Ways. Religious rites, ver. 3. --- Fear. Worship, Leviticus xix. 14. --- Signs. They were designed to point out the seasons, Genesis i. 14. (Calmet) --- Heathens thought that they had a divine power. (Worthington)

Asunder. Isaias xliv. 8., Baruch vi. 3., and Wisdom xiii. 11. The pagans themselves laughed at such folly. (Calmet) --- If such things were gods, the makers and tools deserved more adoration: Fabri deorum vel parentes numinum, says Prudentius. The vanity of such idols was more easily discerned than that of the stars. (Worthington)

Tree. The ancient statues were ill-formed, (Diodorus 4.) before Dedalus brought the art to greater perfection, and gave them a living attitude.

There. Septuagint omit the three following verses; and from ver. 9., all these, &c., to the end of ver. 10., which Grabe inserts in a different character. (Haydock)

Wise. Manuscript 2 has in the margin "kings," perhaps more correctly. (Kennicott)

Vanity, and shews them clearly to be foolish (Calmet) and wicked. (Haydock)

Ophaz, or Phison, (Genesis ii. 11.; Calmet) the coast of Pegu, Faprobana, &c. (Menochius)

Wrath. God is the true cause of all that terrifies mankind.

Heaven. This verse is in Chaldean, for the captives to use at Babylon, to defend themselves. It should be in a parenthesis, as it interrupts the discourse. Perhaps it was added during the captivity.

Voice. Thunder, (Psalm xxviii. 3.) which is usually the forerunner of rain. Lightning is occasioned by the inflamed exhalations of conflicting clouds.

Knowledge. If it were real, he would see the vanity of idols, ver. 8. (Calmet)

Portion. The Lord. (Haydock) (Psalm lxxii. 6.) --- Rod, to measure, (Psalm lxxiii. 2.) or the sceptre and ruler. (Menochius)

Shame. Idols. See if they will keep thee. Hebrew, "thy merchandise," or most precious effects.

Found by the enemy. Hebrew also, "find" me, being taught by affliction, chap. xxix. 13. (Calmet) --- Entering into sentiments of penance, they shall say, Woe, &c. (Haydock)

North. He has announced this conqueror eight times. --- Dragons. Tannim means "huge reptiles," whether of sea or land. (Calmet)

The way, &c. Notwithstanding man's free-will, yet he can do no good without God's help, nor evil without his permission. So that, in the present case, all the evils which Nabuchodonosor was about to bring upon Jerusalem, could not have come but by the will of God. (Challoner) (Worthington) --- This prince succeeds by thy order. (Theodoret) --- Yet chastise us as a father, and have us not to his fury, ver. 24. (Calmet) --- "Let new preachers blush, who say that each one is governed by his own will," (St. Jerome; chap. ix. 23.) and able to do good without God's grace. (Haydock)

Judgment. Chap xxx. 11., and Psalm vi. 1. Justice is not contrary to mercy. (Calmet)

Glory. This is repeated from Psalm lxxviii. 6. (Menochius) --- The prophet supposes that these nations will not repent, and that their sins are more enormous. To see God's people treated with greater severity, might scandalize the weak, while infidels would take occasion to abuse their own impunity. (Calmet)