with stripes;” nor could it be said, “Thou hast coals of fire to set upon them; they shall be to thee a help.”
St Jerome † AD 420 Jerome's Apology for Himself Against the Books of Rufinus 2.7
… But you well know, I think, what eternal fires mean according to the ideas of Origen, namely, the sinners’ conscience, and the remorse which galls their hearts within. These ideas he thinks are intended in the words of Isaiah: “Their worm shall not die neither shall their fire be quenched.” And in the words addressed to Babylon:
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 77.5
… She came down like the daughter of Babylon from the throne of her daintiness, she took the millstones and ground meal, she passed barefooted through rivers of tears. She sat upon the coals of fire, and these became her aid.
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1. COME DOWN (from your monarchical throne and pomp, once a queen, now a captive handmaid), SIT IN THE DUST (like a slave), O VIRGIN DAUGHTER OF BABYLON, — that is, O Babylon tender and delicate like the daughter of a virgin. See Song XVIII. Thus Judea subdued by Vespasian is depicted on a coin struck by him, as it were a handmaid sitting on the ground. By Babylon is understood the Babylonians, men and women. SIT ON THE GROUND. — St. Cyril reads, ἐν τῷ σκότει, sit in darkness. THERE IS NO THRONE FOR THE DAUGHTER OF THE CHALDEANS, — that is for Babylon, which was born, that is rebuilt, that is restored, wonderfully enlarged and adorned by Nebuchadnezzar the Chaldean, so that it may appear to be his daughter; for before him Nimrod, and after him Semiramis, first built Babylon: concerning which Daniel, chapter IV, verse 27. Second, by simple Hebraism Babylon is called daughter of the Chaldeans, that is Chaldean daughter. Daughter, because tender, as I said; of the Chaldeans, because it was situated in Chaldea. In a similar way she herself is called daughter of Babylon, that is daughter of Babylon, the city Babylon. For thus we say: City of the Venetians, of the Parisians, that is Venice, Paris; Province of Spain, of Italy, of England, etc., that is Spain itself, Italy, England.
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2. TAKE THE MILLSTONE, AND GRIND MEAL, — as if to say: You shall be taken captive, O Babylon! and shall be consigned to slavery and relegated to the mill. For in ancient times slaves and handmaids were relegated to grinding, as if to a prison-house. Thus Cyril. This phrase therefore signifies the most extreme, basest and most wretched servitude, as is well known to captives among the Turks and Moors, and is evident from Exodus XI, 5. Otherwise the Hebrews, and from them St. Jerome, explain this, namely of violation and rape. Morally, St. Gregory expounds all these things at length and in detail, and adapts them to the sinful soul, in the Sixth Book of Morals, XI, where among other things he says: "To take the millstone and to grind meal is commanded. The millstone is turned in a circle, and meal is produced. Now every action of this world is a millstone, which while it heaps together many cares, turns human minds as if in a circle; and from itself produces meal, as it were, because with the heart seduced, it always generates most minute thoughts. It reveals the legs, because it manifests those by whose steps of desire it hungers after the gains of the world. It also crosses rivers, because it incessantly desires the actions of this age, which daily flow to their end, and while it abandons some, pursues others, as if it always tends from river to river." UNCOVER YOUR SHAME, — not of the pudenda, as St. Jerome explains, and Symmachus favors, when he translates: Uncover your silence, that is, what ought to be concealed out of modesty: but of the head and hair. For this is signified by the Hebrew צמה tsammat, Song IV, 1, as if to say: Your hair shall be uncovered, and you shall be made bald, and thus your shame shall appear, namely baldness. This is indeed what God threatened to the virgins of Sion, cap. III, 17: "The Lord shall make bald the crown of the daughters of Sion." Thus Sanchez, who with Luisio of Leon, Song IV, 1, understands by tsammat the hair or locks veiling the eyes and entwining them. Secondly, the Hebrew tsammat is more aptly translated by Forerius, Vatablus and Forsterus as a binding, or the band by which the hair and curls are bound so that they do not fall loose. Whence Forerius translates, loosen your binding; Vatablus, unbind your curls, so that namely the band or ribbon being removed the hair falls loose and disheveled, as happens to captive or rustic handmaids, or those in mourning. Whence also the Septuagint translates: ἀποκάλυψαι τὸ κάλυμμα σου, reveal your covering; reveal, that is, uncover and remove. For the root צמם tsammat signifies to bind, as is evident from Lamentations cap. III, 53; and Forsterus shows this by many examples, although Pagninus wishes it to signify to cut off, to cut down. Tsammat therefore is a veil, namely a band, ribbon or binding veiling the hair, or the eyes and face. Whence Our Author, Song IV, 1, when he had spoken of the eyes: "Your eyes are as doves," namely clear and bright, adds: "Besides what is hidden within," in Hebrew it is tsamma, as if to say: Not only were the eyes of the bride, her sight and aspect elegant from their brightness, but also from that "which is hidden within," that is, from the fact that the eyes were hidden under a veil (such as noble matrons wear, so that their forehead does not appear, the eyes only looking through little circles, as if through little windows); hence they seemed to flash forth like gems or diamonds, and as if from ambush to strike the unwary and wound them: for they had their lights so concealed. UNCOVER YOUR SHOULDER, — both for nakedness and shame, and so that you may receive on your bare shoulder and back the blows and stripes of the Persians. For this reason slaves sit in triremes with bare back. REVEAL YOUR LEGS, CROSS THE RIVERS, — as if to say: O Babylon the queen! you shall put off your royal and long train, you shall put on short garments as a handmaid, so that you may cross the channels of the Euphrates made by Cyrus, and other rivers on foot, when you are led captive into Persia. Thus St. Cyril.
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3. YOUR SHAME SHALL BE REVEALED. — "Shame," that is, shameful nakedness. Again "shame," that is, hidden filth, vices, marks and reproaches. For it alludes to women suffering from menstrual flow, venereal disease, or other disgrace, stench or defect, who, in order to conceal this, are accustomed to put on splendid garments and those scented with musk, and to adorn themselves with them; but when this paint and adornment is removed, their vice and reproach appear. Thus Sanchez. Truly indeed the Poet said: "After this, he does not smell well, who always smells well."
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4. OUR REDEEMER. — These words should be enclosed in parentheses. For the prophet, having heard God's vengeance upon the Babylonians, suddenly and in passing flies joyfully to God in his accustomed manner, as if to say: O Israel! God will accomplish this vengeance upon Babylon for our sake, namely so that our God may redeem and free us, whose name is the Holy One of Israel, that is, the God of Israel: for the name of God is Holy. Note here the affection of a benevolent father in God toward the Jews; for before the Jews go into Babylon, He predicts their liberation and the destruction of Babylon, as if He could not be induced in any way to chastise His Church and people without at the same time determining in what manner and when He would free them. Thus Forerius.
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5. SIT SILENT AND ENTER INTO DARKNESS. — By silence and darkness, understand captivity and prison, or the state and place of the dead; for this is called in Hebrew דומה duma, that is, silence, and the shadow of death. Whence also Virgil, book VI of the Aeneid: "Gods, to whom the dominion of souls belongs, and silent shades, and Chaos, and Phlegethon, places silent in darkness far and wide," etc. Thus Forerius. Otherwise Sanchez, who thinks by these things bereavement is signified; for there is an allusion to a noble matron once glorious, who now bereft of husband and children loves darkness and solitude, and there gives herself over to perpetual silence and anguish, as the tragic poets relate of Hecuba. To this St. John alludes, Apocalypse XVIII, 7, speaking of the destruction of Babylon: "As much," he says, "as she hath glorified herself and lived in delights, so much torment and mourning give ye to her, because she saith in her heart: I sit a queen, and am a widow, and sorrow I shall not see."
