Bible CommentariesGeorge Haydock's Catholic Bible CommentaryIsaiah 59
Verse 2
Iniquities. The history of Susanna shews that the captives were not all free from sin, which alone prevented their liberation, Lamentations iii. 44. (Calmet) [Daniel xiii.] --- God is willing and able to save. He punishes for sin, to cause us to repent, ver. 20. (Worthington)
Verse 4
Justice. They arraign unjustly. None call upon the just God, but trust in idols. --- Iniquity. They kill themselves, while they strive to injure others, Psalm vii. 15., and Micheas ii. 1.
Verse 5
Basilisk, or viper. (Calmet) --- The young ones "burst through the viper's sides." (Pliny, [Natural History?] x. 62.) --- So the works of the wicked are useless or destructive.
Verse 16
Himself, to arrest his arm, stretched out to chastise his son; or to second him. There is nothing in man to stop God's vengeance. He therefore pardons out of his own goodness, chap. lix. 2., and lxiii. 4. (Calmet) --- He became man to redeem us, as no pure mortal could do it. (Worthington)
Verse 19
On. Hebrew, "is standard-bearer." (Aquila) (St. Jerome) --- Cyrus, the figurative redeemer, proceeds rapidly.
Verse 20
To Sion. Septuagint, "from Sion, and will turn away iniquity from Jacob. (21.) And this," &c. (Haydock) --- St. Paul hence proves that the Jews will at last be converted, Romans xi. 26. The return of the captives prefigured this event. (Calmet)
Verse 21
Covenant. Note here a clear promise of perpetual orthodoxy to the Church of Christ. (Challoner) --- She hath still the spirit of truth. (Worthington) (Matthew xxviii. 20.) --- None will apply this to the synagogue, which is visibly in the dark, and abandoned. (Calmet)
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