1883 Haydock Douay Rheims Bible

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Isaiah 52:1 Arise, arise, put on thy strength, O Sion, put on the garments of thy glory, O Jerusalem, the city of the holy One: for henceforth the uncircumcised, and the unclean, shall no more pass through thee.

Thee. Judea was no more laid waste by its ancient enemies. The persecution of Epiphanes did not continue long. Many have attacked the Church; but they cannot overcome her, nor will she cease to preach the truth, and to continue pure and holy.
Isaiah 52:2 Shake thyself from the dust, arise, sit up, O Jerusalem: loose the bonds from off thy neck, O captive daughter of Sion.

Isaiah 52:3 For thus saith the Lord: You were sold gratis, and you shall be redeemed without money.

Money. The Chaldeans acted impolitically in leaving the country without inhabitants, and Cyrus will derive no immediate advantage from your return. (Calmet) --- The Jews had not injured the Chaldeans, nor mankind the devil. But both had offended God, who out of mercy paid their ransom. (Worthington)
Isaiah 52:4 For thus saith the Lord God: *My people went down into Egypt at the beginning to sojourn there: and the Assyrian hath oppressed them without any cause at all.

Genesis 46:6.
Assyrian. Pharao, (Sa; Tirinus) or rather Nabuchodonosor, (Calmet) and the princes of Assyria, who acted tyrannically. (Haydock)
Isaiah 52:5 And now, what have I here, saith the Lord: for my people is taken away gratis? They that rule over them, treat them unjustly, saith the Lord, *and my name is continually blasphemed all the day long.

Ezechiel 36:20.; Romans 2:24.
Long, by the Chaldeans, weak Jews, and strangers, who misconstrue my conduct towards my people, and represent it as the effect of injustice, or of weakness.
Isaiah 52:6 Therefore my people shall know my name in that day: for I myself that spoke, behold, I am here.

Here. Jesus Christ appears, the Redeemer foretold so long before.
Isaiah 52:7 *How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, and that preacheth peace: of him that sheweth forth good, that preacheth salvation, that saith to Sion: Thy God shall reign.

Nahum 1:15.; Romans 10:15.
Peace. He comes like a conqueror to save his people. It may also be applied to the prophets and apostles, (Calmet) as St. Paul explains it, Romans 10:15. (Menochius)
Isaiah 52:8 The voice of thy watchmen: they have lifted up their voice, they shall praise together: for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall convert Sion

Watchmen, prophets. The angels sung at the birth of Christ, Luke 2:14.
Isaiah 52:9 Rejoice, and give praise together, O ye deserts of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath comforted his people: he hath redeemed Jerusalem.

Isaiah 52:10 The Lord hath prepared his holy arm in the sight of all the Gentiles: *and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

Psalm 97:3.
Arm. The Saviour, Luke 1:51.
Isaiah 52:11 Depart, depart, go ye out from thence, *touch no unclean thing: go out of the midst of her, be ye clean, you that carry the vessels of the Lord.

2 Corinthians 6:17.
Lord, the Levites departing from Babylon, 1 Esdras 1:7., and Numbers 3:6., and 4:5., etc. (Calmet) --- St. Paul proves hence that communication with infidels in spiritual things is always unlawful, 2 Corinthians 6:17. (Worthington)
Isaiah 52:12 For you shall not go out in a tumult, neither shall you make haste by flight: for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will gather you together.

Isaiah 52:13 Behold, my servant shall understand, he shall be exalted, and extolled, and shall be exceedingly high.

Servant, Christ. In vain do the Jews attempt to apply this to any other. It is wonderful that Grotius should follow their steps, and understand Jeremias to be meant; though elsewhere he allows that the prophet speaks only of the Messias. (De Verit. 5:19.) --- This author [Grotius] has been of great prejudice to religion. The Chaldean and many modern Jews have been compelled by evidence to apply this to the Messias. See Geir., etc. Jesus was pleased to assume the form of a servant, Philippians 2:7.
Isaiah 52:14 As many have been astonished at thee, so shall his visage be inglorious among men, and his form among the sons of men.

Of men, who have disfigured the countenance of our Saviour with buffets, etc. The Jews would not receive him under this abject form, though it had been foretold equally with his elevation. (Calmet)
Isaiah 52:15 He shall sprinkle many nations, kings shall shut their mouth at him: *for they to whom it was not told of him, have seen: and they that heard not, have beheld.

Romans 15:21.
Sprinkle with baptism, (Haydock) and his manifold graces. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "so many nations shall wonder at him." (Haydock) --- Mouth, out of reverence. How many great princes have submitted to his yoke? (Calmet) --- Beheld. The Gentiles (Menochius) embrace the faith, at the sight of Christ's miracles. (Calmet)