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6. I WAS ANGRY WITH MY PEOPLE, — as if to say: I was angry with Israel on account of his crimes, and therefore delivered him to be chastised by the Chaldeans; but they did not chastise him, but slew him: therefore I will not chastise them either, but slay them. Here He begins to assign the causes of the destruction of the Babylonians: and He gives the first here, namely cruelty toward the Jews. I HAVE POLLUTED MY INHERITANCE. — "I have polluted," first, that is, I have declared it polluted through punishments and captivity, which I imposed upon it on account of its crimes. For thus is "to pollute" taken for "to declare polluted," Leviticus XIII, 20, 25, 27 and 30. Second, "I have polluted," that is, I have exacted deserved punishments from the polluted one, or I have polluted the polluted one with guilt by means of punishment, namely with filth, plagues and blood, I have infected and stained it. Thus Sanchez. Third, "I have polluted," that is, I have transferred it from its land and holy place into the land of idolaters, so that the people, once faithful and holy, is now reckoned profane, defiled and polluted, because it dwells among the uncircumcised, profane, defiled and polluted. Thus Vatablus. For just as a priest was said to be profaned if he touched an unclean thing, so a holy thing (namely Israel) was reckoned to be profaned if it were handled by the unclean. This sense is very apt. To which add fourth, "I have polluted," or profaned, "my inheritance," my people, my hereditary people, namely the Jews, that is, I have exposed it as a thing which has lost its sanctity, and has become public, common and unclean, to the violence, injury and slaughter of the infidel Babylonians. For the Hebrew חלל chillel means to pollute a thing, to profane it, and to make it common. For when it is holy, it is the property of God, and cannot be applied to profane uses; but when it is polluted, it becomes public and common. Hence the Hebrews call common that which has lost its sanctity, which is unclean, profane and polluted. Whence in Acts X, 15, Peter is told: "What God hath cleansed, do not thou call common," that is, unclean. And to communicate, or to make common, is to defile, Mark VII, 15: "The things which proceed from a man, those are the things that defile a man." And verse 18: "Whatsoever from without entereth into a man, cannot defile him," that is, pollute him. Similar passages are verses 20 and 23. THOU DIDST NOT SHOW THEM MERCIES. — Mercilessly, O Babylon! thou didst treat the Jews; hence in like manner shalt thou be treated by the Persians. Thou didst not spare the aged, children, virgins, station, age or sex, as is evident from Lamentations V, 11, nor shall the Persians spare thee. He mentions the aged, because gray hair is venerable and pitiable, and is wont to extort reverence and mercy even from a hostile enemy.
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7. AND THOU HAST SAID: I SHALL BE MISTRESS FOR EVER. — According to this, the crime of Babylon is this, and the cause of its destruction, namely pride and arrogance, and forgetfulness of the Godhead and divine providence (for these things almost always accompany pride); as if it were so powerful in itself, and sat upon so mighty a throne, that from there it could not be cast down by any force, by any arms, not even by God. THOU HAST NOT LAID THESE THINGS TO THY HEART, — namely, that Israel was my people, and my holy inheritance, and that I had delivered him to thee for light chastisement only, not for destruction, and that if thou shouldest do otherwise, I would likewise destroy thee. NEITHER HAST THOU REMEMBERED THE LATTER END OF THEE. — In Hebrew, the latter end of those, that is to say, Thou hast not remembered what after all that thy (whence the learned Interpreter, following the sense, rightly translated, the latter end of thee) cruelty, as well as glory and pomp, was to follow, namely that it was not to last for ever, as thou didst boast, but was to end shortly and be turned into extreme ignominy and calamity. Whence the Septuagint translates, thou hast not remembered the latter ends. This is the wonderful thoughtlessness and imprudence of the children of this world, that they think not of the future, that they foresee not death, hell and the last things, that they think their fortune, riches and joys will last for ever. Thus men live, as if no death were to follow, And as if hell were but an idle tale. Merit therefore that demons shall insult them in hell: "O wretched soul! thou knewest these things; and when thou couldst easily have done so, thou didst not avoid them, thou hast not remembered thy latter end." These things we read, these things we believe; and yet, as if they pertained not to us, we pass them by, we enter upon the old ways, we change not our manner and life for the better: O stupor! O blind ones! O senseless minds of men! And why? Because we ponder not these things, we penetrate them not, we apprehend them not, as the gravity of the matter demands; because by frequent and prolonged meditation we turn not these things over in our mind, we do not revolve them, we do not vividly represent them to ourselves. Whosoever is wise, therefore, let him meditate upon these things continually. Remember thy latter end, and thou shalt not sin for ever. THINK UPON ETERNITY.
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8. I AM, AND THERE IS NONE ELSE BESIDES ME, — that is to say, There is nothing in the whole world that is rich, beautiful, noble, splendid and glorious, which is not in me: there is nothing that anyone in the world desires to see, where he hath seen me: in me is the sum of all elegance, happiness, riches, delights, empire and glory. This certainly it is the part of God alone to say. Wherefore wrongly doth the creature arrogate this to itself, and deservedly it merits to be deprived of all things and destroyed. Thus Forerius. Secondly, Sanchez thinks that Babylon here is as it were called and displayed as a goddess. For thus God calls himself throughout here: "I am the Lord, and there is none else," cap. XLIII, vers. 11; cap. XLIV, vers. 6; cap. XLV, vers. 5; cap. XLVI, vers. 9, that he may allude to Nabuchodonosor, who in a golden statue wished to be adored as a god, Daniel III, 1, and to Baltassar, whose voice this was, cap. XIV, vers. 13: "I will ascend into heaven, etc., I will be like the Most High." Thus Rome is called by the Gentiles "the goddess of lands and nations." And thus Babylon is described, Apoc. XVII, 5.
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9. THERE SHALL COME UPON THEE TWO THINGS, etc., BARRENNESS AND WIDOWHOOD. — "Barrenness," that is, bereavement, as Vatablus translates it, for this is the Hebrew שכל sechol, as if to say: In one day thou shalt be deprived of thy sons at once, that is, of thy citizens and inhabitants, by whom thou wast fruitful and abundant, and thou shalt be bereaved; and of a husband, namely King Belshazzar, and thou shalt be a widow. For a king is to the commonwealth and kingdom as a husband, and the commonwealth, when he dies, is as a widow, which has lost her husband, her leader, her guardian and her protector. Thus St. Cyril, Forerius and Vatablus. IN THEIR PERFECTION. — In Hebrew, in perfection, as if to say: Perfect and complete bereavement which preceded shall come upon thee. BECAUSE OF THE MULTITUDE OF THY SORCERIES. — This is the third sin of Babylon, and the cause of its destruction, namely that it was devoted to sorceries and incantations, and to divination, especially that which is done by the inspection of the stars. Wherefore the Chaldeans became a byword, and are the same as astrologers and genethliacists, who divine from the stars and horoscope concerning the life and fate of each person. Whence Cato, book V, chapter III: "He says, let him wish to consult no augur, haruspex, soothsayer, or Chaldean." And Cicero, book I On Divination: "He says, the Chaldeans, named not from the art but from the name of the nation, are thought by long observation of the stars to have made a science, so that it could be predicted what would happen to each person, and by what fate each was born." BECAUSE OF THE STRENGTH OF THY SORCERERS. — For strength in Hebrew is עצמה atsama, that is, strength, or corroboration. By which first, Forerius understands density, or compactness, namely that the astrologers divine not from one star, but from the conjunctions of the stars, and from the density of constellations. For the name חברים chabarim is said from conjunction, or union; for they were wholly occupied in observing and explaining the conjunctions of the stars. Second, Vatablus by strength understands the multitude of sorcerers. Third, better our author by strength understands hardness, for multitude preceded. For what is strong is hard; just as conversely, what is weak is soft. Now he understands the hardness by which the sorcerers flattering Babylon, and promising it perpetual and unconquered empire, fostered it in its arrogance and tyranny and hardened it, so that it dared anything, so that it feared neither kings nor God. Thus Haymo. I understand hardness here, therefore, not so much passive as active, by which the sorcerers hardened the Babylonians with their false oracles. Whence it follows:
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10. THOU HAST TRUSTED IN THY WICKEDNESS (as if to say: Thou hast perpetrated evils confidently, thou hast not feared God, and God's vengeance); THOU HAST SAID (namely): THERE IS NONE THAT SEETH ME, — as if to say: Either he does not see, and does not know, or does not care, or is not able to punish my crimes, nor to cast me down from my empire. For ignorance or denial of the Godhead and of God's avenging providence is the origin of all crimes. Whence the Psalmist, Psalm XIII, 1, when he had said: "The fool hath said in his heart: There is no God," immediately adds the effect: "They are corrupted, and become abominable," etc. THERE IS NONE THAT SEETH ME, — as if to say: There is none who shall visit me and my crimes, inspect, examine, condemn and punish them; for all these things are signified by seeth through metonymy. Otherwise the impious care little that they are seen, indeed often they glory in their impiety before others, and display it. To be seen, therefore, that is, to be visited and punished by a judge, they fear. Thus Haymo. THY WISDOM AND THY KNOWLEDGE, THIS HATH DECEIVED THEE, — thy judicial astrology, thy divination hath deceived thee. For thou didst think that the fates of human life and of the commonwealth depended entirely upon the stars; and since thou didst not see from the stars that evil was impending upon thee, as if secure thou fearedst nothing. Thus Forerius.
