He evil treats the barren that bears not: and does not good to the widow.
Read Chapter 24
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Fed the barren. That is, the harlot. Or else, he hath fed; that is, he hath fed upon the barren; that is, the poor and desolate. (Challoner)
He has not had posterity, but pleasure, in view, when he married. (Rabbins)
Septuagint agree with the Vulgate. (Haydock)
But most explain the Hebrew, "He hath oppressed the barren "which may denote those whose husband and children have been slain. (Calmet)
No good, but even dealt with them dishonestly. (Cajetan)
4. Who is it in this place that is denominated ‘barren’ saving the flesh, which while it goes after things present alone is not able to engender good thoughts? and who is styled ‘a widow’ but the soul, which same because the Maker was minded to unite to Himself, He came to the marriage chamber of the carnal womb, as the Psalmist testifies, who saith, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber? [Ps. 19, 5] And she is rightly called ‘a widow,’ in that her Husband underwent death in her behalf, and now in the retreats of heaven hidden from her eyes as in the tract of another region He lives. Thus the wicked man ‘feeds the barren’ and scorns to ‘do good to the widow,’ because in obeying the desires of the flesh, he makes little of the care of the soul and its life. For with the whole bent and with every effort he considers how without necessities of any kind the flesh which is to die may be made to hold on, and he is indifferent to concern himself for the life of the soul, whi...
