| Douay RheimsDouay-Rheims Bible -- The New Testament was published at Rheims (1582), the Old Testament at Douay (1609). The Douay Rheims served as the main English bible for the Catholic world for centuries. Bishop Challoner updated it extensively mid-18th century. Biblical scholar Rev. George Haydock compiled a Catholic commentary mid-19th century. This text set is from an approved 1914 U.S. printing. | Haydock CommentaryHaydock Catholic Bible Commentary - based on the Douay-Rheims Bible; originally compiled by Catholic priest and biblical scholar Rev. George Leo Haydock (1774-1849). |
| 1 Give praise, O thou barren, that bearest not: sing forth praise, and make a joyful noise, thou that didst not travail with child: for many are the children of the desolate, more than of her that hath a husband, saith the Lord. | Barren Jews in captivity, or Church of the Gentiles, to which alone the expressions can be applied. C. --- The Gentiles were before unfruitful, as the Jews will be till towards the latter times. W.
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| 2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and stretch out the skins of thy tabernacles, spare not: lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes. | Stakes, to receive so great a family. All the Israelites did not return, and it does not appear that many embraced their religion, as they have done that of Christ.
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| 3 For thou shalt pass on to the right hand, and to the left: and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and shall inhabit the desolate cities. | Left. To the north and south. Jerusalem increased. But what was it compared with the Christians establishment!
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| 4 Fear not, for thou shalt not be confounded, nor blush: for thou shalt not be put to shame, because thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt remember no more the reproach of thy widowhood. | Widowhood. Thy former excesses shall be forgotten. C.
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| 5 For he that made thee shall rule over thee, the Lord of hosts is his name: and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, shall be called the God of all the earth. | Thee. Heb. " Bohalaic (H.) shall be your Baalim," or husband, who was styled Lord. 1 Pet. iii. 6. Perhaps he may allude to the two wives, the synagogues and the Church, or to the idols, which should be adored no more.
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| 6 For the Lord hath called thee as woman forsaken and mourning in spirit, and as a wife cast off from her youth, said thy God. | Youth. This enhances her fault. God is pleased to overlook it, in the captives (C. l. 1.) and Gentiles.
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| 7 For a, small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee. | |
| 8 In a moment of indignation have I hid my face a little while from thee, but with everlasting kindness have I had mercy on thee, said the Lord thy Redeemer. | |
| 9 This thing is to me as in the days of Noe, to whom I swore, that I would no more bring in the waters of Noe upon the earth: so have I sworn not to be angry with thee, and not to rebuke thee. | Earth. Giving him the rainbow for a sign. My covenant with the Church is equally irrevocable: she is founded on a rock. Mat. xvi. 18. C. --- Christ will no more abandon her than he will drown the world. Some mountains shall be moved out of their place, but she shall not. W.
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| 10 For the mountains shall be moved, and the hills shall tremble; but my mercy shall not depart from thee, and the covenant of my peace shall not be moved: said the Lord that hath mercy on thee. | |
| 11 O poor little one, tossed with tempest, without all comfort, behold I will lay thy stones in order, and will lay thy foundations with sapphires, | Sapphires. Heb. "antimony," a mineral shining like silver. 4 K. ix. 30.
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| 12 And I will make thy bulwarks of jasper: and thy gates of graven stones, and all thy borders of desirable stones. | Bulwarks. Heb. windows of crystal; (Ezec. xxvii. 16. C.) Prot. "of agate." H. --- All this is allegorical, like the redemption of the new Jerusalem. Apoc. xxi.
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| 13 All thy children shall be taught of the Lord: and great shall be the peace of thy children. | Lord, Christ. Jer. xxxi. 33. John vi. 45.
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| 14 And thou shalt be founded in justice: depart far from oppression, for thou shalt not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near thee. | Thee. The Cutheans rendered the Jews suspected. 1 Esd. iv. 2. and vi. 1
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| 15 Behold, an inhabitant shall come, who was not with me, he that was a stranger to thee before, shall be joined to thee. | To thee, in the inheritance. This was verified in the Church. We have no accout of many being converted before.
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| 16 Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and bringeth forth an instrument for his work, and I have created the killer to destroy. |
Destroy.
I can give peace or war. C. --- Sept. "but I have created thee not for utter destruction." H.
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| 17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper: and every tongue that resisteth thee in judgment, thou shalt condemn. This is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord, and their justice with me, saith the Lord. | |