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11. THERE SHALL COME UPON THEE EVIL, AND THOU SHALT NOT KNOW THE RISING THEREOF. — For "the rising thereof" in Hebrew it is שחרה sachra, that is, the dawn thereof, that is, the rising thereof. For the rising of day is at dawn. He alludes to the Chaldeans, who divined from the stars and their rising, and he mocks them, as if to say: O astrologers! in the stars you did not see the tempest impending upon you, namely evil and your destruction, and its rising, as if to say: Suddenly you shall be taken and laid waste, O Babylon! so that you know not whence this evil arises for you; you shall be destroyed, and you shall not know by whom, and how. For from the vile Persians you feared nothing. You shall be overthrown before you see the city shaken and invaded, before you know evil being created for you. The enemy through the fords of the Euphrates shall secretly penetrate into the city and occupy it, before you know him to have entered. You shall marvel at the city before it is captured, than before it is assailed. Secondly, Sanchez thinks it is alluded to the king of the Persians, whom as the sun crowned with a crown distinct with rays, fire preceded in a spear lifted up like a standard, as if Lucifer, or the bringer of dawn, as if to say: The Persians shall be in the city and shall occupy it, before you see their standards, before you know them to be coming. A CALAMITY WHICH THOU SHALT NOT BE ABLE TO EXPIATE, — that is, by expiating to avert. The ancients were wont through catharmata, that is, piacular victims, to appease the Deity, and to prevent impending disasters; but Babylon was not able to do this, as if to say: Your calamity is inexpiable and inevitable: for God is inexorable, and shall make the Persians inexorable, and they shall not spare you by prayer or by price. This is what he said in chapter XIII, verse 12: "A man shall be more precious than gold."
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12. STAND WITH THY ENCHANTERS. — It is sarcasm, or hostile mockery, as if to say: Let your enchanters save you, "in which you have labored," that is, whom you have procured at great labor and expense, in whom you have toiled, to whom you have entrusted yourself to be instructed and governed from tender years.
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13. LET THE STARGAZERS SAVE THEE. — "Stargazers" properly are those who divine the future from the chirping and flight of birds. Hence by extension of the word stargazers are called all diviners: astrologers in Hebrew are called חברים chabarim, that is, joiners, or combiners, who namely combine and join the stars, and carefully observe the concourse of the heavenly bodies, their aspects and oppositions, and from these divine. Thus Forerius. THAT MADE PREDICTIONS (in Hebrew מודיעים modiim, that is, those who make known, that is, those who predict) CONCERNING THE MONTHS. — In Hebrew חדשים chodascim, that is, new moons, or new moons, or the beginnings of months. For the Hebrews had lunar months, from one new moon to another. The new moon therefore was for them the first day of the month. It signifies therefore that these astrologers from their stars, especially from the moon, namely from individual lunations, and new moons, as renewals of the moon, and new conjunctions and oppositions with other stars, divined concerning the future, what namely in that month would certainly happen to Jerusalem, whether prosperous or adverse. Thus our astrologers in their Ephemerides do not divine with certainty, but conjecture concerning the future from new moons (for then a notable change of things takes place; for the moon rules over sublunary things, and greatly affects and changes all corporeal things), and sometimes they hit upon the matter, sometimes they err: "For the stars incline, they do not necessitate."
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14. THEY ARE BECOME AS STUBBLE, THE FIRE HATH BURNT THEM. — By fire he calls the Persian devastation, which consumed all things, as fire, and truly with fire burned Babylon, as if to say: In the burning of Babylon thus shall all things and your astrologers be burned, like stubble, so that they leave no coals, by which men might warm themselves. Burned wood is useful; for it leaves coals, which are of use to men; but your astrologers shall leave no coals; for they shall be burned up and reduced to ashes. It is signified therefore here the extreme desolation, and complete burning of Babylon. Thus Hugo, Vatablus, Forerius, Adams. The Septuagint translates, which you have coals of fire, you shall sit upon them, as if to say: Your astrologers were torches and coals, which set you on fire, were the cause of your destruction and burning: because therefore you believed in them, you shall sit upon them, that is, you shall be burned with them. St. Jerome notes that this fire was more useful to the Babylonians than the magi were, because, he says, "this provokes them through pains and punishments to repentance: those lead them through error to pride." NOR ARE THERE COALS TO WARM THEM AT, — not astrologers and stargazers: for these he has already said are burned; but men, namely neighbors. For "to warm themselves" is taken impersonally in the manner of the Hebrews.
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15. THY MERCHANTS. — Thus he calls the astrologers, because they made profit and gain from their divination; concerning whom Cicero says, oration 4 against Verres: "A new astrologer, who led not so much the reasoning of heaven, as the heaven of hidden silver." These therefore "in their way," that is in their art and divination, "have erred:" because they falsely predicted prosperity to Babylon, and could neither foresee nor avert its destruction. And this "from thy youth," because this art was born in thee, O Babylon! and with thee as it were from the beginning. Others properly take "merchants," as if it means that they, upon hearing of the coming of the Persians, abandoned the city and were scattered to other trading posts. As if to say: These who advanced thee to these riches from thy beginning will now flee, some to the East, some to the West, and will not help thee. Thus Vatablus. A similar account of merchants abandoning Babylon and mourning its destruction is found in St. John, Apocalypse chapter XVIII, 11 and 15. Forerius for "in their way" translates "in their passage," and thus explains it, as if to say: Just as merchants, who in any passage, that is exchange of goods, or in any contract and transaction would suffer loss, be deceived and err; driven by some evil genius, or said to have applied themselves to trading under an inauspicious star: so thy astrologers, who in any passage of the stars, calculation, application, counsel and divination of thine were deceived, and destroyed both themselves and thee. For Cicero also teaches that the Chaldeans observed the passages and motions of the stars.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
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Hic praedicit regni Babylonis destructionem: et circa hoc tria facit. Primo comminator dejectionis poenam; secundo ostendit culpam, ibi, Iratus sum super populum meum; tertio aufert evasionis fiduciam, ibi, Stent et salvent te augures caeli. Circa primum tria. Primo praedicit eorum dejectionem quantum ad gloriam, quam amiserunt: Descende, de altitudine tuae potentiae, sede, sicut vilis et abjecta, virgo, quia non ante vastata; vel propter tene-ritudinem deliciarum. Solium, dignitas regia, mollis sicut reginae solent esse. Esther penult.: « Prae tenertudine corpus suum sustentans. » Quasi dicat: Non eris ulterius regina. Luc. 1: « Deposuit potentes de sede, et exaltavit humiles. » Secundo quantum ad ignominiam, quam incurrit: Tolle molam, quod erat opus ancillarum, quasi in collo ejus per significati actum, denuda turpitudinem, idest membra turpia, vel ad libidinem hostium, vel transiens pedibus tuis flumina.
