Original Douay–Rheims AnnotationsJeremiah 15

If Moyses and Samuel shall stand before me.

^[1] As before God revealed to this prophet Jeremy, that the people should assuredly be punished, and therefore prohibited him (ch. 7. v. 16. ch. 11. v. 14. & ch. 14. v. 11.) that he should not pray for them: so here he confirmeth the same determinate sentence of their punishment, saying: If Moyses and Samuel shall stand before me, my soul is not towards this people. That is, though not only Jeremy (a zealous holy prophet now living) but also Moyses and Samuel (departed from this world long before) shall pray for this people, yet they shall not escape the designed punishment, for their great sins. By necessary consequence of which confirmation, is also proved, that Moyses and Samuel, after their death, both could and did sometimes pray for the same people. ^[2] For otherwise the particular mention of these prophets, were not to the purpose, if they never did, nor could pray for them. And whereas the English gloss (in the Geneva Bible) supposeth God's meaning to be, that if there were any man living moved with so great zeal towards the people, as were these two, yet he would not grant this request, for as much as he had determined the contrary, it is evident that Jeremy, Ezechiel, Daniel, and some other prophets then living, had also great zeal, very like to the others, and therefore this text speaketh not of others like unto them; but as S. Jerome (in his commentaries, upon this place) S. Chrysostom (ho. 1. in 1. Thess. 1.) and S. Gregory (li. 9. Moral. c. 12.) understand it, of Moyses and Samuel themselves, ^[3] being in assured happy state, where their former great zeal and charity were now greater, and more perfect than in this life.

• 1 No prayers of others do avail for obstinate & impenitent sinners.
• 2 Saints after their death pray for men in this world.
• 3 This text is understood of Moyses and Samuel themselves.