They cried unto them, Depart; it is unclean; depart, depart, touch not: when they fled away and wandered, they said among the nations, They shall no more sojourn there.
Read Chapter 4
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Depart. They were not ashamed to speak thus to others, or the citizens address the priests contaminated with blood. Even the Chaldeans looked upon the Jews with abhorrence, as an abandoned people.
For they. Hebrew, "but they understood not, and wandered about. They, (Calmet) the Gentiles, said. "(Haydock)
Here is considered the derision of captured citizens by their enemies. So, first the profanation of holy things was blamed on these enemies. As said: "Away! Unclean!' men cried out to them." Namely, enemies cried out against the Jews, as ones unclean from their own places.
Then: "Away! Away! Touch not!" That is, you Jews, unclean as to holy things. As Leviticus 21:16-17 states: "And the Lord said to Moses, 'Say to Aaron, none of your descendants throughout their generations who has a blemish may approach to offer the bread of his God.'"
Secondly, was blamed on the Jews the indignation of their Lord God, insofar as to a destruction of divine aid.
So Verse 15 continues: "so they became fugitives and wanderers." Namely, as enemies blaming each other (as Jews); and by chiding and grieving among themselves.
As Verse 15 concludes: "Men said among the nations, 'They shall stay with us no longer'." That is, as if, God depended on the Jews. As Psalm 71 (70):ll states: "And say, 'God...