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Oseae 4: « Gloriam eorum in ignominiam dabo. » Et ostendit hujus ignominiae auctorem, Ultionem capiam, quamvis potens.
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Redemptor noster: vox populi de ejus servitute liberatis. Supra 53: « Dominus ultionem adducet retributionis. » Tertio quantum ad confusionis verecundiam, Sede tace, sicut ille qui eru-bescit non audet loqui, nec coram hominibus appare. 1 Reg. 2: « Impii in tenebris conticescent. » Iratus sum. Hic ponit eorum culpam, quae est causa talis poenae: et ponit tres species. Primo domini crudelitatem contra Judaeos, ponens concessam potestatem: Iratus sum, propter peccata eorum, volens eos punire: contaminavi, a te contaminari permisi, hereditatem, populum Israel.
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Supra 19: « Hereditas mea Israel. » Jerem. 12: « Reliqui domum meam, dimisi hereditatem meam. » Et ponit potestatis abusionem: « Non posuisti eis misericordias. Super senem, qui est etiam hostibus misercendus. Thren. 4: « Facies senum non erubuerunt. » Secundo cordis elationem: Et dixisti, ponendo superban cogitationem: In sempiternum ero domina. Apoc. 18: « In corde suo dicit: Sedeo regina. » Ponens etiam superbiorum fatuitatem, qui non excogitant futura: Non posuisti haec, quae tibi supervenient. Eccl. 11: « In die bonorum ne immeror sis malorum. » Et ibid. 7: « In omnibus operibus tuis memorare novissima tua, et in aeternum non peccabis. » Et ponit spei frustrationem. Nunc audi. Vidua, per privationem regni; sterilis, in amissione populi, qui munitus est Subito, ex insperato. Supra 50: « Subito dum non speratur veniet contritio ejus. Oseae 9: « Da eis Domine vulvam sine liberis, et ubera arentia. » Tertio maleficiorum multitudinem, Universa. Et ponit tria. Primo maleficia quibus intendit, Maleficiorum: quia hujusmodi arte abundabant. Deut. 18: « Non sit in te qui divinos consulat. » Secundo errorem quem ex his incurrir, scilicet poenae immunitatem ab his qui negabant divinam providentiam, Et fiduciam, ut securi peccarent. Non est, Deus, qui videat me, peccantem ut puniat. Job 24: «Oculis adulteri observat caliginem.» Et ponit aeternitatem a divinis, qui hoc promittebant.
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Sapientia tua, quantum ad cos qui de divinis se intromittebant; scientia, quantum ad illos qui de humanis.
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Jerem. 10: «Stultus factus est omnis homo a scientia sua.» Tertio ponit poenam quam ex hoc promeruit: Veniet super te malum, et nescies ortum ejus: loquitur more astrologorum, qui docent considerare ortus regnorum secundum ortum planetarum. 1 Thessal. 5: «Cum dixerint, Pax et securitas, tunc superveniet eis repentinus interitus.» Sta cum incantatoribus tuis. Hic excludit evasionis fiduciam; et circa hoc duo facit. Primo excludit spem de sapientibus, excludens eo-
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rum auxilium, quantum ad maleficos: Sta cum incantatoribus.... ab adolescentia, idest, a quo condita fuit, artibus magicis plena fuit. Et quantum ad astrologos, Stent, contra hostes, si possunt: his enim artibus etiam abundabant. Jerem. 10: «A signis caeli nolite metuere, quae timent gentes.» Et comminatur sapientibus incendium: Ecce facti sunt quasi stipula, scilicet sapientes vobiscum.
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Non sunt prunae, quibus calefiant; sed quibus tota civitas comburatur; vel quia tempore frigoris combusta fuit civitas, ut simul frigore et igne punirentur. Vel non sunt in te prunae divinae sapientiae. Eccli. 21: «Stupa collecta synagoga peccantium, et consummatio illorum flamma ignis.» Secundo excludit spem de negotiationibus, Negotiatio, quibus etiam abundabant; vel magi, qui sibi mendacia pro veritate vendebant. Supra 15: «Unusquisque ad maximum suum stupebit, facies combusta vultus eorum.»
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Anc. — Indicitur Babyloni maxima quaedam ignominia et humiliatio el opprobrium turpe; iam non erit domina regnorum. Ad illam vero vilitatem redigetur quia populum Dei nimia crudelitate oppressit et immensa superbia se extulit (4, 1-7). Propter elationem illam qua divinos honores sibi arrogavit, redigetur in solitudinem ; quia gloriata est in multitudine divinationum et incantationum, cum magna sui confusione experietur illas vanas fuisse et mendaces et se ab omnibus destitui et cum incantatoribus puniri (41, 8-15). Postquam deorum babyloniorum ruina et dedecus est propositum (46, 1. 2), apte subsequitur, ut prioris liberationis causae et Cyri opera absolvantur, ipsius urbis Babylonis, regni capitis, ruina et humiliatio et punitio. In ea enim clare et aperte deprehenditur, deos impares fuisse saluti praestandae et manifestum habetur argumentum et palpabile pro clade deorum, de qua 46, 1 seq. agebatur. Porro in causis quae pro castigatione Babylonis afferuntur nobis divina panduntur consilia in rerum administratione et speciatim in gubernatione sui populi. Uti hactenus idola, ita nunc artes magicae quae cum idolis adeo arcte cohaerent quam inanes sint et futiles et nocivae demonstrantur. Unde cernitur, quomodo sacer vates idololatriae larvam detrahat et Dei normas sanctas et veram hominis dignitatem ubique sancte profiteatur, tueatur, doceat. Excelsam prophetarum mentem divinitus inspiratam, qui dum omnes gentes idololatriae et divinationibus sunt immersae, uni sanctam Dei legem et normam veritatis praedicant !
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v. 2 « tolle molam et mole farinam! denuda turpitudinem tuam, discooperi hume-.— ' rum, revela crura, transi. flumina!
