He increases the nations, and destroys them: he enlarges the nations, and leads them away.
Read Chapter 12
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Multiplieth. Hebrew, Septuagint, and Syriac, "deceiveth "(Calmet) suffering them to confide too much in their strength, so that they fall an easy prey. (Haydock)
How many nations, once so powerful, are now fallen; while others of no account have risen to eminence!
29. We may understand it, viz. that ‘the Lord multiplieth the nations and destroyeth them,’ in this way, that day by day men are born destined to die, and that ‘them, that be overturned, He restoreth entire,’ in that they, who were dead, shall rise again; which however we shall interpret in a better sense, if we think how it is that this is done in their souls.
For ‘He increaseth the nations and destroyeth them,’ in that He both enlarges them by fruitfulness of offspring, and yet leaves them in their own infidelity; but ‘them, that were overturned, He restoreth entire,’ in that those, whom He had left in the downfall of infidelity, He one time or another reestablishes in the seat of faith. And these being restored in a whole state of mind, that ancient People, which seemed faithful to God, being reprobate was cast away in heart, so that, being deceived by its own misbelief, it should afterwards rise up against Him, Whom it had before preached.