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v. 3 revelabitur ignominia tua et videbitur opprobrium. tuum; ultionem. capiam et non vresistet mihi homo » ! — inolere labor erat et gravissimus et abiectissimus; abi ergo in pistrinum ut mancipium turpissimum et abiectissimum (Malv.); cf. Ex. 11, 3. Iob 31, 10. Tamquam vile mancipium omnium quoque ludibriis ac libidini est exposita et subiecta; captiva ducitur; « transibis autem flumina non ut antea ludibunda in lintribus sed ut captiva pedibus et cruribus ad illam miseram transmissionem ignominiose nudatis » (Sanct.). Hebr. post molae ministerium servile ita : retege velamen twm, eleva (retege) syrma, peplum scil. defluens, denuda crus, pervade flumina; reveletur nuditas tua et videatur ignominia (ta; Xelum mulieri detrahere maxima est ignominia ei illata; ea recen- * sentur quae maximo opprobrio sunt mulieri; cf. Nah. 3, 5 ; sensus est : « omne flagitiorum dedecus et ignominia quam opes immanes operiebant detractis ornamentis et eversis opibus erit in oculis omnium mortalium posita » (Osor.) Familiaris est prophetis eiusmodi urbium et populorum personificatio; exemplum conspicuum habes Ez. 16. 23. — Demum a quo auctore ista infligenda sit castigatio additur; ultionem et vindictam capiet Dominus de illa scelerum colluvie etita quidem, ut nulli qui sceleribus est constrictus velit parcere; hebr. et nom parcam homini (cf. Rohl. Troch. Ewald, Kn. Fürst, Sein. Del. Or.). Quid hoc loco erines vel cincinni sibi velint, non cernitur. — Etiam vox bai? varie accipitur; est &z. Asy.; voces eiusdem radicis cognatae, uti recte monet For., fluxum vel protensionem denotant; quare vocem interpretantur vel de capillis, vel de vestibus defluenübus. Hoc posterius certe h. l. apte dicitur; quare recentiores communiter vestes defluentes, syrmata intelligunt vel partem vestis fluxam et prolixam, uti feminae nobiles habere solent. Verum num serva tali veste indulta incedit? ita ut iuberi possit retegcre syrma? Fortasse solum infima pars vestis cuiuscumque intelligitur, fimbria vel huiusmodi, ita ut sensus sit idem qui Ier. 13, 26. Nah. 3, 5 exprimitur. Veteres versiones mire variant in huius vocis versione. LXX crines canos exprimunt, item Syrus; ita etiam aliqui rabbini de erine descendente explicant (cf. apud Mald. Malv. Ros. Ges.); alii membrum aliquod intelligunt : humerum S. Hier. (propter 5202); alii brachium, coxam, plantam pedis ete. — Quid Chald. intellexerit, detegi nequit, quia totum versum nuaiore vertit libertate : suscipe infirmitatem, ingredere in servitutem, revela gloriam regni tui; contriti sunt principes tui, dispersus est populus exercitus tui, migraverunt sicut aquae fluminis. Ultimum in v. 3 membrum varie concipiunt. S. Hier. in comment. exponit : nullum pro ea vult audire precatorem qui iram Domini suo lenire conetur occursu. Pro significaiione : non admittam intercessorem, hiphil vel piel verbi vy32 requireretur. S. Hier. seculus esse videtur versionem Sym. oo &vuoztoszxi por &v0oxoc. Recentiores plerumque vertunt : non parcam ulli (cf. Ges. com. Hitz. Ewald, Kn. Fürst, Del. Rohl.); non inveniam ullum (Hahn) i. e. ita perdam, ut iam nullus fere reperiatur. Potest vulg. explieari : non obviam habebo hominem, vindictam autem eapere sine occurrenle est modis omnibus irae atque animo satisfacere (cf. For.). Sed dum Babylon e sede deiicitur, proxime iam instat liberatio pro Israel; unde nexus talis hac piorum apostrophe declaratur qui non possunt se continere neque spiritum cohibere quin Deum laudent cum audiant ultionem de Babylonia (For.) ;
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v. 4 « redemptor noster Dominus erercituum nomen illius, Sanctus Israel »! -— ruinam enim Babylonis initium esse salutis, iam patet ex 14, 1. 3 et vide 43, 12; unde facile explicatur, cur pii respondeant Domino qui dixit se ultionem capturum v. 3 eum laudando ut vindicem, iuris reparatorem et liberatorem, eius potentiam extollendo, cui omnia agmina subserviant et qui Sanctus Israel populo suo conditionem restituat eam quae talem Deum deceat (cf. 6, 3). Hisce titulis simul efficax continetur precatio, ut quae dicta sint in opus deducantur, et firma piorum spes atque fiducia. Huic piorum desiderio respondet Deus sententiam in Babylonem latam confirmans (v. 3) et ulteriores rationes ruinae et causas afferens (v. 6 seq.)
Quod supra 43, 14 indicaverat vates, iam exsequitur simul in exemplo Babylonis et eius subiectione illustrans ea quae de Cyri potentia invicta (44, 2; 45, 1 seq.) dicta sunt. Urbi enim florentissimae annuntiat ignominiam futuram et tamquam Dei legatus iubet urbem superbam relinquere pompam et ad infimam vilitatem descendere. Etiam hic sane magnificum tibi offertur spectaculum ; dum enim Babylon sui nominis gloria, opum divitiarumque magnificentia et potentia orbem implet et gentium admirationem et invidiam excitat, sacer vates huic pompae et splendori larvam detrahit, potentiam quae insuperabilis videbatur inanem fore et plane evanidam praedicit, maximam superbiam maxima deiectione puniendam esse vaticinatur. Ipse modus enuntiandi mandatum urbique imperandi iam sublimem legati divini auctoritatem declarat v. 4 « Descende, sede in pulvere virgo filia Babylon! sede in. terra ! non est solium filiae Chaldaeorum, quia ultra non vocaberis mollis et tenera » ; — expugnatio urbis a Cyro facta revera erat initium ruinae; ab eo enim tempore non.solum ad pristinam dignitatem et dominationem non iam pertingere potuit, sed magis magisque potentia et auctoritate imminuta in contemptum abiit et oblivionem (vide ad cap. 13. 14). Unde propheta per expugnationem Cyri divinum illud imperium promulgari dicit : descende de fastigio gloriae, de sede et throno superbiae! et quo magis sese extulit et quo gloriosior fuit, eo magis deiicietur, unde sede in pulvere, habitum indue lugentium, servorum, abiectorum ! virgo - scil. hactenus urbs erat ab hoste tuta, nulli subiecta, a nullo vim et oppressionem passa (cf. 3, 26; 23, 12. Osor. Pint. Sanct.), verum jamiam libidini hostium tradetur. Humi sedere iubetur; iam non tamquam domina et iudex gentium in solio sedebit antiqua illa et inclita urbs Chaldaeorum prisco florens imperio. Adest enim finis mollitiei et deliciarum, ita ut nemo iam urbem vocet vel vocare possit deliciis affluentem, luxu et mollitie plenam. Finis igitur indicitur imperii, gloriae, deliciarum voluptatamque ; de verbis cf. Deut. 28, 56 : « tenera mulier et delicata quae super terram ingredi non valebat nec pedis vestigium figere propter mollitiem et teneritudinem nimiam » ; de morum mollitie et corruptione cf. Baruch 6, 43. Jerod. 1, 195 seq. ; Curtius, rerum Alex. 5, 1. Rawlinson, the five Monarchies III p. 21. Delicatae et molli iam indicitur labor servilis isque molestissimus, superbae dominae ignominia et opprobrium servile et captivitas
47:5
v. 8 « sede tacens et intra, in tenebras filia Chaldaeorum, quia non vocaberis ultra, domina regnorum »! — pro tumultu et strepitu bellico quo antea orbem implevit, pro gloriatione et fastu quo sui nominis pornpam ubique celebrem habere voluit, iam silentio et oblivione obruetur; olim extulit vocem omnibusque terrorem incussit, iamtacet, neminem habens cui imperet, tacet pudore offusa, ita ut tenebris ignominiam suam abdere studeat; iubetur tenebras et latebras quaerere, ut oculis omnium subducta penitus oblivioni tradatur. Extremam illam ruinam et vastitatem vates denotat quam pluribus cap. 13 et 14 est prosecutus. Atque minime urbem ad pristinum splendorem esse redituram, indicat vates non vocaberis ultra domina regnorum ; titulus hic correspondet regi regum cf. 10, 8; 13, 19. Ez. 26, i. Post expugnationem a Cyro factam iam non, uti antea saepius, pristinam recuperabit florem ; ergo ne Chaldaei se solentur : refloruit civitas regnumque saepius post variam oppugnationem Assyriorum ; talem spem iri praecisum vates asserit; ergo lucem illam, qua mane oriebatur (13, 12) terramque collustravit, iam sequentur tenebrae densissimae ; unde intra ?n tenebras, neque ullus erit a caligine exitus, quia nomen illustre iam non reddetur ei (cf. 14, 22. 23). Cur tenebris sit obruenda et eiicienda ab hominibus (cf. 14, 19) eodem modo explicatur quo in priore parte 14, 4 seq. ;
47:6
v. 6 « ératus sum super populum meum, contaminavi hereditatem meam et dedi eos in manu tua; non posuisti eis misericordiam, super senem aggravasti iugum tuum valde » ; — Deus populum suum, hereditatem suam, gentibus commisit castigationis gratia ; ita populum tradens gentibus eum sacra sua dignitate theocratica quasi exuit, profanum reddidit (cf. 43, 28. Ez. 21, 25). Verum Babylon iustam poenae mensuram excessit, uti Assur quoque 10, 7; unum ponitur crudelitatis exemplum in aetate senili et infirma, quam sine misericordia oneribus servitiisque durioribus oppresserint; de qua re vide Lament. 4, 16 ; 5, 12. Ita plerique (cf. S. Hier. Osor. For. Sanct. Mald. Lap. Men. Tir. Rohl. Sein. Del. Naeg. Or.); aliqui (Ges. Hitz.) senem ipsum intelligunt populum attritum ; at cun in priore membro numerus pluralis ponatur, populus non tamquam una persona consideratur ; insuper sententia careret apta gradatione et quis sibi persuaserit, populum cui sortes adeo felices pro futuro annuntiantur nunc a vate vocari senem decrepitum et. ea appellatione quidem cum de periodo instaurationis sermo vertatur ? Alia ruinae causa est elatio Babylonis
47:7
v. 1 « et dixisti : in sempiternum ero domina ; non posuisti haec super cor tum neque recordata es novissimi tui »; — hebr. adeo wt non poneres hoc super cor; Mà ergo superbia elata erat, ut sempiternum sibi dominium promitteret neque unquam in mentem sibi induceret fieri posse ut ab eo excideret, neque consideraret quis tandem futurus essetexitus vel ad quem finem suo ipsorum pondere scelera et iniquitates tenderent. « Existimabat ergo Babylon adeo se aliis esse superiorem, adeo formidabilem, ut contra se nulla vis aut potestas quidquam auderet ; atque ideo sempiternum sibi imperium arrogabat » (Sanct.). Verba sunt consona illis quae 14, 13. 14 superbe iactantur. « Sed et hoc signum superbiae quod praesenti felicitate decepta futurorum non cogitarit ambigua » (S. Hier.).
47:8
v. 8 « Et nunc audi haec delicata et habitans confidenter quae dicis in corde tuo : ego sum et non est praeter me amplius ; non sedebo vidua et ignorabo sterilitatem,
Cum Chaldaei magicis artibus essent celebres consentaneum omnino est, ut cum idolorum impotentia (46, 1. 2) et regni potentissimi ruina (41, 4 seq.) etiam clades demonstretur et vanitas divinationis. Quare ostendit vates propter artes magicas poenam instare et simul artium earum declaratur stultitia, quia ex iis Babylon neque rerum futurarum notitiam hausit neque subsidia ad mala avertenda ; e contra illis insigniter est decepta. Exprobrationem orditur vates similiter uti 47, 1 et arcte illam ad antecedentem elationem adiungit
47:9
v. 9 venient tibi duo haec subito in die una, sterilitas et viduitas ; universa venerunt super te. propter multitudinem maleficiorum tuorum et propter duritiam incantatorum tuorum vehementem » ; — prius effertur quibus titulis ex norma divina Babylon debeat interitui devoveri; est dedita voluptatibus, superbe suis viribus copfisa nullum malum sibi esse subeundum existimat, demum simili forma loquendi utitur, qua verus Deus infinitam suam perfectionem et divinitatem enuntiat (cf. 45, 5. 6. 18. 92: 46, 9); quare ad arrogantiae fastigium evecta numen sibi divinum attribuit eodem modo quo 14, 13. 14; ex tali autem dignitate divina con- . sequi ait se nunquam regia dignitate iri exspoliatum, nunquam destitutum iri populorum concursu vel gentis propriae frequentia. Babylon effato illo ego sum... sibi talem vindicat excellentiam ut nihil iam exsistat quod secum possit in ullam comparationem venire, ergo ut in se quasi omnia quae sint et valeant concludantur. Unde infertur stabilitas regni et splendoris ; viduitatem multi intelligunt urbem a rege suo derelictam vel regno viduatam (cf. S. Ephr. Cyr. Hier. Theod. Osor. Sanct.) sed cum rex nullibi tamquam vir, maritus urbis vel populi consideretur, explicatio vix probari poterit. Analogia a populo theocratico desumpta (cf. 50, 1) numen urbis vel idolum praecipuum posset eo nomine designari ; proinde numen sibi perpetuo adfore neque id unquam esse permissurum, ut urbs deseratur et cadat. Haec explicatio sane probabilis est; attamen ex Lament. 1, 4 alia suggeritur. Ibi enim viduam esse idem dicit quod solam esse, derelictam esse ab incolis, iam non esse plenam populo. Cum sterilitas certe dicatur de interitu Babyloniorum ipsorum, viduitas apte refertur ad alias gentes quae commercii causa urbem frequentare solebant ; tale commercium etiam fornicationis nomine designatur (cf. 23, 17. Nah. 3, 4), quare urbs ab eiusmodi amasiis derelicta vidua appellari potest. Habes ergo v. 9 idem quod 13, 14 : unusquisque ad populum suum convertetur et singuli ad terram suam fugient. Verum repente et inexspectato duplici illa obruetur calamitate et quidem wniversa, hebr. secundum perfectionem. suam i. e. plenissime, summo gradu (cf. Mald. For. Malv. Mar.); idque cum multitudine incantationum. (warum et cum. vi (robore) praestigiarum vehementi (hebr.) i. e. non obstante copia praestigiarum, quamvis plurimas adhibuerit incantationes ; ita hebr. 2 h. 1. plerumque intelligunt (cf. Loch, Net. Rohl. Troch. Sein. Kn. Del. Naeg. Or.), quamvis etiam notione propter vel pro accipi possit, uti vulg. habet; de quo usu vide Ges. Thes. p. 113. Ruinam eventuram esse propter maleficia et in poenam eorum, certe v. 10 exprimitur. Quaenam incantationum genera intelligantur, vix diei poterit; LXX vertunt £v «7j oxeyxxsía cov, &w vij loy zü» éxaaB0» ceo; Syrus et Chald. explcant generatim de artibus magicis (U^), de magis, incantatoribus, veneficis (cf. Thes. syr. ed. P. Smith p. 1381). Quantopere vero iis artibus ded:ti fuerint Chaldaei, discere poteris ex libro supra allegato a Lenormant edito; quinque ordines recensentur apud Dan. 5, 41 (cf. 1, 20 ; 2, 2. 21) et iam Sanct. monet ipso nominis Chaldaeorum usu id demonstrari, quia communiter Chaldaei vel Babylonii pro astrologis, aruspicibus seu incantatoribus usurpantur « qui ut tradit Cicero ]. 9 de divinatione iactabant habere se disciplinam illam collectam per quadraginta et septuaginta annorum millia » (Sanct.). Artibus eiusmodi ipsos deos posse adigi ut faciant quod praestigiatores desiderent, a mente gentilium non erat alienum ? opinari; quare illud non obstante multitudine praestigi«rum non sine emphasi effertur. dicanda; alii etiam durius omissam esse volunt alteram negationem yN vel DEN : ego et. praeter me nihil, nemo amplius; sed negationem omitli posse, est inauditum. Hahn. additam * tamquam signum femin. accipit, ita ut nulla alia exprimatur : ego et nulla alia amplius. Del. et Naeg. exponunt "DEN poni eodem sensu quo *2?s, *32"N, ergo : ego ulique non sum amplius, ut Babylon asserat se esse el se amplius non esse i. e. alleram, secundam, quae sit sicut Babylon, iam non exsistere. Sensus quidem idem est; sed modus exprimendi eum : ego non sum amplius, vix placere potest; nam : ego allera viee iam non exsisto, vel in altera urbe simili ego iam non exsisto vel repraesentor iterum, videtur subtilius diclum. Item quod Or. explicat eodem Sensu : ego et meum non-esse amplius. Propter elationem illam nihil mali sibi timuit Babylon neque scelerum suorum poenam ullam formidavit
47:10
v. 10 « e£ fiduciam habuisti in malitia tua et dixisti : non est qui videat me ; sapientia tua et scientia (ua haec decepit te ; et dixisti in corde tuo : ego sum et. praeter me non est allera » ; — in explica, uti in v. 9 2i. e. quamvis multa patraret scelera, sibi optima quaeque magna fiducia et securitate promittebat, quia secum cogitabat et alta etiam voce lactabat, non adesse numen divinum quod videat scelera et uleiscatur (cf. Sanct. For. T'ür.). Hie sensus optime cohaeret cum sequentibus. Alii explicant : confisa es in crudelitate, in tyrannide, ita ut crudelitas sit ratio fiduciae (cf. Kn. Del. Rohl.); sed quomodo sit malitia vel crudelitas ratio fiduciae et fulerum, non perspicitur ; ratio assignaretur, si nomine malitiae intelligeretur superstitio divinationum ; neque id tamen admitti potest, quia statim scientiae et sapientiae Babyloniorum mentio infertur. Ad sapientiam et scientiam, qua decepta sit, numeranda sunt genera incantationum, sed etiam quod modo dictum est, stulta scil. opinio non adesse eum qui scelera videat et puniat. Repetit vates, ad quod elationis fastigium falsa illa sapientia sit evecta ; cf. v. 8. Verum quo magis fastus inanis deprimatur, calamitas eum in modum superveniet, quo quam maxime et ar: ogantia illa puniatur et incantatores pudore suffundantur
47:11
v. 11 « veniet super te malum et nescies ortum eius et irruet super te calamitas quam non poleris expiar e, veniet super te repente miseria quam nescis » ; — poena ita proponitur, ut quam inania sint divinationum genera appareat; ingruet malum ita ut ortum i1. e. originem eius vel causam omnino nesciaat (Mald. Malv.) neque diem et tempus antea cognoverint (Mar. Men.), sed quo subito prorsus et inexspectato obruantur ; « videtur autem allusum ad artem astronomicam seu genethliacam, quae ex vario astrorum ortu seu aspectu futuros rerum eventus praesagit, quasi dicat Deus cum specie quadam irrisionis : qui in astris exortus rerum, incrementa et fines videre se putant, illi in astris quid sibi a Deo paratum sit mali et eius ortum seu auroram aut crepusculum non cognoverunt » (Sanct. For.). Calamitas dein ea aderit, quae nulla expiatione poterit amoveri, quam nemo suspicari poterat, in qua igitur artes magicae et incantationes omnes prorsus inanes et. inutiles evadent. Deinde Babylon cum magna sui confusione experietur, quantopere decepta sit (v. 10) illa magiae sapientia et quam falso per illam ad culmen superbiae evecta sit etin se una omnia concludi et contineri existimaverit (v. 10); tunc sentiet alium eumque potentissimum praeter se exsistere et vindictam Hebr. mme vert S. Hier. ortum eius. Vox ex usu hebr. non potest aliter intelligi nisi auroram eius, ergo eius ortum, primum quasi crepusculum ; vel intelligi posset aurora quae malum, noctem tribulationis subsequatur; qua in explicatione melius servatur usus metaphorae lucis vel aurorae faustus et felix, sed perit confusio divinatoribus inferenda. Syrus quoque exprimit auroram, diluculum : veniet tibi malum diluculo et nescies. LXX legisse videntur nrm? ; habent enim hanc sententiam : veniet super te perditio et nescies ; fovea et incides in eam. Chald. eo in loco praebet : et nescies deprecari pro ea; poteritne haeo versio declarari a verbo "mw? diligenter quaerere? Recentiores fere communiter non substantivum sed verbum ibi esse deprehendendum censent ex membro parallelo m22 scil. infin. piel; verbum autem *nv explicant ex arabico incantatione amovere, fascino averruncare (cf. Kn. Del. Naeg. Or. Cheyne, Net. Rohl.). Verum non placet formam aecersere ex arabico; dein verbum arabicum significat fascinare, incantare, artes magicas tractare ; num igitur adeo facile oritur notio : incantatione amovere malum? Hahn manet in voce hebr. sed intelligit m2 nigrum esse, quod in piel in significationem transeat : nigredinem removere; sed id subtilius est. Si verbum est assumendum, potius erit cogitandum de verbo satis frequenti 3n diligenter quaerere, quod fortasse notionem induere potest exquirere, diligenter praevidere; ergo malum quod nulla diligentia adhibita poteris exquirere. Haec explicatio forte est praeferenda. Habetur enim verbum quod ex membro parallelo desideratur ; incommodum illud de aurora mali cessat; et usurpatur verbum apud Hebraeos revera usitatum, non aliunde aecitum. — S. Ephr. explicat in matutino : in liberatione populi te attinget excidium. ! Cum talem ergo calamitatem ad confusionem incantatorum aptissimam annuntiet, auget sermonem sarcasmo et ironia
47:12
v. 12 « sta cum incantatoribus tuis et cum multitudine maleficiorwn tuorum, in quibus laborasti ab adolescentia tua, si forte quid prosit tibi aut si possis fieri fortior »! — si magi nihil poterant praevidere et praecavere, saltem malo ingruenti et praesenti sese fortiter obiiciant et remedium vel levamen afferant; proinde sta, in medio consiste et palam et audacter procede et siste gradum, ne fugias pavida (cf. 13, 14: et erit quasi damula fugiens et quasi ovis), educ iam praestigias. Cum ironia additur : a iuventute toto studio in eas artes incubuisti; ergo aliquem laboris ac studii tam diuturni fructam profer; aequum sane est ut labor a iuventute impensus non sit in rem plane inanem! Bene dicitur a iuventute; vetere enim in regno chaldaico artes magicae iam maxime florebant, quare incantationes magicae plerumque in lingua accadica conscriptae inveniuntur. In ultimo membro magno cum sarcasmo dicitur in hebr. fortasse terrebis, terrorem incuties. En igitur, agedum, audacter artes tuas innumerabiles exsere, fortasse talem conatum Deus timebit! vel calamitas tanto apparatu demum fugabitur a te! At frustra
47:13
v. 13 « defecisti in multitudine consiliorum tuorum; stent etsalvent teaugures coeli, qui contemplabantur sidera etsupputabant mense$, uL ex eis annuntiarent ventura tibi »! — in 3 cf. v. 9. 10; 5, 295; quamvis Babyloni praesto essent omnis generis subsidia, consilia magorum, tamen defecit, infirma facta, est et defatigata. Vel si de studio divinationibus impenso sermo texitur, sensus solum esse potest : quamdiu stat Babylon, hisce artibus diligens studium impendit, ita ut revera fatigata sit hac occupatione; nequit autem sensus esse, fatigatam esse consiliis capiendis ad hane de qua agitur calamitatem avertendam; haec enim subito et inexspectato irruere dicitur. Ironia in eo potius consistit, quia Babylon semper artes illas magna cum sedulitate fovit iisque optime secum agere seque praeclare instructam et munitam esse censuit — at nunc, quando illis opus esset, omnia in nihilum rediguntur. Quare : prodeant tandem in medium et opem salutemque afferant augures coeli, LXX cí àszgeAéyot «o9 obpavov, « qui vulgo appellantur mathematici et ex astrorum cursu lapsuque siderum res humanas regi arbitrantur » (S. Hier.). Et magnam adesse horum sciolorum turbam qui varias artes iactent et multiplicem polliceantur scientiam triplici enumeratione ostenditur; « isti igitur qui supputant menses annosque dinumerant et horarum momenta librantes futurorum scientiam pollicentur, dicant tibi quid super te Dominus cogitaverit » (S. Ilier.). Hanc enim scientiam profitentur ; nam indicantes ad, novilunia (singula) ex ?is quae ventura sunt super te (hebr. cf. For. Malv. Vat. Mar. et recentiores) i. e. ad singulas lunationes vel initio mensis cuiusque astrologi annunliant rerum vicissitudines, siderum ortus et cursus, solis lunaeve eclipses, aeris temperiem et eiusmodi; ad quam rem illustrandam inserviunt quae ex Porphyrio Eusebius refert (praepar. evang. 3, 4; M. 21, 169), ab astrologis aegyptiacis in almenicliiacis referri morborum cura. tiones et siderum ortus et occasus et futurorum significationes. Igitur illi astrologi calendarium edidisse singulis noviluniis videntur. recentioribus Kn. qui gnaros coelorum ex arabico exponit. Hahn opinatur esse legendum q^2n et explicandum a 133 hiph. in significatione perscrutari; cf. Eccl. 3,18; 9, 1. Alii geri retinentes censent notionem secandi transire in aliam cognatam decernere, determinare ; similiter uti Chald. 373 secare in T3 vales (Dan. 2, 21; 4,4; 5, 1. 11) eam nolionem prae se fert; dein eadem habetur significatio quam bxpkmi S. Hier. Eundem sensum exprimit Bonips stent et salvent te Chaldaei contemplantes coelum et sidera; sim. Chald. : salvent te qui intuentur planetas coeli (cf. Levy, Chald. Woerterb. II p. 162). Allerum quod additur 'à m'y exponunt videntes stellas cum assiduitate et voluptate, uti dieitur a nw? et eliam verbum iy eodem sensu iungitur cum 3 v. g. Ps. 27, 4. Cant. 7, 1. Mich. 4, 11 etc. (vide Ges. Thes. p. 460). Sed cum min vox sit sollemnis de visione prophetica, etiam explicari poterit : videntes (futura) in stellis, qui « praevidentes in stellis i. e. qui virtute stellarum inspecta futura praevident atque praedicunt » (For.); sim. Malv. quam explicationem ex recentioribus Naeg. praefert. ; Verum quam inanis et inutilis sit haec turba incantatorum et astrologorum, ostenditur comparatione instituta
47:14
v. 14 « ecce facti sunt quasi stipula, ignis combussit eos; non liberabunt animam suam de manu flammae; non sunt prunae quibus calefiant nec focus ut sedeant ad eum »; — adeo erunt impotentes, adeo celeriter obruentur calamitate sine ulla salutis spe, ac si ignis incidat in stipulas aridas easque momento absumat; « tam ergo incantatores illi qui a se stare putant coeli militiam et astra contra hostiles acies coniurata resistent persico apparatui, quam arida stipula flammae vehementi » (Sanct.). Atque eo minus evadent incendium illud, quia ignis ille a Domino immissus est ignis plane devastans, non est ad hominum beneficium accensus, ut scil. frigus depellat, ut corpus modico tepore confoveat, cuius gratia ad focum assideas, ut cum voluptate concalescas, sed est ignis vindictae Domini. Ita ultimum membrum videtur concipiendum, quo igitur non sine sarcasmo quodam describitur vehementia irae divinae, cui nihil possit resistere et qua tota illa augurum multitudo ! vehementi confusione prosternetur (cf. Osor. Pint. Tir. Calm. Rohl.). ut scil. « qui salutem aliis promittebant, sua ignorarent supplicia » (S. Hier.). Iudicium Dei depingitur, uti saepius in parte priore, comparatione incendii; « quis poterit habitare de vobis cum igne devorante » (33, 14; cf. 30, 33). Cum stipulae mentio fiat, non poterit ultimum membrum ita concipi, ut dicatur ne prunas quidem ex illo incendio superfuturas esse; ergo incantatores illos ne vestigio quidem relicto plane esse interituros vel ex eorum interitu nullam fore utilitatem vel Is. 41, 15 211 opera eorum omnino iri destructum (For. Mald. Sanct. Sasb. Mar. Lap. Men. Ges. Hahn). Nam si stipulae comburuntur, nemo prunas vel carbones iri relictum exspectabit; et ipsa stipularum combustione iam declaratur abolitio perfecta. Vates sapientiam Chaldaeorum perstrinxit qua non poterunt eripi; addit neque ex commercio neque ex populorum turbis quae Babylonem convenire solebant quidquam eis fore subsidii
47:15
v. 48 « sic facta sunt tibi in. quibuscumque laboraveras ; negotiatores tui ab adolescentia tua unusquisque in via sua erraverunt; mon est qui salvet te »! — i. e. omnia quàecumque magno diuturnoque labore quaesieras, in cineres tibi, i. e. in nihilum abibunt (Sanct.) vel artes illae magicae in quibus tanta cum sedulitate laborasti ad id tandem reciderunt, ut maximum tibi incendium et interitum inferrent; haec erit ergo laboris iui merces, hoc praemium tibi persolvetur pro studiis maleficarum artium (Osor.). Neque minorem confusionem experietur Babylon ex alio capite de quo gloriari solebat : negotiatores qui a prima urbis aetate-eam constanter frequentarunt et, undique terrarum confluere solebant, iam calamitate ingruente in suam quisque viam ac partem aufugiunt, dilabuntur, praecipites quaquaversus in fugam feruntur (cf. 13, 14). Ita omnia summatim complectens concludit vates non est qui salvet te: neque idola, neque magi tui, neque populi tui olim amici. — Cum Babylon revera commerciis ac mercatura celebris esset (cf. Ez. 4'1, 4. Rawlinson|. c. IIl. p. 13), nulla adest ratio vocem ?r? quae usu constanti de institore, mercatore, épxépo adhibetur hoc loco ad alienam notionem magi detorquendi vel explicandi de peragrantibus scil. magis vel incantatoribus. lis enim non fuga praedicitur, sed v. 44 interitus aliud genus. Quare etiam non ipsiastrologi dicuntur mercatores eo sensu quia quaestum faciebant divinando (Mald. Sanct. For. Men.), sed intelliigendi sunt cum plerisque (cf. Osor. Pint. Sasb. Malv. Mar. Tir. Calm. Rohl.) mercatores.
47:11
… In the Old Testament hipper has two distinct acceptations: one "to cover", in a particular way "to cover the face" (Gen. 32, 21); "to cover" "to avert" in Is. 47, 11. Kipper refers to the action of e. on the part of the officiating priest, so that the word means: to practice e., that is, to make expiation. …
47:12
… The magic of the Egyptians is highlighted (Ex. 7:11 ff.; Wis. 17:7) and that of the Babylonians (Is. 47:12 f.; Dan. 1:20; 2:10-12), among whom it was of great importance. …
47:13
… turn to mediums or consult fortune-tellers, lest you be defiled by their contact: I am the Lord your God" (Lev. 19:31). "Do not be afraid of the signs of the sky, which the Gentiles fear, for the rites of the peoples are vain" (Jer. 10:2; cf. also Is. 47:13).
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Douay 1609-10), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.